SECRETARY'S REPORT
TPCUG MEETING 3/8/95, 6 PM
Ybor Room, Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus

Minutes and Comments by Bruce Register

Harvey, our president, called the meeting to order. Comments and information were given regarding SIGs, vendors and miscellaneous.

SIG: March 16,1995, 6 PM Promptly. Microsoft Access. 3903 Northdale Boulevard, northeast corner of Mapledale and Northdale Boulevards. Reservations are closed due to limited seating. First signup first served! Next SIG--Microsoft Access is same place, April 20, 1995, 6 PM (sharp--Security Officer must permit entrance at the rear entrance of the building). Sign up early. Use Bulletin Board.

March 28, 1995. OS/2. Contact John Lucas for time, place and openings/signup.

March 28, 1995, 6 PM, Promptly, SIG Internet. Contact Charles Howe. Seats are available. You can use the BBS to sign up. Promptness is required because security at Reflectone is tight and required. From North Dale Mabry, go west on Waters to TAMPA WEST sign on the south (left) side of the street (if you pass Anderson Road, you have gone too far), turn south at TAMPA WEST sign, go one block to dead end, turn right one block and take a "forced" left turn, go south about a half block to north entrance of Reflectone Building. You must enter north end and be prompt at 6 PM because security will unlock door and escort us to the meeting room.

If you would like to have a particular SIG, let President Bruneau know your interest. President Bruneau wants your opinion. He reads the BBS regularly. Send him a message.

A two-day SIG regarding basics and BBS, etc., is in the talking stages. Connie Kincaid is thinking that the interest in overviews of PCs, DOS, hardware, etc., is strong enough to warrant the effort to bring us this educational and functional SIG. What a treat for us neophytes and for the more advanced. Let Connie and Harvey know of your interest.

Harvey asked for VOLUNTEERS to call non-renewal members to encourage them to continue being a member by paying the low, low dues.

Harvey strengthened the reminder that the goal in 1995 is for every member to bring in at least one new member.

There is a new store in town. CompuAmerica. See the USER FRIENDLY newspaper for more information.

Harvey presented Adobe Acrobat. He demonstrated how to download the ACROREAD file and how to read the BITS OF BLUE newsletter through the BBS. He says the software download will take about 15 minutes. You can click anything in BITS OF BLUE; you can go right to the article and then you can print it, even in color if you like. You can click on an article and move it around. Harvey has put in tabs for "hot links". If you want to download BITS OF BLUE instead of receiving it in the mail, notify the Editor. You can use the TPCUG Bulletin Board (BBS) to access it.

TPCUG paid for ADOBE ACROBAT but you can download ACROREAD without license/registration problems.

Harvey plans to put BITS OF BLUE on PRODIGY and AMERICA ONLINE.

Contributions to the Bulletin Board will continue to be accepted.

The Editor of BITS OF BLUE will surely appreciate receiving quality fillers for BITS OF BLUE.

SOFTWARE VENDOR DEMONSTRATION

Mr. Andrew Domnauer, District Sales Manager, CAERE CORPORATION, Atlanta, demonstrated OMNI PAGE AND PAGEKEEPER. CAERE has five OCR products. He stated that OMNI PAGE PROFESSIONAL is a high end product. WORD SCAN and OMNI PAGE are middle line; others are OMNI PAGE DIRECT and WORD SCAN.

He demonstrated scanning a page with graphics, using different sizes of text and also multiple columns. He emphasized and showed the ease of doing this. He said, "This OCR product holds the format in place" You tell OMNI PAGE the scanner product that you are using and OMNI PAGE recognizes text in 6 to 72 points.

When you bring in text, apply text editor to spell check. OMNI PAGE even reports the "success of the scan accuracy." Graphics sharpen images in an easy format. You can add special effects to your work. The program has the ability to retain or hold the "look and appeal" of the original document. You can save the document in your word processor application such as WordPerfect 6.0. You can fax the image. You can scan and use DEFER OCR to edit at a later time. A feature called 3DOCR helps clarify when the original document is "not too good." PAGEKEEPER requires 7 MB to install and is a database program with OMNI PAGE built in. You can retrieve information from virtually any source. Special dealer price is available to TPCUG members. We are very grateful to Mr. Domnauer and CAERE CORPORATION for the demonstration and for the software that they contributed for door prizes.

COMMENTS by various members for our benefit and edification:

THE TPCUG BARGAIN TABLE will be presented at the MAY meeting. That particular meeting will be across the street from our regular meeting place in the auditorium due to the need HCC has for our May meeting night. Harvey asked us ALL to look around for LEGAL software, hardware, connections, etc., that you might like to contribute. Please look around now! Everybody gains. TPCUG gains!

TURBOTAX and TAXCUT have been reported to have some problems.

MICROSOFT Resource Guide at a cost of $19 is a good source for help with unique problems.

Winners of the door prizes were:

Merle Nicholson - T-Shirt
D. A. Clary - T-Shirt
Larry Anders  - T-Shirt
Margaret Petros - WINSENS
Sec'y didn’t get name - PAGEKEEPER 2.0

Remember our long time friend and contributor to TPCUG Ed Buzza. He has been ill. We have missed Ed's presence.

President Bruneau thanked all for coming. He reminded all to return here (HCC YBOR Campus, ADM Auditorium) April 12, 1995, 6 PM. You will not want to miss DELRINA's presentation. Who knows what great door prizes await TPCUG members. Only members are eligible for opportunities of receiving door prizes. Bring a friend. Sign up a new member. Use the BBS. u