Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - January 18, 1994, Winnipeg, Manitoba Editor Paul 6977311 the computer Page Winnipeg free press january buyback scheme Aims to Avert Naftal rental ban for fre Access software dealer fights Back by Patricia Zytnick recordings such As compact discs Campbell estimates he has sold the professional and business s Community computing the concept of Community based computing has moved a step closer to reality in in six anyone with a Home computer and a Modem should be Able to dial in to Winnipeg Community free net and Access a vast store of information ranging from announcements of Public meetings and Church events to movie sports schedules and winning lottery freeness Are already operating in Victoria and similar projects Are in the plan Ning stages in 18 communities from Vancouver to the seeds of Winnipeg free net were sown late last year when six Manitoban from varying Back grounds and computer interests got together to talk about the concept of Community based com the original six Melody Myers of communications Cana Larry Geller of Sprague information Betty dearth of the Industrial technology Maryjane Gordon of the Winnipeg Public Terry Lewycky of inf Opak com and Peter Hamblin of the National research Council of Canada began discussions about forming a grassroots net work that would not charge users a fee to Access the their plan is based on the first Community free established in in the the Cleveland free net has grown to a user system which handles about Calls a out of the Cleveland experience has sprung the National Public telecommuting an umbrella organization that offers information and support to groups such As the one in Winnipeg trying to establish local last More than 80 people invited by the Orga attended a meeting at the Winnipeg Centennial Library to take the next Steps in making the Winnipeg free net a Hamblin told the meeting a free net is a Public Access Community computer they offer a wide spectrum of online information services to the including Community and government databases and worldwide electronic message Hamblin that worldwide messaging is made possible because each free net is also a Gateway to the the Mother of All com Puter the internet is a massive col Lection of individual computer networks which spans the As of last there were million Host computers on the internet and about 17 million individual the internet also know As the electronic High user Friendly Paul Pihi Chyn Way is growing at the rate of seven per cent a in this emerging electronic information must be transferable Over the different networks accurately and without Compromise of the con tent of the Hamblin by developing new electronic communities that share knowl Edge and experiences we can improve the Way we and participate in this age of the Winnipeg organizers have draw heavily on the experience of the National capital free net in in less than a year of the Ottawa group has established a budget most of it going to Purchase phone lines to ser vice nearly Modem sales in Ottawa have increased 400 per cent since the network was a total of 150 and government Agen cies Are providing Calls to the National capital free net top a and membership applications Are being received at the rate of 50 to 100 a organizers Are Quick to Point out that computer literacy is not a prerequisite to use the Winnipeg organizer Lewycky said the system will be set up to ensure ease of regardless of the users level of computer exp we Are talking about a medium that has moved from technology Down to the level of general Public he the plan is to install Public Access terminals in branches of the Library so that people who dont own a computer will be Able to connect to the following last weeks the organizers received commit ments from about 30 people rep resenting education and the this larger group will meet next week to continue the in the coming weeks and leading to a summer the Winnipeg Community free net group will be calling on the Community to provide the items on its shopping those items include a very Large com Puter and somewhere to keep phone lines and promotional most import this project is a worthy one that will Benefit virtually All citizens of it is one that richly deserves Community Iyub Uffia Selena Fri u at micros we stick with the real 486 Vesa local bus uncompressed hard and no interlaced these Are All not an expensive add on we believe in doing it right the first time our 486 systems Start at our approach is to give the Best service and rebel assault cd unnecessary Wing lands of lore is publisher Lotus approach Adobe premiere quest for glory in open 7 Days a week at 1114 Portage Monfri 10am8pm sat i0am6pm Sun 12pm5pm phone 7867999 fax 7862907 bus 7836020 by Patricia Zytnick free press correspondent Ken Campbell int going to let Naftal take a byte out of his the Winnipeg computer soft Ware dealer thinks Hes found a Way to survive a new Naftal pro vision that threatened to kill his business by making it illegal to rent out computer i had to do said owner of software super Mart on Sargent and after i thought about i realized people could basically get the same kind of service they used to get if i made a few Campbell estimated rentals of computer software accounted for 95 per cent of his but that evaporated 1 when the Naftal provision took under the Busi Nesses that rent out copyable com Puter programs and sound recordings such As compact discs and cassettes must obtain the consent of the copyright owner or risk breaking the Campbell said that is almost impossible to passed after heavy lobbying