Re: arsclist Cataloging Software

[Graham Newton <gn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Doug Williams wrote:

> As a private collector I am in the process of researching programs to use
> to catalog my collection.
As am I.

> What programs are available to use for private collectors?
I have been using an old DOS program published by Ashton-Tate, a sub-set of 
dBase, called Rapid File.  It is deadly simple, flexible and readable by most
current database programs since it follows the dBase formatting.  Although
it still works satisfactorily for most of my purposes, I would like to 
upgrade it to something newer with all the windows features that aren't 
available to a DOS program.  The program "FileMaker" seems to be a 
possibility, but the learning curve is steep, and even though it has many
nice features in it, you almost have to be a programmer to make the best 
use of it.

> I've gone the shareware route and found SOME that might fit the bill.
I haven't seen anything that was flexible, simple, and intuitive... like
Rapid File is.  My ultimate test is "can I use this right off the bat without
having to read the manual or go through a heavy learning process (excepting 
using on-line help as needed)", all presuming it has the features that I need.

For a few years, I have been ruminating on and off as to what was needed to 
catalog the approximately 1/4 million records my producer partner has, and 
so far after many long conversations on the subject, we are still at a loss 
of just how to attack the problem, and not sure of exactly what features we
need to incorporate at the outset.
  
The "keep it simple" maxim is still at the top of the list.
That is, something that is simple to raise in the first place, preferably
using summer student key entry labor, easy to add to (attached label photos
perhaps) or alter the fields used, and a format that can be merged with 
other available data collections if need be.  There should be no 
proprietary formats that restrict it's use, and this alone rules out some 
programs that are repeatedly offered on eBay.

Comments are welcome.



... Graham Newton

-- 
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