[Dspace-general] Non-academic DSpace Users

[Lee Courtney]

MacKenzie,

Thanks for the prompt reply.

> However it *could* be used for that sort of thing, and we will
> soon be archiving applets as part of course
> websites, which is sort of the same thing...

I'd love to hear how this project progresses, both at MIT and any other
institutions. If you should run across anyone else looking at archiving
software content please feel free to point them at me.

In a nutshell the Software Collection repository will be capable of storing,
preserving, and enabling interpretation (e.g. execution) and study of
software systems and their individual components. This includes source code,
object code, executables, libraries, design notes, related material (oral
histories, marketing materials, etc.) and appropriate tools/emulators
allowing interpretation of the artifacts in the repository. Our preservation
timeframe is on the 200-300+ year scale. Our user community for the archive
will be the Museum's Collections and Exhibit Development departments,
historical researchers, students, IP community, computer collectors,
industry, software development community, and individuals interested in the
development of software as a discipline. The current Museum Collection holds
several Gbytes of software, and we envision that expanding greatly. A very
fun project to be working on!

We're also looking at other solutions including commercial content
management and data mart software. I presented an overview of DSpace, as an
example, to the Software Collection Committee yesterday and got a very
positive response. Right now we're using DSpace to ask questions and help
define what's possible. A lot of the solution will be driven by user
requirements (both inside and outside the Museum) that we're gathering in
the next couple months.

I'm very impressed with the community surrounding DSpace and what
institutions have done with it. Looking forward to learning more. If you
should have any questions, comments, or I can be of assistance please drop
me an email.

Cheers,

Lee Courtney
Software Collection Committee, Computer History Museum

P.S. And of course if you're out in the San Francisco area please stop by
and visit the Museum!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: MacKenzie Smith [mailto:kenzie at MIT.EDU]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2004 6:35 PM
> To: courtney at computerhistory.org; dspace-general at MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: [Dspace-general] Non-academic DSpace Users
>
>
> Hi Courtney,
>
> While I can completely understand your desire to see such a list,
> we don't
> track this information today.
> There is a voluntary registration on the dspace.org website which some
> institutions have taken the trouble to do,
> but we haven't promoted it much so it's very incomplete. I can tell you
> anecdotally that there are tons of non-profits
> using it (since that would include every college, university, and most
> research organizations), but no museums
> that I'm aware of.
>
> As for software, I don't know of anyone doing that now, and I'd be a bit
> surprised to find one since
> DSpace is meant to be a long-term preservation archive and preserving
> executable code is still very much a research
> problem. However it *could* be used for that sort of thing, and we will
> soon be archiving applets as part of course
> websites, which is sort of the same thing...
>
> MacKenzie
>
> At 10:29 AM 8/25/2004 -0700, Lee Courtney wrote:
> >Hi all,
> >
> >Could I get a pointer or list of non-academic institutions which are
> >evaluating or have implemented DSpace? I'm specifically interested in
> >Museums or other non-profit organizations. Someone who has implemented
> >DSpace as a repository for computer software (source, executables,
> >documentation, etc.) would be a great find, as that is the application we
> >are looking at DSpace for.
> >
> >Feel free to reply on on-list or directly via
> courtney at computerhistory.org.
> >TIA!
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >Lee Courtney
> >Software Collection Committee
> >Computer History Museum
> >
> >www.computerhistory.org
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Dspace-general mailing list
> >Dspace-general at mit.edu
> >http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/dspace-general
>
> MacKenzie Smith
> Associate Director for Technology
> MIT Libraries
> Building 14S-308
> 77 Massachusetts Avenue
> Cambridge, MA  02139
> (617)253-8184
> kenzie at mit.edu
>