[1169] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
WAIS and Z39.50: Further clarification
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (JIM MICHAEL-DATA RESEARCH)
Wed Sep 9 17:38:46 1992
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 15:27:00 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
From: "JIM MICHAEL-DATA RESEARCH" <JIM@DRANET.DRA.COM>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
WAIS is using Z39.50-1988 version for its implementation of a full text
client/server protocol. Z39.50-1988 is a National Information Standards
Organization (NISO) standard and is a superset of an OSI search and
retrieval protocol.
WAIS is a proprietary implementation of Z39.50-1988 in the sense that
those writing this client/server had to make local decisions about how the
protocol would be written. Because the 1988 version was not clear and
could not in any way guarantee interoperablility, Mark Hinnebusch from
the Florida Center for Library Automation and I, James Michael, from
Data Research Associates, Inc., started the Z39.50 Implementors Group
(ZIG) in Jan. 1990. This group, consisting of vendors, Database providers,
Universities, etc. has produced Z39.50-1992 and is working on fuctionality
for versions 3 and 4 of the protocol.
Out of the ZIG came a Z39.50 Interoperability Testbed group headed by Cliff
Lynch and sponsored by the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI).
The objective is to test for compatibility and interoperability in the
implementation of the later versions of Z39.50. Those responsible for
WAIS are committed to implementing the later versions of the protocol.
There will a session at LITA in Denver next week to bring people up to
date on Z39.50 as well as two other National standards, namely, Common
Command Language and Interlibrary Loan.
Jim Michael
Jim@dranet.dra.com
