On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 19:34:10 -0000, (Ron Bean)
wrote:

I've never looked at their online catalog, but I've never seen
one that was a complete replacement for a paper catalog. Anything
that uses a database has the problem of how to find something if
you don't whether it exists or not. Browsing through the
appropriate section of a paper catalog is more likely to get
results in that case.

If you have a fast Internet connection, their online
catalog is as good (in some ways better) as the hard
copy. It is easier to do searches; more words in the
descriptions are indexed; more info (like CAD drawings)
is available; illustrations are clearer (and magnifiable);
prices are up-to-date; availability is known immediately;
and the speed is acceptable. The only real advantage
the hard catalog has, is that it is easy to leaf through
it to discover things I never knew I couldn't live without.
That MAY not actually be an advantage.

--
--Pete
"Peter W. Meek"
http://www.msen.com/~pwmeek/