> It has been proposed that the three fields AUTHOR, PUBLISHER, and
> OTHER-AGENT might logically be collapsed into two or even a single
> element.
Response: keep AUTHOR, consolidate PUBLISHER and OTHER-AGENT
Rationale: AUTHOR is'important', and is also a clear conceptual label
(with frilly edges, admittedly!) that professional and
non-professional users alike can at least relate to. The author of a
work is likely to be one of the major search criteria.
Publisher is more hazy, especially with a large number of electronic
resources. Who, for example, 'published' the hypermail archive for
this list? Loughborough? And, assuming it was them, what does it MEAN
for the work? It is a field which has some value
(especially with electronic versions of printed works), but is
unlikely to carry the same weight as publishers in the paper world,
as there just isn't the same degree of focussing upon a small number
of 'reputable' publishing houses... As such, lump it in as just
another 'Other Agent' and let people make use of it where relevant...
Paul
-----------
Paul Miller
Graphics & GIS Advisor, University Computing Service
University of Newcastle, Claremont Tower, Claremont Road, Newcastle
upon Tyne NE1 7RU. tel (0191) 222 8212/8039, fax (0191) 222 8765
e-mail [log in to unmask] WWW http://www.ncl.ac.uk/~napm1/
[log in to unmask] http://www.ncl.ac.uk/~ngraphic/
|