411:. The swivel base was removed so that the terminal sat flat on whatever surface it was placed on; what the unit now lacked in viewing-angle adjustability, it made up for in physical stability (it could not be knocked over by the force of a child). A specially-designed keyboard reduced the number of keys from 101 to 83, mainly by removing all the function keys; this was designed to keep users out of the internal setup functions and other parts of the software they "weren't supposed to be going". To maintain compatibility with how Dynix was already written, the WY-30 supported the Adds Viewpoint A2 emulation, which was actually one of the only emulations on the terminal. They WY-30 had very few emulations compared to most Wyse products, and notably did not support VT100 or any other ANSI emulations. Years later, when the Dynix company was moving from Ultimate computers running Pick/OS to IBM computers running AIX and uniVerse, compatibility for
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consortium made of several small cities/towns banded together—could pool their funds and only have to purchase one server and one copy of the software. Each branch had their own
Circulation module, but the actual catalog database was a single copy on one server in a central location. Each record had a line in it stating which actual branch the item belonged to, allowing users to request holds/transfers from another branch to their branch, as well as see whether it was checked in or out at its home branch. This saved a significant sum of money—millions of dollars, in the case of the largest installations—versus Dynix's competitors, who required a separate server and copy of the software in each library branch.
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options, and simply have to key in the number of the option they wanted in order to navigate through the system. Unknown to the patrons, the librarians had the ability to manipulate the system in the command-line-driven way, by keying in special codes at the same prompts where patrons would key in menu item numbers. These codes, referred to a "dot commands" due to their structure of being a period followed by one or two letters (such as '.c' to switch between checkout and checkin screens in to the
Circulation module), allowed librarians access to advanced/hidden features of the Dynix system, and—along with password-protection—prevented patrons from gaining unauthorized levels of access.
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399:, because ADDS terminals were the de facto standard on the PICK-based mainframes on which Dynix was created. Shortly after Dynix started being deployed to libraries around the country, requests started coming back that alternate terminals be provided for patron use; children would bang on the keyboards or throw books at the terminals, or use unauthorized key sequences to mess up the programming. In response, Dynix asked
233:
388:. While most libraries purchased the same type of servers as Dynix was using, there were installations done on platforms such as DEC and MIPS, Sequent, Sequoia (which used a very expensive native PICK), HP's Unix servers, etc. The Dynix corp. could do software-only installs to any compliant Unix because of uniVerse's scalability and adaptability.
150:), which Ameritech purchased in October 1991, were consolidated into Ameritech Library Services (ALS) in 1994. In November 1999, Ameritech sold Ameritech Library Systems to a pair of investment companies, the 21st Century Group and Green Leaf Ridge Company, which rebranded ALS as epixtech. In 2003, epixtech reverted to using the Dynix name.
27:
138:
Dynix use grew quickly in the early-and-mid 1990s. In
October 1989, Dynix had just 292 installations. Fifteen months later, in January 1991, it was up 71% to 500 installations. A year-and-a-half later, in June 1993, Dynix had doubled its installed base, signing its 1,000th contract. At its peak in
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Programs with a text-based interface, such as Dynix, are described as being either "menu-driven" or "command-line-driven", referring to how users interact with the software. Dynix was actually a hybrid of both; the patrons used a menu-driven interface, where they would be given a numbered list of
130:
under contract for CTI by Walter
Nicholes as part of a bid for a research support systems for AT&T laboratories. Paul Sybrowsky was an employee of CTI. (As was Bruce Park, founder of ALII library systems, later GEAC Library Systems.) Both library systems (Dynix and ALII) were based on these
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Pick/BASIC and uniVerse BASIC are the same programming language, so porting Dynix did not require re-writing the source code. In the words of one Dynix developer, " was programmed in Pick/BASIC ... however, as it matured, it was written in uniVerse BASIC ... It was never re-written. That type of
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Dynix was made up of several different modules, each of which was purchased independently to create a scaled system based on the library's size and needs. A library could buy as few as two modules. The two basic modules were
Cataloging ($ 15,000 + $ 1,500 annual maintenance), and Circulation ($
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One reason for Dynix's success was that an entire library consortium could be run off of just one server, in one location, with one copy of the software. This meant that a library system with multiple branches—whether a large single-city system such as the one in New York City, or whether a
122:, founder of Dynix: "There was no software, no product. Undaunted, we pitched our plan to create an automated library system to a public library in South Carolina. We didn't have a product, but we said 'You need a system and we'd like to bid on it,' and showed them our business plan."
