Conference hylndr::cdrom

    
    I don't see why we couldn't place dual shelf structures on the disk -- 
    one with the old format and one of the new format.  The old format top
    level shelf should look something like:
    
    	[Book]  New Documentation Strategy
        [Shelf] Master Library Content
    
    That way anyone popping in the discs without changing/setting up BNU
    gets to see and access all the stuff normally except its one level
    down from where it use to reside.  The new documentation strategy
    should first present a list of books/documentation on this release
    that can only be accessed by BNU.  Then go on to explain the new
    strategy and give setup directions, new shelf format definition,
    etc.  
    
    The dual shelf format should be carried for 18-24 months to give users
    and third parties alike the chance to change over their local shelf 
    structures.  Many large customer sites have their own bookreader 
    shelf & docs besides the ones on the corporate ODL.
    
    So far what I've heard is that BNU 
    	. works locally only (vs. use of node:: before)
    	. within a limited O/S version range, 
    	. can't use search paths (tieing Digital, customer site, and 
    	  3rd party docs together), 
    	. caught some customers by surprise, 
    	. has no backward compatibility at the shelf level available, and 
    	. doesn't work (ACCVIO) in some configurations.
    
    Ouch.  Anything else and anything above incorrect?
    
    Was there a survey form included on disc that user's could fill out and 
    return regarding the new strategy?  Likes? Dislikes? [Of course surveys 
    don't really get very good coverage or response unless there is some 
    random drawing and prizes of some sort even if just T-shirts or something 
    similarly trivial.]
    

    RE: 428.1  You indicated the following:

    	. works locally only (vs. use of node:: before)
    	. within a limited O/S version range, 
    	. can't use search paths (tieing Digital, customer site, and 
    	  3rd party docs together), 
    	. caught some customers by surprise, 
    	. has no backward compatibility at the shelf level available, and 
    	. doesn't work (ACCVIO) in some configurations.

-----------------------------
    My responses follow:

	With the VAX/VMS ODL release, we did provide a saveset so that people
could continue to view books using Bookreader if they did not want to use the
BNU.  We did not include this with the OpenVMS Alpha release, but we have made
the saveset available to the CSC to distribute to customers.  Given the
feedback, I am sure we will continue to make that Bookreader hierarchy
available for several releases.  However, the customer will not be able to
access  books that are in different formats (HTML, Hyperhelp, DynaText, etc.)
unless they have BNU.  While at the moment, the number of books in these other
formats is minimal, we expect them to grow, so ultimately customers will need
to migrate to the BNU to access all the docs.

	Regarding the issue that it works locally... if the customer has DFS, 
NFS, or an Infoserver to make a remote disk appear local, then they should be
all set. It is true that currently the BNU does not access files across the
network on DECnet; this is partly due to the way that Netscape handles file
URLs.  BNU provides Netscape Navigator with local file URLs to access the HTML
documentation; Netscape does not seem to be able to view "local" file URLs 
across the network using DECnet.  An alternative for HTML viewing would have
been having the customer serve the HTML files on a webserver; however, we 
felt this requirement was too restrictive (since not all customers have or want
to have a webserver).  In the short term, the Bookreader hierarchy continues 
to provide access to all Bookreader files across the network (see note 430.0, 
430.1).

	BNU supports back to Version 6.1 of OpenVMS.  The kits that were sent
out with both the ODL for OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS AXP support this.

	I believe the search path issue you are referring to is the ability to 
integrate the customer's own Bookreader files into the BNU?  We are working to
make this happen.  In the meantime, again, they can use the Bookreader
hierarchy to continue on as usual.

	It's unfortunate if it caught customers by surprise.  It had been
announced in cover letters sent out with previous releases of the ODL.

	I'm not sure what the issue is regarding comptability at shelf level. 
Please provide more information.

  	We're looking into the ACCVIO error.  As far as we know, there has only
been one report of this, so it may be related to the system configuration
rather than the BNU itself.

Janet
    

    
    Thank you for confirming each of my points.
    
    (The description of BNU's network limitations because of Netscape is nonsense of
    course.)