Re: Looking for Z39.50 software

Randy Menakes writes:
Randy| We here at Ex Libris are looking for a Z39.50 Perl module to be used within
Randy| Perl-based applications. We have tried the ZETA Perl client, but would like
Randy| to know of anything else that might be available for licensing.


          Hi Randy,
      thanks for using (opssssss trying) ZETA Perl.

      I am a bit confused after reading your e-mail. So I have small
      questions for you.

      1/ Does the ZETA Perl work for you?
      2/ Is it well-documented and user-friendly enough?
      3/ Does it run on several platforms, including any Windows variant
         and almost all Unix systems?
      4/ Is it free of charge or do you have difficulties to download?
      5/ Is it an orphan project/product or does it lack of author's support?

      I am very busy with several bosses and projects, just "one" wife
      and "two" lovely daughers, but I used to process my mailboxes
      daily and I still love to help people asking on how to (ab)use
      ZETA Perl.

      If you have any feature request, suggestion, idea, bug or anything
      else that could be of interest for the module's development, and
      of course for the whole ZIG community, please feel free to contact me,
      directly or maybe via the ZIG list.


Randy| 
Randy| Thanks,
Randy| Randy
Randy| 
Randy| Randy Menakes
Randy| Senior Analyst
Randy| Ex Libris (USA) , Inc.
Randy| 1919 N. Sheffield
Randy| Chicago, IL  60614
Randy| 773-404-5527, ext. 316
Randy| 877-527-1689 (toll free)
Randy| 773-404-5601 (fax)
Randy| randy@exlibris-usa.com


      Cheers,
      /rocco


      ps. The biggest problem with the ZETA Perl Module is the inclusion
          of system-dependent libraries that are still copyrighted by
          Finsiel S.p.A.
          They are currently available in binary format only and are
          included within the module.
          I never obtained the permissions to release the source
          code under GPL and I stopped to ask :-(

          There are at the time at least a couple of solutions to this
          problem:

          1. If you are a good C/Perl programmer (or if you have in
             your team an expert programmer) rewrite (or ask him to)
             the Zeta.xs file in order to avoid the adoption of
             Finsiel Core Libraries. The excellent YAZ toolkit by
             IndexData could be an alternative (The Right Thing ToDo).

             That is how to say: leave the Perl binding untouched
             to guarantee backward compatibility with a large number
             of applications based on ZETA Perl and change the
             underlaying engine.

             Estimated time: less than 1 week
             (saturday and sunday not included)

             When you have finished, please feel free to rename the
             work, package the module, write a few html pages
             under a web server and put all the software under
             GPL for free download.

          2. My boss will give time and permissions and I
             will start implementing the porting activities
             illustrated in previous step 1.


-- 
Rocco Carbone <rocco@ntop.org> Finsiel S.p.A. Pisa Italy
Linux 2.3.40 | Linux User # 179764 | ICQ # 67637584
E 0.16.4 | Eterm 0.9 | tcsh 6.09 | XEmacs 21.1 | VM 6.72

      Improvement is impossible without change

Received on Tuesday, 27 June 2000 05:55:47 UTC