Improved IEEE Xplore™

Behind your screen of IEEE Xplore™ in recent months, the IEEE has upgraded hardware and authentication database software, streamlined communications pipelines, and better controlled intelligent agents that occasionally choke the system. During the problem episodes last November when system availability was inconsistent, the IEEE chose to allow users to pass through unauthenticated. Member users might have experienced such times as good luck, permitting access to publications to which they didn´t subscribe, including a wealth of conference proceedings. Other times the traffic overload caused users to experience extremely slow site performance. By early March 2001, with the continuing behind-the-scenes improvements and testing, users experienced fewer glitches, smoother log-ons, and quicker response times. “Based on conversations with librarians who subscribe to online subscriptions through IEEE Xplore™, customer satisfaction has improved and complaints are down,” according to Barbara Lange, senior product manager, IEEE Publishing Business Development.