SirsiDynix and Horizon

Some very encouraging news from Ed Riding at SirsiDynix today. There’s a 2009 Horizon Product Plan in planning, and this will include incorporating some of the key international functionality in a new version of Horizon which will also support Sybase 15 and SQL Server 2005. This is a big step forward and seems to indicate that the company is now showing awareness that if they want Horizon customers to remain with them in the long term that they need to continue to support us on Horizon until we can afford (and have time) to migrate to Symphony. Suddenly I’m feeling much more positive about the company than I have for a long time!

A timely reminder

Our staff newsletter today contains some very wise words:

 ”6.2.4 Business Gifts – Business gifts, other than items of very small intrinsic value such as business dairies and calendars, should not be accepted.”

I’m not sure whether we can accept the cattle?

SirsiDynix and Horizon

Over a month ago, Ed Riding promised on Horizon-l to get back to non-US Horizon users about the issues that have arisen for them since SirsiDynix made its decision not to release Horizon 7.4.3 and HIP 3.10 outside the US. Our current Horizon 7.3.4 is incompatible with MS Vista and has issues with XP SP3. We were promised a reply by 15th November. Today is 20th November and we’re still waiting. Am I alone in wondering whether SirsiDynix is interested?

Survey on OS LMS

In the real world, as well as trying to manage library systems I’m also studying at the Open University. As a wierd conjunction of work and study I’m doing some research on the use of Open Source software by UK Higher  Education libraries. I’m particularly interested in OS Library Management Systems and their adoption, or lack of it. There has been some material published on OS in the US, but much less about the UK and I want to find out whether UK HE libraries are doing as little as we seem, and if so why, or whether a touch of British modesty has crept in and we’re all really trail-blazing into the new world of open systems….. Hence I’ve set up a Surveymonkey survey and would be grateful if people from UK HE  libraries would fill it in. As an extra bonus those who give me their email address will also get an anonymised summary of the results. Thanks in advance!