[Koha-devel] questions about koha (from a library)

[Simon Blake]

On Mon, Oct 07, 2002 at 01:04:19PM -0700, Tonnesen Steve said:
> 
> On Mon, 7 Oct 2002, Pat Eyler wrote:
> 
> > There's a largish library that is thinking about using Koha.  They've come
> > up with a long list of questions that they'd like answered, and I'd like
> > to get some other peoples feedback before I start answering.  Please have
> > a look at these, and reply to those that you feel comfortable talking
> > about.  thanks,
> > -pate
> > 
> > ----------------------Questions----------------------------
> > 
> > 	1 -- Which operating system, or choice of systems, does the proposed
> > library automation system run on?
> 
> Linux primarily, other unices should work fine, but may require some
> manual installation work.

Or in principle, anything that supports perl and MySQL.
 
> 
> > 	2 -- Is system administration done with command lines or a graphical
> > module?  We should see it.
> 
> Graphical (web interface)

Isn't system administration done by the OS?
 
> 
> > 	3 -- What is the backup utility?  Does it use tapes?
> 
> Koha does not currently include a backup utility.  There are some options
> for backing up, all of which involve backing up the underlying MySQL
> databases that Koha uses:
> 
> 1.  Add a crontab entry that rsync's the data to a backup server
> 2.  Set up a replicating MySQL server (this could also be a complete
>     backup installation of Koha, or a couple of Koha installations that
>     are used only for non-write functions such as opac searching, report
>     generation, etc.) 
> 
> [others?]

I think we also need to point out here that most ILS's don't have
integrated backup (at least, I'm assuming they don't :-), and that any
backup system that works with Linux and MySQL (BRU, Veritas, etc) will
work fine with Koha.
 
> > 	5 -- What administrative functions or upgrades require the system to
> > be off-line, and for how long?
> 
> There are currently no administrative functions that require the system to
> be off line.  The system should be taken offline for upgrades

ie, that Apache should be turned off while Koha is being upgraded?
 
> 
> > 	6 -- Is there a backup module for circulation in case the system is
> > down?
> 
> No.

That's not quite the case - we have run a local copy of Koha for
disconnected operation - using the MySQL hotsync as discussed by Steve
above, you could build a rig to run circulation while the main system is
down.  It does require that your circulation machines run on a OS
able to run Koha, but that's not generally too much of a problem.

It would be a good way to run a mobile library, for example, if you
didn't want to fess up for the cellphone charges that running connected
implies.
 
> 
> > 	7 -- Describe the way customer support works, what it covers, and
> > hours of service.
> 
> Paid support is provided by...  refer to web page?
> 
> http://koha.org/installation/support.html
> 
> 
> > 	9 -- Describe the capacity for integrating selfcheck machines with
> > the system.  Is it SIP1/SIP2/NCIP compliant?
> 
> No.  This functionality has been requested by another library and, I
> believe, will be at least partially funded by them.
> 
> 
> 
> > 	10 -- What report writing capability does the system have?
> 
> HLT uses a client (UrbanSQL I think?) that connects to the MySQL database
> for generating reports. 
> 
> It is also possible to create cgi scripts that access the MySQL data for
> generating reports.  This is the method that I use.

A decent CGI based reportwriter would be a boon for evrybody, I think
 
> 
> > 	11 -- What "canned" reports are available?
> 
> Limited at the moment...  I'd really like to see this improved.
> 
> 
> > 	12 -- Is there an API available?  Can we develop applications that
> > can directly access the database?
> 
> The API is completely open, and there are no restrictions on developing
> applications that use this API.  If you make changes to Koha source code
> and redistribute it, you must only make sure that you are in compliance
> with the GNU Public License (GPL) that Koha is distributed under.
> 
> [Do we need to clarify any other GPL issues here?]
> 
> 
> > 	15 -- Is the system client-server or web based?
> 
> web-based

aren't web apps fundamentally client-server?
 
> 
> > 	16 -- What is the capacity for e-mail functions, including e-mail
> > notices?
> 
> This feature is being added now and should be completed this month?
> 

I believe so.

Cheers
Si

-- 
Simon Blake                                             simon at katipo.co.nz 
Katipo Communications                                       +64 21 402 004