Building a Searchable Literature Archive With Keywords?

Sooner Boomer writes "I'm trying to help drag a professor I work with into the 20th century. Although he is involved in cutting-edge research (nanotechnology), his method of literature search is to begin with digging through the hundreds of 3-ring binders that contain articles (usually from PDFs) that he has printed out. Even though the binders are labeled, the articles can only go under one 'heading' and there's no way to do a keyword search on subject, methods, materials, etc. Yeah, google is pretty good for finding stuff, as are other on-line literature services, but they only work for articles that are already on-line. His literature also includes articles copied from books, professional correspondence, and other sources. Is there a FOSS database or archive method (preferably with a web interface) where he could archive the PDFs and scanned documents and be able to search by keywords? It would also be nice to categorize them under multiple subject headings if possible. I know this has been covered ad nauseum with things like photos and the like, but I'm not looking at storage as such: instead I'm trying to find what's stored."

Comments

fox?

[SnarfQuest]

I'm trying to help drag a professor I work with into the 20th century

Maybe after that, you should try to bring him into the 21st century. You know, the one where PDF's exist?

Re:fox?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

PDF has been around since 1993. That's what, six months or so after we switched from coal-fired data furnaces to vacuum tubes, right?

Re:fox?

[Hognoxious]

Maybe wait for the 22nd. If we're lucky, by then it won't suck. But you may still have to wait for the Hurd port.

Re:Document Management Software and OCR

[qoncept]

If you are a descendant of either a Sooner or a Boomer, I respectfully do not agree with their actions.

Except he's not. He just prematurely ejaculates. And he'd gone all this time with no one drawing attention to it as you just have.

Re:Quick and dirty solution

[pete-classic]

Maybe you're unfamiliar with three ring binders.

They're archaic devices used to store non-electronic paper-based documents. You can ask your granddad about them.

I'm beginning to think these kids today don't realize that the desktop metaphor is . . . a metaphor!

-Peter

Re:Quick and dirty solution

[oldhack]

I am a granddad, you insensitive clod.

Re:Document Management Software and OCR

[NoobixCube]

What he needs is a bunch of undergrads or interns to painstakingly transcribe and proofread every scrap and napkin of text!