Abstract
Frequently, the creators and caretakers of a lovely old Victorian database have an irresistible impulse to give it a fixup, a paint job, or a new color scheme. Sometimes structural repairs are needed, which may not be apparent from the outside, but can have the effect of prolonging its useful life. This paper will point out some of the advantages and disadvantages of such remodelling for database producers, search services, and users, highlighting things to watch out for if the decision to refurbish an old Victorian database has been made.