As early as Fall term, students may be able to access the resources on the Dartmouth College Information System through the World Wide Web using web browsers like Netscape.
DCIS gives access to encyclopedias, dictionaries, electronic card-catalogues, works of literature and other resources. Users of the new interface will be able to access the system from places other than Dartmouth.
DCIS Programmer Eric Bivona said he doubts there will be a great jump in the number of outside users. The new interface will look much like the previous one, except it will be viewed from within a browser window.
The current DCIS interface can be accessed only through on-campus Macintosh computers. A web interface would be accessible from other platforms, such as UNIX workstations and IBM compatible computers.
Bivona said the web interface "is in a very early test phase right now."
"I don't have a good sense of when we'll go public with it," he said. "The end of summer would be nice."
The new interface may appeal to students who prefer using the World Wide Web, Bivona said.
It will appeal to "people at Dartmouth, who for one reason or another prefer to use Netscape," he said. "They like surfing the web, and if they can, they'll do research that way."
Veena Shankaran '98, who says she uses DCIS, said she will probably use the new interface.
"I do log onto Netscape more often," she said.
The web interface will retain most of the features of the old, and will gain a few new features.
For instance, Bivona said "because it is on the web you'll have the opportunity to bookmark the URLs for a search."
Programmers are also designing "Kerberos Authentication," which Bivona said, "is similar but not the same as what BlitzMail does to protect your password."
DCIS Director Bob Brentrup said authentication is necessary because much of the information on-line is licensed by publishers, who require that usage be limited to Dartmouth.
The new interface, which will be about as fast as the old one, will lose certain features, such as a number of typefaces used on DCIS, Brentrup said.
"You lose some of the effects of the typography," he said. "The Web browser doesn't have all the fonts we have."
It may be more difficult to program graphics on the web interface, Brentrup said.
The current DCIS includes scans of some paintings, he said. A web interface might necessitate a link to a different page with the image.
