The computer age has been a boon, not least to the museums of the world. Instead of holdings having to be typed onto index cards that allowed, at best, only a few ways to search for a given item, the data for each item now can be entered once and the resultant database searched in any number of ways. With digital cameras, a full-colored picture can be taken of an object and within minutes entered into the museum's computerized system—no waiting for a roll of film to be filled up, developed, printed, and somehow associated with the catalogue information.
When things seem too good to be true, it seems as though there's
always a catch. In this case, the down side is that rapidly changing technology may
soon leave us behind unless we're alert and have the wherewithal to purchase the
latest "improvement". New software and hardware seldom make allowances for
more than a few developmental generations. Just try to find a computer than can accept
a 5 1/4-inch diskette or the software to read it! I dare you!
Contributor: Arthur H. Harris, Laboratory for Environmental Biology, Centennial Museum, University of Texas at El Paso.
Desert Diary is a joint production of the Centennial Museum and KTEP National Public Radio at the University of Texas at El Paso.