Eland
NewsRoom is a client/server
news management system enabling the reception and transmission of messages
over a variety of links, the local creation of messages, the handling
of messages in a variety of ways by user-defined workgroups, very sophisticated
message switching, and the application of these features to marketing
and distributing information output in a variety of ways.
Eland NewsRoom
is designed for round-the-clock operation, it also provides a Fault-Tolerant
configuration to avoid downtime and loss of data even in the event of
hardware failure.
Eland NewsRoom
runs on industry-standard PCs and utilises all popular network operating
systems. It uses the IBM OS/2 multitasking operating system for its
servers and MS DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows
95, Windows NT or OS/2 for its client software. NetBIOS
is the network transport protocol.
Eland
NewsDesk is a subscriber news management system. It can receive
messages over serial links such as leased lines, dial-up, radio-data
and satellite links.
Communications
- Up to 32 serial asynchronous
lines per server.
- Multiple servers can be daisy-chained.
- Speeds between 50 baud and 57,600
bits/second.
- Connects with
- Dedicated satellite, microwave
and land lines
- Internet
- ISDN (Integrated Services
Digital Network)
- PSTN (Public Switched Telephone
Network - Standard telephone)
- Radio-data transceiver
- Public telex
Organisation of
Messages in Folders
Eland NewsRoom
employs an intermediate sorting area called Folders - the system’s basic
organising unit. Messages can be placed in multiple folders without
unnecessary duplication of data.
- Received and transmitted messages
are automatically grouped in Folders according to the line on which
they arrived or were sent out.
- Locally created messages are
automatically grouped in Folders according to the person or workgroup
which created them.
- Received and transmitted messages
can be grouped in Folders according to the information in the message
header.
- Text analysis can be used to
group messages in Folders based on their content, with or without
reference to the origin of the message or header content. (This
is an advanced form of the " message filters" or " rules"
found in some email-only software.)
- Messages can also be placed
in Folders manually.
Folders can be associated with
any of the features and links on your system.
Message Switching
and Message Handling
Once messages are grouped in Folders,
these can be used to switch messages among the different lines connected
to the system, to route certain messages to the database together, and
to display to users only certain groups of messages at a time.
Folders can be Daily or Permanent.
- Daily Folders are typically
used to hold the messages received or transmitted on a line, agency
category or Eland Database category or combination of categories for
each day, or the output of a journalist or workgroup for each day.
These Folders are opened and closed each day at midnight so that they
include all the relevant messages of that date.
- Permanent Folders are typically
used to hold background material collected over time (by the database
or manually), diaries and plans, feature stories or other works in
progress’, or messages on a particular topic or by a person or department,
where a ready record is desirable.
User Features
The user's
working area consists of one or more windows showing the Titles
of messages in the active Folder, a View window which shows the full
text of the highlighted Title, an area for selecting other Folders,
and hotkeys or a toolbar for carrying out NewsRoom functions on one
or more selected message.
- Messages in a Folder can be
edited using the Eland system editor or any other text editor or word
processor on your network.
- Messages can also be called
with other software installed on the network, such as spreadsheets,
desktop-publishing suites, CD-ROM authoring systems.
- Messages can be transferred
to other Folders. This enables workflow management and internal email
between workgroups and individuals.
- Messages can be printed and
can be exported to any accessible disk.
Database Sub-system
Any NewsRoom Folder or combination
of folders can be sent to the database sub-system for processing. The
results of the processing can be used for routing messages, or can be
obtained on an ad hoc basis for any range of dates.
Classification
System
User-definable categories for
text analysis with up to 72 search terms each. Search terms may be
word or phrases, exact match or partial match. Each Folder sent for
processing can have its own set of categories.
Full-Text Search
and Retrieval Engine
Builds an index file for each
Folder and enables users to search for words and phrases, or combinations
of words and phrases using Boolean AND, OR and NOT operators.
Database query results can be
edited directly, allowing journalists to gather background material
from your archive and move straight into their preferred word processor
or text editor to produce their story.
Distribution Services
- Using the Folders, any set of
messages can be routed to any subscriber:
- The messages can be transmitted
using any line connected to a NewsRoom Communications Server. The
transmissions can be done
- in real time,
- at intervals during a range
of times
- at specified times during
the day
- on command.
- The messages can be put into
an electronic mailbox for pickup by the subscriber.
- The messages can be put into
a continually updated set of HTML files, including hypertext links
among the messages dynamically established by the Classification System,
for access via a World Wide Web server.
- The messages can be fed to a
network fax server for distribution by fax.
- The messages can be printed
out for delivery on paper.
System Security
Access to NewsRoom data
and features is governed by a set of access levels which are password
protected.
Passwords can be encrypted using
an optional hardware key, so that not even the system administrator
can gain access to anyone else's account without their knowledge.
Fault-Tolerant
Configuration
This protects you against downtime
and loss of data due to equipment failure. It runs on-line backup copies
of your most important processes on separate PCs. In the event of any
fatal fault in the live system, the on-line backup will pick up where
the live system left off. Used in conjunction with a similarly fault-tolerant
network operating system configuration and uninterruptable power supplies,
this "failover" option offers you the maximum in protection.
Language Support
- Eland NewsRoom
can handle data in any alphabetic language for which operating system
support is available, including right-to-left languages like Arabic
and Hebrew.
- User interfaces and documentation
for Eland NewsRoom are currently available in Arabic, English,
French and Spanish.
- The database sub-system provides
full searching capability regardless of the language or mixture of
languages of the data handled by the system.
Connectivity
- Your reporters - whether across
town, in another city or in another country - can file their stories
to your Eland NewsRoom system, using a direct modem connection,
the Internet, an on-line service or public telex. (Eland
NewsRoom connectivity)
- You can exchange news with other
agencies using any available link.
- Eland systems provide an open
application programmers’ interface for working with third party hardware
and software.
- A script language is provided
for interacting with remote systems such as electronic mail and for
interpreting the headers of news agency messages.
Network Interfaces
- Internet via LAN or dialup link
(GENI).
- World Wide Web server via HyperText
Mark-Up language (HTML) files with related stories dynamically linked
by the Eland Classification System, enabling you to publish your product
on the Internet.
- NetFax Network fax server via
user-configurable interface.
- DCE, Hasler and other telex
converter boxes via a user-configurable interface.
- Codan, Euraf DTS, and other
high-speed radio-data transceivers via a user-configurable interface.
Special Features
for Broadcast News Organisations
