The question now is how the client software should be designed to access the Z39.50 compliant bibliographic databases. This paper explores the current methods for designing clients, forms based Web interfaces, gateways, and implementations of JAVA based Web search software. This paper advocates the use of the JAVA programming language to implement the ideal Z39.50 client. It was James Carville's attempt to focus all the energy of the campaign on what he believed was the main issue. The days of the stand-alone application and even the proprietary client are numbered.
Internet technology is just too powerful and too convenient.
The only excuse for not accessing online catalogs via the World Wide Web is that we can provide greater functionality, but functionality loses to convenience every time. The more convenient interface will be preferred over the more functional interface. Consider just the convenience of not having to distribute, maintain, and update custom client software in an organization. We can leave that to Netscape or Microsoft. We can assume that our users have a minimum level of technology if they are accessing the Internet.