Winter, 1992 (v5n2)
	Free Diskette of Research Project Summaries (Editor's note: The following article is by V Philip Rasmussen, professor and chair of the Agricultural Systems Technology Department, Utah State University. In formation has been added to assist California readers in ordering disks.) We announce the release of the Folio InfoBase of project summaries of the United States Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (USDA-SARE). The disk includes all projects reported from the four USDA-Cooperative State Research Service regions for the past three years. In addition, it includes reports of the Environmental Protection Agency-USDA "ACE" research and education program (Agriculture in Concert with the Environment). This InfoBase demonstrates how quickly sustainable agriculture information can be retrieved through computer database systems. InfoBases provide an extremely cost effective and easy way of distributing information. A Folio InfoBase is a unique and unprecedented form of data storage and retrieval unlike most flat-file or relational data base systems. An InfoBase is a stand-alone file of text information (usually compiled from standard word-processed files such as WordPerfect, Wordstar, Word, etc.) wherein each word is pre-indexed. In addition, an InfoBase is compressed so that it occupies much less disk space than the file from which it was derived. InfoBases can easily be distributed as run-time versions, relieving end users of the need to have Folio software to use the InfoBase. Hence, it is ideally suited to applications where users are given a disk and instructions, but do not have access to any particular data base program. Thus, there are major advantages of an InfoBase over a system such as dBase or Paradox. For example: The system does not require any pre-determined structure-any ASCII or word-processed file is usable. Original text is compressed and occupies much less space than a word-processed file. All original text (though compressed) is readily available as text and can be cut and pasted from within the InfoBase for transfer to new word-processed files. InfoBases can be distributed as run-time modules so that users do not need to purchase any special software. InfoBases operate efficiently on existing IBM-compatible platforms including XTs so there is no need to purchase new hardware. The power of an InfoBase is tapped when the user presses the keyboard space bar to do a global text search. For example, to search for all occurrences of the word "alfalfa" in an InfoBase of research abstracts, simply press the space bar and type "a." Immediately, the InfoBase narrows the search and finds all words that begin with "a." Finish typing "lfalfa" and the InfoBase might indicate that there are 22 occurrences of "alfalfa" in the InfoBase. If "alfalfa weevil" is typed, powerful Boolean logic options collate the information and might reveal that there are 22 occurrences of "alfalfa" and 33 occurrences of "weevil" and 5 occurrences of both "alfalfa" and "weevil" in the same project. We believe that InfoBase systems represent one of the most important developments in fast information transfer of the past decade. We are not necessarily endorsing the product, nor is the USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, or the Sustainable Agriculture Network. However, we do think it represents a class of hypertext technology that could revolutionize how we search for information to help us in our sustainable agriculture management efforts. To request a copy of the SAN InfoBase, please send us a blank, formatted, 3.5 or 5.25 inch, high density IBM compatible disk and a self-addressed mailing label. From California, send it to: SAN Infobase, do Jill Auburn, Info. Group, SAREP, University of California, Davis, CA 95616. From outside California, send it to: Phil Rasmussen, Chair, Agricultural Systems Technology Dept., Utah State University, Logan UT 84321. The program includes a run-time search capability so you do not need any additional programs to operate it. Just insert it into an IBM compatible high density drive and type SAN. This project was funded by the national Sustainable Agriculture Network project (see Sustainable Agriculture News, Vol.4, No.1, Fall 1991). This project represents academic, agribusiness, and private organizations dedicated to information exchange in sustainable agriculture.   [ Back | Search | Feedback ]