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Collections freeware

D

dreuby

Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2005
Messages
14
Location
UK
Adlibsoft have just released a freeware version of their catalogue software. I've been trying it out, and we're going to use it for our museum collection until we can afford the paid version.

System requirements:
Pentium III/IV processor
256M RAM
Windows XP or Windows 2000 or Windows 98SR2
Required Disk Space: Software 40MB, plus 2– 5KB per object record, plus 50-200 KB per image (1GB approx total for 5,000 records)

It's easy to get to grips with especially if you install the sample data and use it with the manual step-by-step guide. The pop-up help panel is good - changes as you change tabs and fields, with examples which I found useful.

It's a 97Mb download, but it doesn't take up that much as you only install in one language. Max number of items is 5000.

It would be good for private and hobby collectors as well as museums on a small (or non-existent!) budget.

http://www.adlibsoft.com/
 
Apart from the spam I can't really figure out what these guys are peddling. Besides which my main CPU is is only a 233MMX. Have they simply collected a bunch of software collected by more dedicated nerds or are they attempting to be a new Simtel ? Strange the scams that sometimes turn into lucrative ideas.

L
 
I think you missed the point entirely. They look like they have a product for cataloging your collection. It's not a shareware collection.
 
mbbrutman is right - it's a program to catalogue a collection. They already produce paid software for this, and it's very good. But we can't afford it at the moment, so we were interested when the free version was released.

The problems I came across when trying it out (and which they're looking into) are:
Print preview won't scroll, so you can't see if the bottom of your report pages looks OK
Import doesn't seem to be available
Slight "glitch" on the toolbar - one set of icons needs to be at the end of the bar if you want all of them to display

One thing to watch for - if you have XP with multiple users, and a previous user hasn't logged off, then the program won't load. This is to stop people who are on a network server from updating (and corrupting) the database at te same time. Rebooting cures this.
 
I have a 64-bit processor and am running Linux. Anyway I just made a database. That seems easier than using third party software that has glitches. And most Database's are platform independent.

-Vlad
 
Creating a database is easy. Creating one that works well is not.

The user interface has to be semi-tolerable. Raw SQL doesn't work for most folks.

The database needs binary object support so that you can insert pictures directly into the database. In a pinch, a filesystem link to a picture can work, but is not as robust.

Table layout is critical. It's not just an enumeration of items and descriptions. There may be cross references to other articles, information, etc.

Performance is important too. For a normal home collection with 1000 parts performance is not a big deal, and you can probably even use your vintage hardware to catalog the rest of it. For a good sized collection (thousands of items) good table layout and index selection is critical.

I have some of my software collection cataloged. For that, a simple spreadsheet works just fine. If I had to integrate pictures, cross references, etc. I'd be looking at this software too.
 
Re: Collections freeware

Thanks for the info, Dianne. I'll give it a try. I'm currently using an Excel spreadsheet, which leaves much to be desired.

On the same subject, has anyone here tried 'CollMate'? It's probably not as powerful, but might be OK for private collectors. It sells for $30 at
http://www.sidency.com/.

dreuby said:
Adlibsoft have just released a freeware version of their catalogue software. I've been trying it out, and we're going to use it for our museum collection until we can afford the paid version.

http://www.adlibsoft.com/
Click to expand...
 
Re: Collections freeware

"dreuby" wrote:

-> Adlibsoft have just released a freeware version of their catalogue
-> software. I've been trying it out, and we're going to use it for our
-> museum collection until we can afford the paid version.

What sort of catalogue software is it?

-> System requirements:
-> Pentium III/IV processor
-> 256M RAM
-> Windows XP or Windows 2000 or Windows 98SR2
-> Required Disk Space: Software 40MB, plus 2– 5KB per object record,
-> plus 50-200 KB per image (1GB approx total for 5,000 records)

That sounds a bit steep - if it's vintage based software why does the
Requirements have to be so mod con.

-> It's a 97Mb download, but it doesn't take up that much as you only
-> install in one language. Max number of items is 5000.

Too big - why is it this size? Sounds like a modern program to me.

I'm missing something here, cause this doesn't seem to be in the right
place!

CP/M User.
 
Guys, reread the messages .. this is not vintage based software. This is modern software that can be used to catalog vintage equipment.
 
