[OAI-general] EPrints version 3.0 beta release

[Steve Hitchcock]

Cross-posted

EPrints version 3.0 beta release puts repository managers and users in control

The first beta release of EPrints version 3.0 gives more control and 
flexibility to repository managers, technical administrators and 
depositors. EPrints is the most widely used professional software platform 
for institutional open access repositories, and this new release will widen 
its appeal especially to institutions looking for a powerful, 
cost-effective repository capable of supporting a diverse range of users 
and digital objects.

Version 3 represents a major leap forward in functionality, offering more 
efficient, time-saving features for the most common repository processes. 
An innovative new plugin architecture enables both non-technical and 
technical administrators to create new, shareable mini-applications that 
will run with EPrints to manage increasing information flows in and out of 
repositories.

EPrints is free open source software. Following the successful launch of 
EPrints Services last year, EPrints is now offering solutions for all 
repository needs, from free to fee-based, directly supported by the expert 
team that develops the software at Southampton University
http://www.eprints.org/services/

As the first free generic software (http://www.eprints.org/software/), 
designed in 2000 to allow any organisation, university, department, group 
or project to build OAI-compliant repositories, EPrints is established as 
the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to set up an IR that can grow to 
accommodate future needs for repositories of open access research 
literature, scientific data, theses, reports and multimedia
http://www.eprints.org/news/features/worlds_best_practice.php

Our award-winning (http://www.ecs.soton.ac.uk/news/737) lead developer 
Christopher Gutteridge recommends that anybody planning a new repository 
should seriously consider basing it on EPrints v3: "EPrints v2 was good, 
but v3 is something special."

The beta release of EPrints v3 is available for download at 
http://files.eprints.org/118/

Among the new features displayed by this major new version are:

* Efficient new user interface to streamline deposits and editorial workflow
* Flexible customisation of deposit workflow based on users and deposit 
metadata
* Auto-completion of names for authors, journals, and other metadata types
* Support for third party plugins makes it easier for users to add and 
share new import, export and user interface functions without modifying the 
core code
* Improved XML import/export format
* More efficient full-text indexing
* Export searches as RSS feeds, BibTeX, EndNote, XML, etc.
* Full eprint audit history to support preservation applications
* Improved support for set-up, with a tool to walk installers through much 
more of the process
* Test-data importer to create 100 demonstration records

A beta release typically marks the first stable and usable version of new 
software. It is recommended that new users install this version. Further 
beta and 'release candidate' versions will appear in December, to add 
further improvements and fix minor bugs based on user feedback. Users can 
easily and safely upgrade to successive versions during this phase.

Existing users should initially install EPrints v3 alongside v2 and convert 
their configurations when a v2->v3 script becomes available as part of a 
later v3 release.

EPrints v3.0 will be officially released at the EPrints User Group meeting 
at the international Open Repositories 2007 conference in San Antonio, TX, 
on January 24, 2007
http://www.openrepositories.org/call/eprints

Steve Hitchcock
EPrints Community Manager
IAM Group, School of Electronics and Computer Science
University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
Email: sh94r at ecs.soton.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 3256    Fax: +44 (0)23 8059 2865
Join the EPrints Community to make the most of your repository 
http://www.eprints.org/community/
EPrints Insiders, the EPrints Community blog 
http://www.eprints.org/community/blog/
EPrints Community is supported by JISC and is an EPrints Services 
initiative http://www.eprints.org/services/sales/