Current issues and the future of the database business are discussed in five papers. Topics covered include aspects relating to the quality of database production; international ownership in the U.S. information marketplace; an overview of pricing strategies in the electronic information industry; and pricing issues from the viewpoints of online…

Describes Microcosm, an open hypermedia system for browsing through large bodies of multimedia information via links in external linkbases; explains HyTime (Hypermedia/Time-Based Structuring Language), an international standard for representing relationships between document objects; and examines HyTime features which are relevant to Microcosm.…

Discusses the identification of copyright ownership where there may not be a formal notice of copyright in the traditional print sense. Compilations of information on CD-ROMs and other optical media are addressed, the formation of standards by the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) is described, and relevant legal decisions are…

Discusses the quality controls imposed on text and image data that is currently being converted from paper to digital images by the Patent and Trademark Office. The methods of inspection used on text and on images are described, and the quality of the data delivered thus far is discussed. (CLB)

Discussion of computer-aided indexing activity focuses on examples from projects at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Standardization and quality in providing subject access to databases are considered; and computer-aided lexicography, including thesaurus construction, access vocabulary, definitions preparation,…

Provides an overview of CD-ROM networks. Highlights include network technology, including local area networks; an example of an installation at the South Bank Polytechnic (United Kingdom) library; interface issues, including standardization; possible future developments; licensing arrangements; and acquiring data in formats other than CD-ROM.…