Re: Collections freeware

I think that if you will just visit the given URL
( http://www.adlibsoft.com/ ), you will immediately understand what Adlib is.


CP/M User said:
What sort of catalogue software is it?

if it's vintage based software why does the
Requirements have to be so mod con.

Sounds like a modern program to me.

I'm missing something here, cause this doesn't seem to be in the right
place!
Click to expand...
 
Re: Collections freeware

"alltare" wrote:

-> I think that if you will just visit the given URL
-> ( http://www.adlibsoft.com/ ), you will immediately understand what
-> Adlib is.

Yeah, I check the site - but I still don't get it. The main problem I see
here is Audience:-

What Audience is the the target for this software:-

Libraries,
Web Sites,
store owners,
or people who like to Catalogue things.

It doesn't really say in a nutshell what this program can do, how it
Catalogues things - for instance a store would keep invitory of the
amount of stock it has, or has it simply got another purpose?

Also too me, this program is simply mean't to replace something like a
Database, but could such a program be fine tuned to be as flexiable as a
Database for some minor improvements.

I now understand (thanks to mbbrutman) that this program could be used
to catalog vintage equipment - though I'm still not sure how this does it.
The original post didn't state anything about cataloging Vintage
equipment which made be think this was some sort of program which
unzipped a vast range of vintage program (hence a library in that sense).
 
Re: Collections freeware

I suspect that it may be of interest to a lot of collectors visiting this forum. I collect old computers, old radios, and big old vacuum tubes, and there's no way my feeble brain can keep track of all that stuff and all the specs and docs that go with it. I've been using a spreadsheet to catalog the items, but it's cumbersome to add photos and links to external documents. The abovementioned 'CollMate' fulfills most requirements (they offer a free trial version), but Adlib appears to be MUCH better. I have only played with it a little bit so far, but it's pretty easy to use and seems to be the perfect database program for almost any kind of collection, including music, video, photo, and Barbi Dolls (actually, it has a lot more power than most of us will ever need). Download it (hi-speed connection is required) and give it a try. Install the sample catalog so you'll have something to play around with.

By the way, the download file is ~99MB, but my installed version is only ~41MB, including the sample files.

CP/M User said:
Yeah, I check the site - but I still don't get it. The main problem I see
here is Audience:-

What Audience is the the target for this software:-

Libraries,
Web Sites,
store owners,
or people who like to Catalogue things.

It doesn't really say in a nutshell what this program can do, how it
Catalogues things - for instance a store would keep invitory of the
amount of stock it has, or has it simply got another purpose?

Also too me, this program is simply mean't to replace something like a
Database, but could such a program be fine tuned to be as flexiable as a
Database for some minor improvements.
Click to expand...
 
Apologies if I wasn't clear in my original post. Here in the UK, museums which wish to become accredited with the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council need to meet cetain requirements and standards, including the way objects are catalogued and recorded.

Although we're non-profit and run by volunteers, we are open to the public, and looking for grants/sponsorship, so we're trying to reach accreditation standards. This catalogue software meets the MLA requirements.

Their target audience for this free version are small museums with a tight budget. They asked us to be one of their testers, as we're used to the idea of freeware. Many museums (who aren't involved with computers) have rigid ideas and think that there must be a catch if it's free.

As it's free, I thought it might be of interest to other collectors who don't have the time to write their own database program, or who want a ready-made solution.

You can complete as many or as few of the fields as you like - if you're a "stand alone" collector, you may not want to bother with the details of a thesaurus of terms, institutions, etc. You're the only person that's going to be recording stuff, and searching for stuff.

This Saturday I finally had all our procedural manuals printed and filed, and then deleted the test data ready to start cataloging. Only about 3000 objects to go! :D
 
museum-of-computing is defunct?

museum-of-computing is defunct?

I just tried to access Dreuby's museum again
(at http://www.museum-of-computing.org.uk/ ) and I got this message:

"This Account Has Been Suspended
Please contact the billing/support department as soon as possible."

I guess the UK Museum of Computing is now defunct. Does anyone have any more info about this? As I recall, it had some interesting information.

The Adlibsoft company that she was recommending still exists.
 
Hi - we're still here. Our site will be down for a couple of days while we move to another host and convert to another web site organiser.

We should be back up and running OK shortly.
 
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