I have been asked by a computer-illiterate colleague in Argentina whether I know of an off-the-shelf, ready to use software package for maintaining site and specimen catalogues for his modest-sized vertebrate fossil collection. Since I have always preferred to create my databases in some generalized database manager such as dBase (so that I can set things up to suit my own preferences),I really don't know what is available. Do any of y'all know of such a package?

My colleague's institution has a variety of PC clones, but no Macs. From what he's told me I gather that cost, while not to be ignored, is not as major a consideration as having something that "almost anyone" can learn to use.

Melissa Winans + veaa551 at utxvm.cc.utexas.edu Collection Manager + or Vertebrate Paleontology Lab + veaa551 at bongo.cc.utexas.edu University of Texas + Austin, TX 78712 512-471-6087 + fax: 512-471-5973