The Art World and the World Wide Web

there must be a catch; there must be something wrong with it. But think about the evolution that has taken place with web-based applications. You use this type of software anytime you take part in online banking or managing your credit card online. Consider the evolution of email, which for a long time was landlocked, tied down to whichever computer the emails were delivered too. If you wanted to check your email, or get to your old email, you had to have access to that particular computer. But with webmail—meaning sites like Gmail and Hotmail—inboxes can be accessed and checked online, from any computer, anywhere with Internet access. Important documents or emails that were buried in an inbox on your home computer can now be easily accessed if they are in a Gmail inbox.

It’s not as if the current boxed programs on the market don’t do the right job for galleries.

To say that these programs have already helped streamline gallery operations and reduce redundant work would be putting it lightly. But they require a lot of investment, both financially and personally. These applications tend to be very expensive, with prices for the top programs running into the thousands of dollars. On top of that, they might require that additional software be purchased. Some of them are not compatible with both Macintosh and Windows operating systems.

Setting these programs up can be time-consuming, and typically they must be customized for the gallery installing them. And since this is a specialized and relatively small market, getting the users up to speed must be done without the benefit of third-party help; there are no “Art Gallery Management Software for Dummies” books out there.

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