Silver Platter recently announced to their current subscribers that they will make their CD-ROM products available for use on the Macintosh. I thought that some of the other Mac users out there might be interested in this development, especially if they have a need to access large databases of information or might be interested in some available products. I am not endorsing Silver Platter products nor am I selling them or receiving any other compensation. I took the information and prices from literature distributed by Silver Platter and, by the time you read this, they may change their prices, conditions, and even database content. (These are what you call disclaimers). We are using some of these products at my current workplace on "machines of blue" and we plan to try using them on the Apple CD possibly during the summer. We are also looking into other products in CD-ROM for the Macintosh and I'll be glad to post more updates on this subject as they develop. As you look at the subscription prices you will no doubt note that these products are not meant for the home market. They are of special interest to businesses, libraries, and professionals in their respective subject areas. If you have only an occasional need for information in these areas, it would probably be cheaper for you to access the information online through Dialog, BRS, Compuserve, etc. or, least expensive but perhaps not as convenient, at your local public or academic library -- Hank Harken
Unless otherwise noted they are all bibliographic databases, indexing such items as journal articles or books in the appropriate field, and updated quarterly. Cost varies from database to database and often depends on how much retrospective information is on the disk. The subscription includes the retrieval software, online tutorials, documentation, etc. I decided to include some representative subscription prices. On some of the databases there are reduced costs for disks with fewer years of indexing or less frequent updating. For more and current information you can call Silver Platter at 800-343-0064.
Medline: the complete database of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) from 1983 to the present, updated quarterly. $2,500/year for current year and four years of retrospective indexing.
Cancer-CD: indexes references, abstracts and commentaries related to cancer and related areas. Covers1985 to present. $2,500/year.
Chem-Bank: a collection of databanks of potentially hazardous chemicals. $1,350/year.
OSH-ROM: a database of occupational health and safety information compiled from US, UN and British sources. $900/year.
NTIS: bibliographic database to government sponsored research and development reports deposited with the National Technical Information Service. Covers 1983 to present. $2,250/year.
GPO: indexes citations to government books, reports, studies, periodicals, maps, etc, as covered in the Monthly Catalog produced by Government Printing Office. Updated bimonthly and covers from 1976 to present. $950/year.
PsychLIT: the publication Psychological Abstracts in CD-ROM form. Covers 1974 to present. $3,995/year.
Sociofile: the publication Sociological Abstracts in CD-ROM. Updated semiannually, covers 1974 to present. $1,950/year.
ERIC: the database in education covering from 1966 to present. Complete set is on two archival disks and one updating disk. You can purchase the two archival disks for a one time fee of $900. Current disk costs $650/year. Other packages available.
LISA: library and information science literature indexed from 1974 to present. Updated annually. $995/year.
AGRICOLA/CAIN: National Agricultural Library’s database relating all aspects of agriculture. 1984 to present for the current disk. Archival disks cover from 1970 to 1984. Various packages available; disk with last four years of indexing and quarterly updates costs $950/year.
A-V Online: database of audiovisual materials from NICEM. $795/year.
Compu-info: database of computer products listings. Includes information about mainframes, minicomputers, micros, operating systems, communications, terminals, and peripherals. Updated semiannually. $1,950/year.
Software-CD: business software directory. Contains over 10,000 listings of software packages for businesses, and professional and technical groups. Updated semiannually. $1,250/year.
Corporate & Industry Research Reports (CIRR): cumulative index with abstracts to over 70,000 corporate and industry reports written by securities and investment banking firms. Covers 1979 to present, udated annually. $1,250/year.
