Coyote Data is marketing a product called Oasis, an indexing and retrieval system providing access to over 6,500 freely distributed software programs that can be copied by library staff or patrons for use on library and home PCs. The software collection can be searched by 27 categories and 200 subcategories or by keyword Categories include productivity applications for home and business, word and text processing, programming languages, educational programs, and games. While any software package can be downloaded from the CD-ROM to the hard disk or a floppy, a library has the option of limiting downloading to users with a password so that it is possible for a library to limit the amount downloaded or to impose a service charge. There also is an optional usage monitor.
The Oasis index and retrieval software and the CD-ROMs containing the software collection are priced at $795.00. The company will bundle the product with a NEC CD-ROM drive model CDR-36 for $1,328. The optional user service utilities which provide for password control of downloading and a usage monitor are priced at $195.
[Contact: Coyote Data, Ltd., 1142 North Main, Rochester, MI 48307; (313) 651-2879.]
