Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 28, 1987, Winnipeg, Manitoba Our prices effective until july we Reserve the right to limit stores open sirloin Steak Boneless tenderloin Cut from Canada Grade a beef g round Steak inside Cut from Canada Grade a beef g Chicken wieners no name1 450g each Chicken breasts Back pkg Box limit 2 per family g cooked Ham shaved or sliced 100g corned beef brisket or sliced v v 100g Over the limit prices Chicken pkg just remember who brought you Low we Reserve the right to limit the real Canadian closed july for the Canada Day Winnipeg free june 1987 13 user groups offer Topnotch support by Terry smythe special to the free user groups Are the front lines of user through special interest groups educational Industry self help periodic bulletin Board one none coach technical support with min or hooking up and a Telephone hotline a user group is constantly seeking new ways to support its Mem by whatever this sup port is unmatched anywhere in the but it never ceases to amaze me How Little is known about user groups at the retail Vendor there is also a Media tendency to stereotype user groups As a gathering of Young kids and com Puter hackers who discuss com Puter internals with profound in Swap passwords and Telephone and copy this contributes heavily to colourful but does Little to recognize the importance and contributions of user groups to the computer there Are a few pseudo user groups out there that do tend to match the the news Ever vigilant of newsworthy continues to report with great Diligence the often spectacular achievements of these Youthful what gets overlooked is that the average user group member is in his typically in Middle a University has influence Over purchasing decisions for com Pute related uses a computer for business or professional and seeks ways and Means to get More of a and learn to operate it with greater effectiveness and unlike dealers and user groups Are not most freely share their knowl and publications with one another and in Many with the very dealers and vendors who shun the single most significant overhead the computer retailer faces is the often pain Ful and frustrating one none coaching and landholding needed to get a new user up and what a wonderful Opportunity they have to dramatically shrink this overhead give new customers a years member hip in an appropriate local user its a win situation that All vendors should seize with Enthus an enlightened dealer or Vendor should develop a symbiotic relationship with user groups to optimize direct use support by using the services and resources of user a dealer or Vendor can significantly enhance its existing services at nominal reputations Are substantially enhanced through favourable visibility in the user some user groups Orient them selves to specific hardware the ism others lend to focus on an operating system and a look around at he user group Community around North America clearly reveals a trend to a nonspecific opera in simple recognition that a user group exists to support its not its hardware or a major support service that any user group can provide for its members is the Exchange of pub Lic Domain software and Public Domain software is that which is freely Given to the world by their authors without regard to financial shareware is also freely Given to the but with an Appeal for a voluntary contribution of a modest there continues to be corporate resistance to the use of Public do main software on the perception that it is trivial and not support that perception had some basis in years but Public Domain software today is in Large part of excellent Well and Well sup what makes Public Domain software so useful today is the presence of an array of standards universally recognized and a which provide the Neces sary guidance in testing and packaging this software in such a Way As to optimize usefulness and continuing common to most of it today is the presence of installation in users source and the full address and phone numbers of where the author can be much of today Public Domain software is of exceptional every bit As Good As proprietary Commer Cial and where commercial software May sell for Many hundreds of with Little Opportunity for a fair shareware puts soft Ware into the hands of end users for a totally fair with no if you like and it does what you want it to then let your conscience be your Many shareware authors offer an interesting inducement for this modest they pack age with the software some mini mum directions on How to use and get to appreciate its upon receipt of the the author will Send a proper manual of and then let you know by mail of Bug useful unusual and new the single most critical ingredient in the distribution of Public Domain software and shareware is the network of bulletin Board systems All Over the every night the operators of these systems Call one another in the wee Small hours when Long distance rates Are less and Transfer huge amounts of this software from one computer to another across the Many of these systems Are operated by individuals with no thought of financial in the same spirit As True Public Domain software others operate them on a reve nue generating subscription and Many others Are operated by user groups by and or their even government is beginning to see the merits of Bullet inboard systems in providing Low Cost alternatives to the dissemination of information and Public Domain in this is still seen As a marginal service to be with but there Are sex Farmers net in Alberta and the Energy and and transport Canada systems in others Are being in the United they have been positively received at the state and Federal level with numerous boards set up to do things previously done by More costly Public servants by manual the productivity improvements possible Are i the vast contribution made by user groups in the distribution of Public Domain software and shareware is currently being threatened by myopic bureaucrats who see the operation of these systems As Revenue oppor and Are proposing sub Stantial hourly user fees for local plus business rental Here they seem to be biting off their nose to spite their on the one hand they Are proposing they be regulated in the same fashion As a and on the other hand ignoring the contribution they make to computer liter Acy and failing to realize that increased Renta costs will All but eliminate the substantial toll revenues they now enjoy through software transfers through the that marvellous service will simply evaporate in the face of these additional charges a lose situation if pursued to its ultimate Terry smythe is if the Muddy water Iser group in rent it portables by week or month with rent applicable to Purchase we configure our equipment to your prompt h National typewriter office equipment 272 main Street a1 my dining out Winnipeg most authoritative guide to by Marion Winnipeg free press Home delivery 957q550 4 ;