Good Repository Software I am taking the pragmatic line ... I have worked with some really really bad software (not repository software) so this has probably coloured my experience.
1. Good repository software should not crash, create errors, fall over or become corrupted, 3-4 times a year is ok. DSpace works like a charm here. 2. Good repository software should be able to be installed and supported (given adequate resources) in a wide variety of institutions ranging from small <50 people outfits, to large 1000 + institutions. DSpace fits this mix. 3. Good repository software should without any customisation do the basics of storing metadata and objects, apart from my issue with statistics, DSpace performs that job. 4. Good repository software should be affordable, an although we don't need to purchase software the cost of support staff is comparable to other products. 5. Good repository software should be able to identify bugs, present fixes, and provide a mechanism for technical problems to be solved. Most of the problems we identify have been raised already by the community, are mentioned very soon on the tech lists, and either we or someone else usually comes up with the solution eventually. 6. Good repository software should not pretend to be better than what it is, and bamboozle you with such complex configurations that you end up at the mercy of your clients bending over to their every whim. Supporting it becomes a nightmare and moving onward, upgrading or migrating out of it is impossible because of the huge investment you have made in the product. DSpace is honest software. Leonie Hayes Research Repository Librarian http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz/contacts/?firstname=&lastname=hayes http://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz _______________________________________________ Dspace-general mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/dspace-general