in the the provision is intended to curb computer and audio Pira it was intended to harmonize Canadian and american copyright Campbell has responded by converting his rental outfit to the cites first new and used software he Sells software programs to customers who then have the Chance to sell them Back to him at lower and he also Grams purchased he said he is meeting the letter of the we dont guarantee people that Well buy anything so were not engaged in any rental arrange business has been brisk since he opened the cites newest second hand As he Calls Campbell estimates he has sold 18 programs in that customers Are taking it he said of the at first they were disappointed when they heard about the Naftal but Treyve perked up when they see the he the change May in fact be a Sil ver lining to what he first thought was a Black Cloud forced upon there Are excellent prospects for he i think it will become More profitable than rent so far Campbell has Laid off one of his four but he said they May be recalled if his prediction pans but others Arent so i think what Hes done is a Good but it Doest fit for my kind of said Mel owner of so Trent which has also stopped renting computer soft Orecklin said following Camp Bells Lead want appropriate for the professional and business soft Ware he deals he has survived by specializing in Selling desktop pub Lishing hardware and Orecklin said he Hast yet Laid off any but said the future is and he said Hes angry the Fedr eral government didst give Busi Ness owners More notice of the most of us found out about it after it took he How can they do that to Small is you have time to react and consider your the Short notice has made it difficult for business owners like him self to he its All of a Imback at Square one Orecklin said the government should have offered to help Busi Ness owners by tapping into other government programs to ease the How to throw a computer party picks and pan from Mac world expo by Randy mid Zain free press copy editor san Francisco How do you throw a party invite More than of your closest friends from around the then treat them All to information overload by throwing in about 400 compute related As the macintosh computer and Apple celebrate 10 years of turbulent the faithful kicked off the partying and new year at Moscone Center Here at Mac world not Mac world Magazine and the Mac world exposition Are also celebrating their 10th anniversary this the exposition has certainly taken on a life of its shoot ing the Breeze at an informal and Impromptu get together with an offi Cial from general electric and visitors from Belgium and Switzerland ranks As a As does meeting in person fellow Compuserve users Ive chatted with Over the some Good friendships were it was also rather amusing to watch a show participant from the Vancouver area and the two from Switzer land exchanging Compuserve addresses by pointing their Newton personal digital Assis Tants at each anyone looking for a classic example of a computer Geek would have been it appears those who have embraced the technology come from All walks of in a stitchery software package was an impressive change of Pace among the Digi Tal fonts and general Many of the Industry heavy weights were there preaching to the one was the fact neither quark or world the new world online service is definitely corel were among the but there were certainly enough gems and enjoyment to Spur me to return next with a lot More Cash As Well the show specials had to be seen to be at the risk of alienating Here Are my picks and pans from the show picks Power pc Apple has decided to Start its anniversary year off with a its an Oft overused but the new world online service is definitely and the Power pc May be everything the hype when a machine can beat a quadra 950 like the Dis play one it grabs your Atten Apple Triam monitors High Resolution to kill Triam Huntington myst simply this cd game will revolutionize the entertainment when people buy carom play ers just so they can buy the you know its a and using this think ing persons game is a great stirring simply Broder bund underwire if you want to interrupt work with a Little pro Gram that will Send Tarzan swinging into the Side of a win Dow and falling into oblivion or one that will Send a garbage truck and Crew out to empty the trash this is for some might regard it As a one trick but it captivated enough people to keep the Cash Regis ters bit jugglers Mountain Canvas dynamite Art pro the hype at the Booth was pretty bizarre yell Canvas the loudest when the logo appeared on the giant screen and win a t but the product was Deneb mouse stick ii if youre a serious you need this Joystick from advanced easily configurable for your favorite i bought one and love advanced Gravis computer technology pans Microsoft either the company has gotten too big and Doest care about the press and inherently the Public anymore or they just have some people seemingly determined to kill the i enquired about word and Excel which Are rumoured to be due to ship and was told in a haughty Way that bordered on contempt despite the press badge the products we rent ready for showing yet and if i wanted just pick up any Mac Magazine and read How to influence not food leaves a Good taste in your week every wednesday in the free Winnipeg free press for Home delivery 6977001 if Unn Essary roughness champions hip Pool hockey links 386pro indy car 6ji pool5hark software press were open for business and looking for new business Call Mel mba Manitoba rentals nol aimed to sales yes rent software consulting yes 2 5 off list 1076a main 5862222 ;