RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
Software documentation The manual that comes with Idealist is comprehensive,
well illustrated and well indexed, although the summarising at the beginning and
end of each section can be confusing.
Support services Support for commercial programs such as Idealist can usually be
arranged through a contract with a local supplier, depending on availability.
Support services are also increasingly accessible via e-mail and the Internet.
The Idealist developers, Bekon, provide support free of charge to purchasers of
version 3 onwards from: idealist@bekon.com
or http://www.bekon.com
The website includes information about the software, frequently asked questions
and a demonstration version of the software for downloading.
User groups At present there are no user groups.
Cost factors Remember that the total cost of a program includes training,
technical support, and time for staff to familiarise themselves with the program,
as well as the price of the software. Idealist is user-friendly and has an excellent
manual, so only a few days’ training is needed. However, general computer skills
are important, as is an understanding of databases, how they work and what
they can be used for.
6.10.3 CDS-ISIS for Windows (WINISIS)
CDS-ISIS for Windows or WINISIS as it is sometimes known is a non-
commercial program developed by UNESCO and collaborating organisations,
and distributed by a network of national distributors. WINISIS is widely used in
developing countries due to its low cost and flexibility. It is a low-cost program,
and is useful for all sizes of resource centre, and those that need to produce
resource lists and other outputs. However, it takes some time to learn the more
complex features, such as the formatting language.
Program suitability CDS-ISIS is designed for use with bibliographic data, as well
as other textual and numeric data. Calculation functions are limited, as the sister
program IDAMS is designed to undertake these.
Repeatable fields and variable length fields CDS-ISIS has variable length fields
and the ability to repeat fields.
Searching CDS-ISIS has the facility for both simple and expert searching (see
table at end of this section).
Flexibility CDS-ISIS is very flexible, both in relation to the initial design process,
and in making later alterations. It is relatively easy to add and remove both fields
and indexes, with these changes taking effect across the database. It is also
56 SECTION 6: COMPUTERS, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND DATABASES