On 13/10/97 Fytton Rowland wrote:
>
>It seems to me that this points up a real problem that commercial publishers
>of e-journals are going to have to think about.  In a real commercial world
>you have to accept your customers where they are, not where you'd like them
>to be.  There will always be a range, amongst users, of hardware and
>software, some having the latest versions, others (being at a different
>point in their purchasing cycle) having outdated ones.   This will be
>particularly true of the private individual, as opppsed to institutional,
>customer.  I think publishers are making the mistake of being pulled by
>their techies -- who (with honourable exceptions) find it difficult to think
>themselves into the mindset of non-techies.  Any comments from Academic
>press -- or other commercial e-publishers?

This is a factor that has to be taken into account in all internet
publishing.  When we began our project in '95 over 25% of our users were on
Netscape 1 and below.  Therefore our site design level took this into
account.  We also offered links to more complex browsers and analysis now
shows the basic level user percentage below 1%.  The site can now be
upgraded somewhat, but we still leave a back up simpler option for these
minority of users.

The same applies to other software needs.  Any site which does not allow
for this sort of problem is either careless or inconsiderate of their users
- neither of which make for good marketing.  When we create anything we try
to test it on as many platforms / software levels as possible.  This is
time consuming, but ultimately beneficial to the user and thus the
faithfulness of those users.

Why am I writing this - simple!   WE are some of those "techies" Fytton
mentions! But when it came to design it was US who had to stick up for this
concept in discussion with non- techie publishers!  Non technical staff
read or hear about what is now possible, but are not always aware that such
problems can occur when you go for the fastest, flashiest option.  I think
Fytton is doing MOST techies a disservice with the assumption that it is
our fault.  Usually the techies are following orders.  The publisher hears
something is possible and asks for it.  It can take very stubborn technical
staff to stand up and say - "OK so its possible, but some of your customers
will suffer for it".  The techie can find themselves facing suggestions
that they either don't know how to do the new stuff or don't want to
bother!  Eventually it can become too much trouble to fight the corner of
the guy with the old software - especially when the new stuff is free.
Everyone seems to assume the user will just download the new stuff -
regardless of the user's technical ability!  {Fortunately we had publishers
who listened - and I was definitely stubborn enough to tell them :-) so our
site didn't fall onto too many of those holes and you should be able to
open our PDF files (PLEASE tell me if you can't :-)}

So please - don't assume that we don't care or that we only want to play
with the new toys.  Instead complain to all those magazine articles that
promote how good the new stuff is - without also pointing out the potential
problems ???


Karen McKinty




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Electronic Journals and Learned Societies Project
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Publishing Learned Society Electronic Journals at
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