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Phase-outs of Dynix were constant in the late 2000s, and by the second decade of the 21st century, it was obsolete and remained in very few libraries. By mid-2013, only 88 libraries were on record as having Dynix installed. The majority of phase-outs took place between 2002 and 2007.
125:
The original Dynix library system was based on software developed at CTI (Computer
Translation Incorporated) which was a development project of Brigham Young University, and presided over by Gary Carlson. The initial search engine tools: FSELECT and FSORT were written for the
453:. The technology for linking the terminals to the server within each building, and linking the separate buildings (branches) together to the central server location, changed over time as technology progressed. The earliest method was to have the entire system connected via
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BASIC isn't easy to move to any other language. None other handles data as well. It's a very fast-compiled and -interpreted language, and frankly nothing matches it, then or now. It's too bad that it (uniVerse BASIC) was so good, because it didn't make the transition to
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In 1984, Eyring
Research Institute acquired 80 percent of Dynix. Then in 1986, the executives and employees bought out Eyring Research's share and became independent again. In 1987, a New Jersey firm called the Ultimate Corporation purchased a minority share of Dynix.
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12,000 + $ 1,200 annual maintenance). Some of the other modules included Kids' Catalog, Bookmobile, Homebound, Media
Scheduling, Reserve Bookroom, TeleCirc, DebtCollect, Electronic Notification System, and Self Check-Out. A
461:(statistical multiplexers) and many miles of serial lines. Muxes were the phone company's solution for connecting serial lines between branches. Later, dumb terminals were connected via RS-232 to a
142:
The company selling the Dynix software changed hands several more times. When mostly independent it was called Dynix
Systems, Inc. In January 1992, Dynix Systems was acquired by
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Gordon
Dunsire, Chris Pinder, (1991) "Dynix, automation and development at Napier Polytechnic", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 25 Iss: 2, pp.91 - 103
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Lynn Corrigan, Gordon Dunsire, Gill Hamilton, Peigi MacKillop, (1993) "The Dynix PAC at Napier University of Edinburgh", VINE, Vol. 23 Iss: 1, pp.24 - 32
473:. The separate branches would be connected to the central Dynix server via IP-based methods (the Internet). The latest installations used PC's running
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The customer base for Dynix did not begin decreasing until 2000, at which point it started being replaced by Internet-based interfaces (so-called "
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acting as a PICK emulation layer between the software and the operating system. In the late 1990s, Dynix was once again re-ported, this time for
211:(an Intel 80xxx-based microcomputer version of regular Dynix). For very small libraries, with perhaps only one or two terminals, there was
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With the single copy of the Dynix software installed on a central server, both patrons and librarians could access it by using
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Several specialized versions were released, all nearly identical to the mainstream version. For academic libraries, primarily
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The complete Dynix Classic approached 900,000 lines of source code, and compiled at around 120 MB. It was distributed via
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terminals was added to the software; then, other models of Wyse terminal started coming into favor, such as the WY-60 and
161:" status in terms of functionality and support. By 2004, its market share was down to 62%, still a comfortable majority.
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200:, which covered the largest geographical area with 87 branches (requiring dumb terminals numbering into the thousands).
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This article is about the 1980s–1990s integrated library software package. For the UNIX-like operating system, see
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361:-based servers; again, uniVerse acted as a Pick emulator between the software and the operating system.
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on a single system. This stability would later come in handy; the largest installations ever were the
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346:
725:
Library automation in North America: A reassessment of the impact of new technologies on networking
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157:"). In 2003, it was reported that Dynix was being phased out by its manufacturer, and approaching "
139:
the late 1990s, Dynix had over 5,000 libraries using its system, amounting to an 80% market share.
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118:. The library actually contracted for the system before the software was written. In the words of
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and terminal emulation software to dial in from home and search the card catalog or renew books.
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area, which was largest by collection size (tens of millions of cataloged items), and
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The software was originally written on computers made by The Ultimate Corp. of
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215:. The original Dynix system, as used in regular public libraries, was renamed
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software ever released, and was once near-ubiquitous in libraries boasting an
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Krieger, Michael T. (1991). "Subject Authority Control on the Dynix System".
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was formed by the merger of the Dynix Corporation and the Sirsi Corporation.
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354:
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381:
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257: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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61:
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Rogers, Michael (1 March 2003). "Dynix investing in future growth".
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The Ultimate Digital Library: Where the New Information Players Meet
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later in its lifespan to distinguish it from other Dynix products.
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Automation System Marketplace 2004: Migration Down Innovation Up
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Screenshot of a Dynix menu, as rendered on a "green" monochrome
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First developed in 1983, it eventually became the most popular
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http://www.librarytechnology.org/lwc-displaylibrary.pl?RC=1362
427:, which were easier on the eyes and hands than the WY-30 was.
