Medline

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 94 08:50:53 MEZ From: "Dr. Stefan P. Mueller" Subject: MEDLINE on CD-ROM [Summary] On Wednesday, 23 Feb 94 I asked for advice on MEDLINE systems on CD-ROM: > > We want to buy MEDLINE on a CD-Rom (medical reference database). I am > aware of "SilverPlatter" (we are using it on a PC in the campus library) > and "Knowledge Finder". > > 1. Which other MEDLINE systems are available? > 2. Are there comparative reviews? > 3. Please send your personal experiences! > I want to thank tan@aeolus.vmsmail.ethz.ch (Song Tan), WJST%GSF.DE (Matthias Wyst), jerry_di_salvo@merck.com (Jerry Di Salvo), deutsch@sfu.ca (Maurice Deutsch), gormanp@ohsu.EDU (Paul Gorman), ACAPUTO@ACS.SAULTC.ON.CA (Aldo J Caputo), and sridar@nil.mni.mcgill.ca (Sridar Narayanan) for their comments. Thefollowing systems are available: - Silver Platter - Knowledge Finder - Ovid Medline by CDPLUS - Stat-Ref - Peruse (used by McGill's McIntyre Medical library) - Macintosh Medline by Telnet (call 800-638-8480) Paul Gorman sent the following brief reviews which also reflect the opinions found in other responses: - KNOWLEDGE FINDER: Mac and Win versions have same interface; scalable to networks of varying sizes, available in magnetic (much faster) as well as CD-ROM formats; offers natural language query entry, MESH mapping, subheadings, relevance ranking; especially attractive to novices who find it "intuitive." - CD-PLUS (OVID): Win, DOS, and terminal versions have same interface and functions (Mac said to be in planned); scalable to networks of varying sizes, (Novell or Unix) available in magnetic and cd-rom formats; MESH mapping, scope notes, subheadings; easy to use for novices, appeals to experienced searchers because it offers most full MEDLINE functionality, etc. Can add other databases, such as CINAHL, etc. - STAT-REF: Mac and Win versions have same interface and functions; no network version of which I am aware; combines clinical subset (eg primary care, cardiology, etc.) of recent MEDLINE with separately licensed full-text of textbooks on same disk; natural language queries without MESH or full MEDLINE functions. Intended more for physicians in practice. - full text of various high-profile journals are available if you're needs are narrow and clinical. - don't forget NLM Grateful Med access over internet. (contact NLM). - Silver Platter: Paul has no experience with Silver Platter. Silver Platter is in use at our campus library and has been satisfactory for me and others, however, I haven't had a chance to compare it to other systems. It uses plain English as well as MESH heading searches with a Boolean search logic. Song Tan sent the following comparison of Silver Platter and Knowledge Finder: "... By some strange coincidence, I posted almost exactly that same question on bionet.software about one or two weeks ago. I've gotten a few replies, but nothing hugely illuminating. A couple of people said they were usi…