[LM_NET] Hit: Spectrum InfoCentre (long)

[BR <l0x6@YAHOO.COM>]

Hi, All--
Lots of interest - and lots of confusion about Spectrum InfoCentre!
Thanks to Diane, Adele, Nancy, Robin, Pat, Murry, Louise, Linda, Larry,
Barb, Nancy, Miranda, Rychie, Lauri, and to those I thanked individually
and deleted before I received the requests for a hit.
We're still working out whether or not our school can afford it.
We're using Spectrum Cric/Cat now.
Evidently, there is more to consider than just purchasing the product and support.
There is a necessary software upgrade ($95) for the handheld, if it's an older 
model,
and the cost of conversion ($995) if done by Winnebago, which will save past circ 
data.
Conversion done by the end user can *not* preserve past circ data.
--Betty Rendino, Librarian
Jericho Elem Sch
Jericho, VT l0x6@yahoo.com

Spectrum monitoring of LM_NET resulted in this message responding to my query:
"Spectrum Discussion List" <spectrum@list.sagebrushcorp.com>
As a general rule, Sagebrush does not actively participate in listserv discussions, 
but we do
monitor them. When we feel something has been posted that will affect all of our 
customers, we
will post a message to ensure everyone has accurate and complete information. A 
recent posting
talked about our announcement of Sagebrush InfoCentre(tm). InfoCentre is the new 
next generation
library automation system and major enhancement release to Sagebrush Athena(tm) and 
Sagebrush
Spectrum(tm). It represents the first release of the amalgamation of these two 
products, combining
the best features of each into one release. We will continue to offer customers the 
choice between
Athena, Spectrum, Accent, and InfoCentre, and will continue to support all four 
products. Also, in
the next few months, we will have Athena 9.3 and Spectrum 5.3 available via 
download. Please watch
for future communications regarding these releases. If you have any questions, 
please contact us
at 800-533-5430 or at sales@sagebrushcorp.com or contact your specific account 
manager.
Sincerely,
Sagebrush
-------------------------
There has been a discussion on the Athena listserve. It is a new Sagebrush program. 
I am attaching
the pdf's that were shared via the list.

