Category: Signature
Abstract: Information storage and retrieval increasingly
        demands the handling of text, numeric and coded
        data, and graphic or image information in the same
        context. Computer-based systems do not yet, in
        general, handle this requirement well, nor are such
        'complete' information systems easy to design and
        implement. A useful practical approach to part of
        the problem-the selection of appropriate software,
        and forecasting of the consequent support and
        maintenance requirements-depends on an analysis of
        the data in context in relation to the objectives
        and methods of the users. Where the information
        content can be separated into predominantly numeric
        and coded and text or text plus data categories,
        matching these with objectives from specific purpose
        through what if? and projective to speculative leads
        to selection criteria for choice of 3GL, 4GL and
        modelling, inverse file, signature based and other
        development resources. Each software resource has
        consequences for training, support and maintenance
        investment, and there is a significant difference
        between end-user directed and DP development based
        software tools
Bibtype: InBook
Booktitle: Text retrieval
Author: J. H. Ashford
Pages: 159-69
Editor: P. Gillman
Title: Context and application in software selection
Keyword: database management systems, information retrieval,
        information retrieval systems, software selection,
        information retrieval, DBMS, software selection,
        maintenance