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News & Views - April,
1995 Issue #33
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WOODBURY REPORTS GOING ELECTRONIC
The Information Highway is here. Cyberspace , virtual reality and high-tech communications
are becoming a part of all our daily lives. So as to not be left behind, Woodbury Reports is making some first tentative steps
to be a part of all this. The following are some of the ways my information service is being made available electronically.
A.) E-MAIL Subscriptions. As an experiment, I'm sending the full text of current
newsletters to those current paid subscribers who have given me their E-Mail address. Advantages: the text is received the same time
the proofs are sent to the printer, at least two weeks before the printed copy will arrive through the US Postal Service, and any
part of the text is ready for computer use by the recipient. Disadvantages: The message is large, and some systems don't seem to be
able to accept them, and graphics cannot be handled. This is a no-charge service at this time, at least until the bugs can be worked
out. If your name is in my database as a paid subscriber and would like to participate in this experiment, please E-Mail your request
to my E-Mail address on page 2 of the newsletter.
B.) The full text of newsletters can be downloaded from CompuServe. About
the time I receive the copies from the printer, I upload the text to the ADD and Education Forums of CompuServe. At some point, I
will probably include other on-line services also. Advantages: Advertisers receive additional exposure beyond my bulk mailings, it
is downloaded as a file which all systems can handle, and the information is ready to be used by the recipient's computer. Disadvantages:
Graphics are not included and you have to be a paying subscriber of the On-line service to access it. I will be monitoring this very
close.
C.) I now have what is called Fax On Demand services. What this means is that a person
can make a voice phone call, order the fax(es) wanted from the verbal list, turn on their fax machine, and receive the requested faxes
on the same phone call. Faxes available at this time (late March), are an order form and the text of the latest newsletter. Also,
a person can receive a verbal description of the Directory and instructions for ordering it. Advantages: many caller's questions can
be answered when I'm not in my office. Disadvantages: the newsletter fax takes from 15 to 20 minutes, and the system cuts out when
I pick up the phone.
The purpose of these experiments is to provide a better service by offering information
in a more timely and effective way. I would appreciate suggestions any of you have as to how I can better serve people looking for
information on finding help for children with behavioral/emotional problems.
LON
Copyright © 1995, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
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