[OPEN-ILS-DEV] ***SPAM*** Re: Plans for mobile devices?

[Joe Atzberger]

In 2007, I demo'd SirsiDynix PocketCirc to INFOhio staff comparing two
different platforms: the Datalogic Falcon PSC and a PocketPC w/ Socket
external SDIO barcode reader.  That Falcon is a durable chunk of hardware,
but quite expensive, especially with the software license costs.  The
overall cost ratio was about 3:1.

Two years is a very long time, both in terms of mobile device progression
and Evergreen development, but in the next two years I doubt EG developers
will be writing any software specifically for a device platform like, say,
Windows CE or PalmOS.  (The same period doesn't seem like it is quite as
long a time in SirsiDynix development, since we're still talking about the
same stuff.)

This case is a good example of where EG having a regular web-based staff
interface would help close the gap, rather than waiting for Mozilla
xulrunner to support one-off hardware platforms (and then trying to get
users to install it... and upgrade it).  It's just easier to use the browser
available, for whatever it can do.  If it can't do everything, then fine...
nobody needs to upload 50MB of MARC records from mobile devices anyway.

Mobile browsers are a lot better than they used to be (full javascript
support helps!).  For example, I can use EG OPACs on an iPhone or my G1
phone, and those browsers are probably sufficient for a large portion of
basic staff operations.  Certainly the phone based browsers in 2 years will
be, let alone other portables like tablets and netbooks.  Notably, using the
camera, the G1 (and reportedly newer iPhone's also) have rudimentary, but
effective barcode "scanning" capability built-in, with google having
open-sourced the hardware controls and line-interpolation algorithm.
Because of the speed (and dependence on ambient light) I wouldn't recommend
it for inventory of 10,000 items, but for occasional use, it's remarkable
that I could do *any* barcode scanning with no new hardware.  This is
essentially the same CCD-based technology that the SDIO card I demo'd was
using.

So basically, the likely path I project to this kind of mobile device
support is some kind of browser based staff client, whether or not it is the
"main" staff client.  Of course, that's just me talking...

--Joe Atzberger,
Developer
Equinox Software, Inc.

On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 9:49 AM, Amy Terlaga <terlaga at biblio.org> wrote:

>  Hi—
>
> We’re a consortium of 48 public libraries and 20 K-12 schools.  One of our
> libraries is considering investing in a DataLogic handheld unit with
> SirsiDynix’s PocketCirc software installed on it so that they can check
> material out and in and perform inventory functions from within the stacks.
>
> They’re not sure if they want to invest in this unit if it won’t work with
> our next ILS, which will be Evergreen, in two years or so.
>
> Are there any plans to write software for mobile, wireless devices that
> would allow this same kind of functionality?
>
> I see from your roadmap that inventory management is not yet part of your
> development timeline:
>
> From http://www.open-ils.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=faqs:evergreen_roadmap
> *Community requests not yet in the Evergreen development timeline*
>
>    - Inventory management
>
> Thanks in advance for your reply,
>
> Amy
>
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