Using World Wide Web and WAIS Technologies to Create Electronic Information Systems
Eric Lease Morgan · Journal of Agricultural & Food Information · 1996
This paper describes three qualities (readability, browsability, and searchability) of useful information systems. Information systems are defined as any collection of information. Thus World Wide Web (WWW) servers are information systems. Readability is defined in terms of good page layout and design. Brows-ability is achieved by the effective organization of a system's information into categories. Advantages and disadvantages of purely browsable systems are outlined. Searchability is described in terms of its advantages and disadvantages as well. Using all three of these qualities thoroughly, information systems can be useful and effective. Brief descriptions of how these qualities can be implemented in WWW servers are then outlined, specifically through the use of the hypertext markup language (HTML), database applications, and two Wide Area Information Server (WAIS) gateways: kidofwais.pl and SFGate.