Re: copyright management software

On 04/06/99, Jim Lawrence <jsl10[_at_]cornell.edu> wrote:
>
> Here at Cornell University, we have been using the Xerox PackBuilder
> software. It is not Y2K compliant, and we have to look at new options.
> Right now we are considering these:
>
> 1. Updating PackBuilder to be Y2K compliant and multi-user
> 2. Using the RATEX system. (used at USC and Stanford)
> 3. FIleMaker Pro
>
> Can you tell me what software you currently use?
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

The Global Rights Unit of International Thomson Publishing (which handles permissions activity for 8 International Thomson Publishing Ed Group Companies) has a rights and permissions system (for acquiring permission and granting permission) built on FileMaker Pro. This system is based on a rights and permissions created in FileMaker Pro and used by Brooks/Cole Publ Co (a division of ITP) for almost 10 years.

One problem with currently available commercial rights management systems is that they only handle the "back end" of permissions -- they do not track the permissions metadata of permissions acquired by a publisher and then link or attach this information to permissions granted for the products containing these permissions. If your business is handling and tracking permissions-granted only, commercially available systems are probably sufficient.

FileMaker Pro does have limits. As we are moving into the hundreds of thousands of records with hundreds of users working on databases on-line, we are currently exploring a robust relational database (like Oracle, Sybase, etc.) to move to. However, whatever we choose will contain the GUI and the workflow forms we developed using FileMaker Pro. FileMaker Pro is probably the best database available to build systems and prototypes. (FileMaker Pro is Y2K compliant)

Carline Haga
Director, ITP Global Rights Unit
carline.haga[_at_]thomson.com
visit our website at http://www.thomsonrights.com/ Received on Thu Apr 08 1999 - 02:09:03 GMT