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> I found the links above *very* helpful, thank you, but now I am torn. > On one hand I see extraordinary power and functionality in the creation > of these toolbars. All you need is a text editor and knowledge of a few > computing technologies. On the other hand, they will only work with > Firefox, and too few people use this browser. Chagrin. > > -- > Eric Morgan Eric, first of all I must admit I am not neutral in the choice between Internet Explorer and a community-developed open-source software as Firefox is :-) I developed a Firefox toolbar not only to give our patrons a new tool to play with, but also to promote the "freedom of choice". That said, I understand that the vast majority of people use Internet Explorer and I 'm not here to convince anyone to waste his time in developing a niche tool. On the other hand, Firefox is free, anyone can install it from the web, without the need to throw Internet Explorer away, he can have both browsers coexist together inside his desktop. What if, instead of running inside a Firefox window, the toolbar could run inside its own container, as for instance in the Mozilla Amazon Browser (http://www.infodraft.com/~faser/mab/)? I think the real node is: "Is this kind of technology useful?" If yes people will start using it no matter if they usually surf the web with a different browser. It also depends on how your library services (catalogs, databases, ill/dd service, and so on) are presented in Internet. If you already have a well structured portal maybe a tool like this is redundant, if your services are 'hidden' at the four corners of the web and you must click and re-click, and click again to reach them, maybe a toolbar will make sense. You can think of it as a client library portal, where you don't have a server side library portal, or -- to say it with the words of Lorcan Dempsey (http://orweblog.oclc.org/archives/000505.html) -- as an 'intrastructure', a desktop tool for interaction and integration. Moreover it could be useful in kiosks where you have freedom to choose which browser to install (actually at the University of Padua we have kiosks with Linux and Firefox.) For my work is really valuable this exchange of thoughts, I hope I didn't abuse of your patience. Gianluca ----------- "Is not patrons that build the library, it's the library that builds patrons". (One of the first things I learned as a librarian)