Re: One of the Best Kept Secrets in Health Physics

[norman@charlotte.med.nyu.edu (Norman Cohen)]

OK, Melisa told me what I was doing wrong so here it is again.  Sorry.




Dear rad health - research, teaching and health physics colleagues,

The Medical Center/Institute where I maintain my office has an excellent
and comprehensive resource library and provides extensive Internet hookup
with many e-journal site licenses.  However, I have found that none of
these literature search options is as inclusive or subject-specific, and as
user-friendly as "QUEST" for accessing the health physics, radiation
dosimetry, and radiation protection literature.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with "QUEST", it is a commercially
available computer program that is installed and runs locally on a PC.
Although there are many data base searches available these days, I have yet
to encounter one that includes the enhanced array of profession-specific
literature titles and abstracts as does QUEST. I am always surprised,
therefore, that professionals who call me about one or another reference,
have not turned to QUEST. As an important time saving guide to the
radiation safety, health physics, and dosimetry literature, it must truly
be one of the best kept secrets in the profession.

Recently, I had occasion to speak with Bill Schadt, President of the
company that markets QUEST and was saddened to learn that the 1998 QUEST
update, due to be released soon, might be the last of the series.  To me,
the possibility that QUEST might not be continued, represents the loss of
an essential resource that, over the years, has become akin to a close and
reliable old friend.

Since its inception in 1986, I have often heard (and sadly witnessed
first-hand) that this program may hold the record as one of the most
"pirated pieces of software in health physics". As a consequence, perhaps,
members of this profession and its national organization have not fully
supported its continued viability and may soon suffer the consequences of
its untimely demise.

There are several ways that this loss may be prevented and I propose that a
show of encouragement and support might help save this valuable resource. I
would also suggest that QUEST be subsidized by its annual distribution with
the Health Physics journal which now prints author and subject indexes
every six months.

Norm Cohen, Ph.D., RSO
Radiation Studies
norman@charlotte.med.nyu.edu



************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html