***[Can't add attachments to messages for the list, so if you'd like these, please 
email me again,
and, if the sender doesn't object, I'll share them individually -Betty]
--------------------------------------
It's a completely new interface--analagous to Follet's Destiny.  They will not be 
upgrading
Spectrum.  I am opening a new school in our district in the fall, so I am getting 
Infocenter and
the other schools are taking advantage of the price now...rather than wait until it 
goes up $400
more.  We saw a "teleconference demo" of it.
--------------------------------------
Betty,
I am so glad you posted your message to LM_Net. I am sorry that I don't have an 
answer for you but
I can tell you that I forwarded your email to my Sagebrush rep (without your name) 
because I have
been trying to get her to shed some light on this very situation and I can't seem 
to get a
straight or timely answer.
I am in a different situation in that I am not yet automated. I have been dealing 
with Sagebrush
since the fall when the decision and the budget for automation was finally 
approved. The other
schools in my district (except the one other one that isn't automated) all have 
Spectrum so I
really never had to make a decision as to what system I was going to purchase, just 
how to fund it
and when to do the automation. To make a long story short, I finally sent my shelf 
list out for
retrospective conversion in April. At the end of March, my sales rep called me and 
said they were
about to launch an upgrade (yes, she definitely called it an upgrade) and that it 
would be much
better for my situation and priced the same (or maybe cheaper) so I should indicate 
Spectrum
InfoCentre as my system when filling out the specs for retrospective conversion.
Since then, there has been confusion about the barcode symbology as well as the 
timing of the
availability. (First I was told that sales reps would be able to say more publicly 
on April 1st;
then I was told that its official launch will be at ALA in June. In either case, 
the product isn't
shipping until August 15th which doesn't exactly fit my time schedule to work on 
the automation
over the summer.)
I am meeting with Kim Fusco, my sales rep, tomorrow. I will try to find out as much 
as I can and
post back to the listserv. Meanwhile, if you hear anything before tomorrow, could 
you please get
back to me, even if you don't have time to pull together a "hit", because I may 
need "ammunition"
for my discussion with Kim?
Thank you so much.
------------------------------
Betty:
Are you currently using InfoCentre?  I have a rep. coming on Thursday to demo the 
product.
There's supposed to be a large discount if purchased prior to July.  The price I 
was quoted was
certainly less than what it originally cost us to automate with CIRC/CAT several 
years ago.  Feel
free to gve me a call next week and I can tell you whatever I've learned from the 
rep.
Take care,
--------------------------------------
Betty, I would be interested in any responses you get on this. We have a meeting 
Tuesday noon on
whether or not we should purchase it. We also have been told that it is reasonable, 
if not
cheaper. Thanks.
-------------------------------
Betty--
  I received a fax regarding Infocentre and the web add-on alone for Athena is more 
than what I'd
be paying for the totally new package.  I'd planned on doing the WebClient addon, 
and now I will.
I also e-mailed my sales rep and found out that with version two global changes for 
such things as
item status will be easier.  Also, I think that tech support will be about $500 
cheaper/year.
----------------------------------
InfoCentre is a new product.  They will not be upgrading Spectrum or Athena.  It 
will take the
place of them.  We just learned about it at our state Media Conference.  I was 
impressed and hope
to be able to get it.
Current Spectrum users should be able to get it for $595 before August 1 we were 
told at a session
introducing the product. Please keep us informed about what happens. Thank you.
---------------------------
Betty,
    Do I know about Infocentre!  We have just been approved as a beta test site for 
the new
program.  From what I have seen in the demo's, it looks exciting.  We currently run 
Spectrum 5,
and it looks like the new program will keep the best features of it, and add some 
things that are
great from Alexandria.  However. . . that having been said, the program is in beta 
testing now,
and we don't know how it will perform in the field.  I know Sagebrush is hoping to 
have it
available for general release in the fall. Stay tuned for further developments...!
---------------------------------
Betty
InfoCentre was demonstrated to us recently.  It is not an upgrade but a new 
generation of
Spectrum, as I understand it.  It does have some real advantages and improvements 
over Spectrum,
but not all modules have been released yet.  As I understand it, the product is 
just entering the
Beta test stage.
------------------------------
I believe I heard that Sagebrush is combining products to make InfoCenter.  I use 
Athena and have
been told that it will no longer be updated because of this new product.  There is 
a listserv of
users debating the issues.
------------------------------
Hi Betty,
I have just recently sent in a PO to purchase Spectrum Infocentre which is an 
upgrade. It will be
available August 2005 and is supposed to improve on the previous system in regard 
to reports, etc.
 We purchased it because I am hopeful that we can put our libraries on a central 
server and have a
union catalog. My rep sold it to my for a special of $595 which he said is half 
price.  Offer
exprires on July 31, 2005.
Hope this helps.
--------------------------------
Hi!  From what I understand, Infocentre is a new product that combines Athena and 
Spectrum.  I use
Athena, and heard about the new product from a competitor of Sagebrush last week.  
No one called
to tell me this was happening.  However, it is supposed to be better, and the tech 
support is
supposed to be cheaper for me.  I have been paying extra for Webserver and zMarc, 
but they are
supposed to be included.  Let me know what you think about the product.  We still 
haven't decided
whether to buy it or just stick with Athena.  They are still going to support 
Athena, but will no
longer update it.
Thanks,
-----------------------------
Betty, I've seen a demo of InfoCentre and it looks good.  We are still using 
Winnebago Circ-Cat
and would need to get those records converted. Sagebrush told us they'd have to be 
imported into
Spectrum and then into InfoCentre.  If they did the conversion, it would be $995 
per building.
They quoted us $595 per site for the program plus $495 per building per year for 
support.  What
did they quote you?
-----------------------------
What product are you using now?
We Athena users just heard about this a week or so ago on our listserv and were a 
little less that
thrilled at the way it was brought out and the short time frame of getting it at a 
discount,
though people who have seen it at shows say it looks wonderful. It is a new 
product--supposed to
contain the positives of the various Sagebrush products.   I don't have all the 
info on it here at
home.
----------------------------(original message)
Hi, All--
Called Spectrum to reactivate our support, and was offered a new upgrade called 
"InfoCentre". It
was explained that it would cost less. The invoice arrived - almost double the 
amount I expected.
Has anyone heard about InfoCentre? Are there advantages? Is it in fact an upgrade, 
or a new
product? All help much appreciated.
Betty Rendino, Librarian
Jericho Elem Sch
Jericho, VT 05465
l0x6@yahoo.com


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