- 93 
NN: I am curious on the archiving criteria of the Hoechst system. 
Mr. Erb (FR Germany): Our archiving criteria is defined as whether the 
material is of permanent value or will be quickly outdated. I may add that 
70 percent of our data are obtained from published sources. 
NN: I would appreciate some more comments on the impact of microfiches on 
information retrieval. 
Mr. Glendinning (Australia) : Equipment is nowadays readily available as a 
peripheral unit to produce computer outputs directly on microfiches (abbre- 
viated known as COM). The impact is both office Space saving and postage 
saving. Take it that the computer is located in Europe, and I use it via the 
postcard approach. An output typed on paper might require many pages, and 
that results in unbearable costs for postage. In contrast, a microfiche can 
be mailed more easy. 
NN : Mr. Tehnzen, in his excellent paper on access to literature having been 
retrieved, defined the present situation : " In the end you will have to look 
for a good library". Luckily, we dispose earthwide on some very good libraries. 
Yet, technology advances in our field with an enormous speed. The new storage 
media optical disc in conjunction with telefax or teletext for direct trans- 
mission, or microfiches for quick mailing, may enable hosts of retrieval 
systems in the foreseeable future to deliver not only abstracts but full 
texts on our desk anywhere on the globe. 
Ms. Ann Stewart (Netherlands) : We are not aware of a ‘market’ survey to 
ascertain the number of potential users of ISP -IRS in any specific geographical 
unit. 
NN: I can imagine that just few forthcoming users within our field know as 
yet what information retrieval is capable to do for them. Thus, carrying out 
a market survey at present may not be very meaningful. I presume the use of 
ISP -IRS would not differ much from other fields, and quite a few of them 
dispose already on quite some experience. 
Ms. Ann Stewart (Netherlands) : It must be assumed that access to a system 
based in Europe would be prohibitively expensive for North Americans, and 
that a system based in North America would be prohibitively expensive for 
Europeans unless special rates could be established for non-prime time usage. 
It must be further assumed that users in countries without an appropriate 
infrastructure of telecommunication would find online access both expensive 
and difficult. The 'Post Card Approach! may be the most viable. 
Mr. Latarche (France): Consideration should be given to forming ISP -IRS as 
part of an existing system rather than its independent establishment. How- 
ever, creating and updating a reliable and comprehensive database can be done 
by nobody but ourselves. The GDTA (Groupement pour le Développement de la 
Télédétection Aerospatiale) is prepared to cooperate. 
NN : The ISP-IRS copyright should be protected. 
Secretary General ISPRS Konecny (FR Germany) : ISP-IRS should be formed in 
cooperation with Sister Societies FIG, IAG, ICA and OEEPE. 
NN : Specifications for ISP -IRS have to be formulated before implementation. 
Stewart 2