The ideal solution will no doubt arise from a partnership amongst the scientific community, publishers, and libraries. When CD-ROMs first gained wide use in the library world, the user was faced with having to use and learn different search protocols for each product running on individual PCs. The appearance of CD-ROM networks allowed for multiple access but users still faced the problem of multiple search interfaces and the difficulty of installation and maintenance. Now the web environment uses a model of information whereby the database is stored on a centralized server via the Internet or even on locally based servers. Finally, while search interfaces do differ there is a certain homogeneity because of web-based approach.
Breeding makes a number of predictions.
CDs and DVDs will only be used a distribution medium with DVD gradually becoming the standard, and vendors will themselves move away from these formats to FTP for updating. Breeding suggests diversifying servers so that heavily used databases are on local intranet servers in order to offer better performance. In this informative overview of the trend within publishing to producing digital books, Carvajal highlights the example of the University of Texas at Austin . There are digital readers that allow users to download electronic titles and in the near future users will be able to create their own customized versions of books. Various European publishers have announced that they will produce electronic books that can be read in Microsoft's upcoming Microsoft Reader software, and journal publishers are joining together to allow electronic links between citations.