ISIS Supports MedARKS

by Elisabeth Hunt
ISIS Director of Training and Technical Support

At the AZA conference last week I was surprised to hear this: “Some folks are trying to re-platform MedARKS from DOS to Windows and ISIS has been unwilling to help.” For those who don’t speak software language, re-platforming could potentially solve some of the issues in MedARKS because the issues come from the older DOS program's efforts to "talk" to the newer Windows programs that most of us use today. However, right now all of this is in the realm of “potential.” Right now no one knows for sure if re-platforming MedARKS would be a viable short-term solution. That’s what people are trying to find out.

Rumors are always a shorthand version of truth so let me give you the actual story. ISIS is delighted that Paul Shoop at Smithsonian National Zoological Park and others are taking the lead in imagining solutions to challenges with MedARKS while ZIMS is in development. None of us wanted ZIMS to be delayed as it has been.

We gave Paul the MedARKS source code so he can evaluate whether re-platforming is a viable short-term solution. But ZIMS is back at full-throttle-forward and right now and ISIS is unable to divert staff resources from ZIMS to join in this effort to find out if it’s feasible to re-platform MedARKS.

By feasible, I mean the time and dollars it will take to get the job done. Indeed, if the assessment reveals that re-platforming MedARKS is feasible – if it will take a reasonably short time and a reasonably small amount of money - ISIS will be the first to celebrate and we will support that work in any way we are able.

Finally, please remember that we support MedARKS! If you have a problem with MedARKS, contact ISIS Tech Support! We are here to solve your issues with ARKS, MedARKS and SPARKS! Email us at support@isis.org