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Re: [Koha-devel] questions about koha (from a library)
From: |
Simon Blake |
Subject: |
Re: [Koha-devel] questions about koha (from a library) |
Date: |
Mon Oct 7 13:26:03 2002 |
User-agent: |
Mutt/1.3.25i |
On Mon, Oct 07, 2002 at 01:04:19PM -0700, Tonnesen Steve said:
>
> On Mon, 7 Oct 2002, Pat Eyler wrote:
>
> > There's a largish library that is thinking about using Koha. They've come
> > up with a long list of questions that they'd like answered, and I'd like
> > to get some other peoples feedback before I start answering. Please have
> > a look at these, and reply to those that you feel comfortable talking
> > about. thanks,
> > -pate
> >
> > ----------------------Questions----------------------------
> >
> > 1 -- Which operating system, or choice of systems, does the proposed
> > library automation system run on?
>
> Linux primarily, other unices should work fine, but may require some
> manual installation work.
Or in principle, anything that supports perl and MySQL.
>
> > 2 -- Is system administration done with command lines or a graphical
> > module? We should see it.
>
> Graphical (web interface)
Isn't system administration done by the OS?
>
> > 3 -- What is the backup utility? Does it use tapes?
>
> Koha does not currently include a backup utility. There are some options
> for backing up, all of which involve backing up the underlying MySQL
> databases that Koha uses:
>
> 1. Add a crontab entry that rsync's the data to a backup server
> 2. Set up a replicating MySQL server (this could also be a complete
> backup installation of Koha, or a couple of Koha installations that
> are used only for non-write functions such as opac searching, report
> generation, etc.)
>
> [others?]
I think we also need to point out here that most ILS's don't have
integrated backup (at least, I'm assuming they don't :-), and that any
backup system that works with Linux and MySQL (BRU, Veritas, etc) will
work fine with Koha.
> > 5 -- What administrative functions or upgrades require the system to
> > be off-line, and for how long?
>
> There are currently no administrative functions that require the system to
> be off line. The system should be taken offline for upgrades
ie, that Apache should be turned off while Koha is being upgraded?
>
> > 6 -- Is there a backup module for circulation in case the system is
> > down?
>
> No.
That's not quite the case - we have run a local copy of Koha for
disconnected operation - using the MySQL hotsync as discussed by Steve
above, you could build a rig to run circulation while the main system is
down. It does require that your circulation machines run on a OS
able to run Koha, but that's not generally too much of a problem.
It would be a good way to run a mobile library, for example, if you
didn't want to fess up for the cellphone charges that running connected
implies.
>
> > 7 -- Describe the way customer support works, what it covers, and
> > hours of service.
>
> Paid support is provided by... refer to web page?
>
> http://koha.org/installation/support.html
>
>
> > 9 -- Describe the capacity for integrating selfcheck machines with
> > the system. Is it SIP1/SIP2/NCIP compliant?
>
> No. This functionality has been requested by another library and, I
> believe, will be at least partially funded by them.
>
>
>
> > 10 -- What report writing capability does the system have?
>
> HLT uses a client (UrbanSQL I think?) that connects to the MySQL database
> for generating reports.
>
> It is also possible to create cgi scripts that access the MySQL data for
> generating reports. This is the method that I use.
A decent CGI based reportwriter would be a boon for evrybody, I think
>
> > 11 -- What "canned" reports are available?
>
> Limited at the moment... I'd really like to see this improved.
>
>
> > 12 -- Is there an API available? Can we develop applications that
> > can directly access the database?
>
> The API is completely open, and there are no restrictions on developing
> applications that use this API. If you make changes to Koha source code
> and redistribute it, you must only make sure that you are in compliance
> with the GNU Public License (GPL) that Koha is distributed under.
>
> [Do we need to clarify any other GPL issues here?]
>
>
> > 15 -- Is the system client-server or web based?
>
> web-based
aren't web apps fundamentally client-server?
>
> > 16 -- What is the capacity for e-mail functions, including e-mail
> > notices?
>
> This feature is being added now and should be completed this month?
>
I believe so.
Cheers
Si
--
Simon Blake address@hidden
Katipo Communications +64 21 402 004