226:
80:, and track lending of materials from the library to patrons.
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History of Library Automation [Library Technology Guides]
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The first installation, in 1983, was at a public library in
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http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=7432
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http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=5274
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http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=4885
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City of Mission Viejo - Agenda Report - October 6, 2003
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throughout the company, except in Training, which used
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Dynix showing the results from a by-author search for
180:
At one point, Dynix was benchmarked supporting 1,600
812:
British Librarianship and Information Work 2001-2005
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98:Typical of 1980s software technology, Dynix had a
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477:software, and connecting to the Dynix server via
1006:"Dynix for the Rest of Us: Common Dot Commands"
836:
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832:
548:displaying the dial-pac of the Dynix system at
521:displaying the dial-pac of the Dynix system at
434:, first on 1/2" reel-to-reel tape, then later
369:Web-based technology in time to stay afloat."
403:to develop such a terminal; Wyse created the
8:
489:module was offered, allowing patrons with a
815:. Ashgate Publishing Limited. p. 437.
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693:
687:The Deseret News, 31 August 1993, page D8.
391:Dynix was originally developed around the
751:Cataloging & Classification Quarterly
317:Learn how and when to remove this message
45:, where Dynix was used from 1993 to 2001.
1043:Library and information science software
37:serial terminal displaying Dynix at the
638:
504:
333:, Dynix was originally written in Pick/
568:Dynix showing search-by-author screen.
60:serial terminal displaying Dynix via
7:
255:adding citations to reliable sources
146:. Dynix and NOTIS Systems (maker of
843:"Epixtech: A New Beginning for ALS"
841:Breeding, Marshall (January 2000).
728:. Munich: K.G. Saur. p. 127.
678:Counting by Library organizations.
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349:programming language, and run on
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131:PICK based search engine tools.
242:needs additional citations for
102:, involving no graphics except
465:, which in turn connected via
116:Kershaw County, South Carolina
100:character-based user interface
70:Dynix Automated Library System
1:
722:Hildreth, Charles R. (1987).
701:"Dynix Breaks Ground in Utah"
878:. ALA Editions. p. 12.
669:Automation Systems Installed
556:, via Telnet on May 2, 2013.
529:, via Telnet on May 2, 2013.
341:. In 1990, it was ported to
16:1980s–1990s library software
438:for Dynix Elite users, and
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186:King County Library System
39:A.K. Smiley Public Library
18:
380:-based computers running
74:integrated library system
809:J H Bowman, ed. (2007).
395:Viewpoint A2 terminal's
374:East Hanover, New Jersey
104:ASCII art/ANSI art boxes
194:New York Public Library
89:electronic card catalog
705:Computers in Libraries
457:; there would be many
65:
46:
872:Pace, Andrew (2003).
763:10.1300/J104v12n01_06
550:Goshen Public Library
523:Goshen Public Library
353:-based servers, with
339:PICK operating system
266:"Dynix" software
128:PICK operating system
52:
29:
981:"Dynix Dot Commands"
436:1/4" cartridge tapes
251:improve this article
43:Redlands, California
481:over the Internet.
442:for everyone else.
331:relational database
93:Library of Congress
1038:Library automation
674:2016-01-05 at the
617:Monochrome monitor
475:terminal emulation
85:library automation
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463:terminal server
367:object-oriented
337:and run on the
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240:This section
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217:Dynix Classic
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249:Please help
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78:card catalog
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757:: 103–115.
213:Dynix Elite
159:end-of-life
1032:Categories
1022:SirsiDynix
991:2013-06-29
885:0838908446
711:(2). 1993.
634:References
543:Wyse WY-60
516:Wyse WY-60
432:tape drive
359:Windows NT
307:March 2022
277:newspapers
166:SirsiDynix
913:196923873
857:30 August
378:RISC/6000
182:terminals
144:Ameritech
909:ProQuest
672:Archived
605:See also
467:Ethernet
386:SCO Unix
355:uniVerse
155:Web PACs
501:Gallery
291:scholar
190:Seattle
110:History
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491:modem
459:muxes
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405:WY-30
343:VMark
335:BASIC
298:JSTOR
284:books
148:NOTIS
58:WY-60
35:WY-30
21:DYNIX
880:ISBN
859:2015
817:ISBN
730:ISBN
627:OPAC
612:Wyse
401:Wyse
393:ADDS
351:Unix
270:news
205:K-12
68:The
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32:Wyse
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853:(1)
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382:AIX
345:'s
253:by
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