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retrieval systems. It is also useful to distinguish between 'generic'   [PP12]
software which can be used to create databases on any subject matter,
and that which has specific features designed for litigation
support uses by lawyers (such as Evidence or Retrieve). Another useful
distinction is between 'off-the-shelf' software which is ready for use by end-
users and that which requires to be customised with a programmer-built
interface before it is suitable for end-users (such as the retrieval engines
Fulcrum and Topic.

No attempt at evaluation of any of the programs mentioned has been made, and
nor is there any attempt at a comprehensive listing of features: both would
require exhaustive laboratory testing, which could not be done for this
Report. For a recent comparative test of ten commonly used generic programs
(excluding DBMS) see Cote and Diehl (1992).



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