On the subject of readily-accessible VistA demos, someone asked if a
Web-enabled version of VistA was available. An alternative would be to
set up the terminal-mode interface (basically any VT-100 emulator) as
well as the GUI CPRS and Imaging front-ends on a Windows box (the GUIs
are Windows-only, I think) connected to the Internet, with the VistA
back-end on a Linux box connected to the Windows box. VNCserver would be
installed on the Windows box, which would allow authorised users to play
with the demo system from the comfort of their own Linux, Unix or
Windows machines, possibly on the other side of the world, using the VNC
client. The VNC "remote control" technology is fast enough to work quite
well across many broadband Internet connections. Obviously would-be
users of the demo system would need to register with the demo system
provider, and probably book a session on it. Both the VNC server and
client are free open source software which run on Linux, Unix and
Windows, and the client is very easy to install - it is a single
executable file. Who might be motivated to set up such a facility? Well,
possibly service providers hoping to make a living out of configuring
and supporting VistA? Once word got out, hospital IT managers and
clinical informaticists from around the world would be clamouring for
their turn on the VistA demo system, perhaps just out of curiosity -
nevertheless, for the system integration agency it would be a great way
to get exposure and to get "sales" leads.