Date: Sat, 5 Oct 1996 10:46:00 -0500 
Subject: Hotline Newsletter, October 4, 1996
To: martin@printusa.com
Content-Length: 15944
X-UIDL: 844619078.002


    Free Hotline Newsletter - October 4, 1996

    by Cy Stapleton

    Compliments of:

    The PTN Graphic Arts Group and Quick Printing, Southern
    Graphics, Printing News East, and Printing News Midwest
    magazines in cooperation with PrinterNet Online Svc. If
    you are not a member of the printing or graphic arts
    industry and would like to be permanently removed from
    this mailing list, simply reply to this message with the
    word REMOVE in the Subject field. We apologize for any
    inconvenience.
    ====
    VIRUS ALERT
    FYI...This is a message sent to me by one of my
    dealers. I have not yet seen this alert anywhere else.
    Cy Stapleton 9/24/96

    DO NOT DOWNLOAD ANY FILE NAMED PKZIP300 REGARDLESS OF
    EXTENSION.

    A NEW Trojan Horse Virus has emerged on the Internet
    with the name PKZIP300.ZIP, so named as to give the
    impression that this file is a new version of the PKZIP
    software used to zip compressed files. DO NOT
    DOWNLOAD THIS FILE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!! If you
    install or expand the file, the virus WILL wipe your rd
    disk clean and affect modems at 14.4 and higher. This
    is an extremely destructive virus and there is NOT yet
    a way of cleaning this one up.

    PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE YOU KNOW.
    ======
    HELENE'S HOTLINE Q&As NOW AVAILABLE VIA AUTOMATIC E-MAIL

    In addition to the Free Hotline Newsletter and the
    Hotline Infoserver, the free Helene's Hotline e-mail
    Listserver, HotTalk, is now on line. You must subscribe
    by sending an e-mail message to hottalk@printer-net.com
    (NOTE: that is not the newsletter or my e-mail address.
    This is a 3rd service). In the Subject field type the
    word SUBSCRIBE. Listserver is automatic and ignores
    anything in the message area. All questions and
    responses will be received by all subscribers and any
    subscriber is encouraged to respond to any question.
    HotTalk is fully automatic and not monitored. HotTalk is
    an automatic version of the Helene's Hotline column
    except you receive every question and answer submitted
    via e-mail rather than just the 20-30 per month we have
    room for in our publications. Be sure to put a 2 or 3
    word description in the Subject field that might
    indicate what you are looking for. Add
    hottalk@printer-net.com to your e-mail phone directory.

    =====

    OTHER INTERESTING INFORMATION, etc.

    =====

    There are a number of interesting graphic arts related
    free e-mail newsletters available. As I get permission
    from the authors, I will include all or part of them in
    future issues of this newsletter.

    I have also included one of Frank Granger's pieces.
    Frank is a teacher who uses printing history in the
    teaching of his graphic arts classes...  To see about
    getting on Frank's mailing list, contact him at 549
    Harper Davis road, Lake Wylie, South Carolina 29710.

    =====

    I-WAY OR THE HIGHWAY
    by Dr. Terry Montgomery

    =====

    ***** Net Findings*****

    > LEGAL DOCUMENTS, MADE TO ORDER ...

    Need a quick legal document? Visit http://legaldocs.com.
    Legaldocs is a terrific resource for any small business
    person who needs a custom legal document or contract,
    without incurring legal fees.

    Using an interactive format, the service emulates an
    interview with your attorney, and based on your
    responses, creates the appropriate document -- while
    you're online at their site. Once created, you can save
    or print the document. I found leases, wills, powers of
    attorney, estate plans, consumer-related notices,
    employment agreements, and partnership agreements, plus
    lots more. Check them out while it's still FREE. Their
    future plans call for a minimal annual subscription fee
    or a per-document charge. Good stuff!

    > THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

    The Small Business Administration has taken to the
    World Wide Web in a big way. They seem to be everywhere
    with an incredible amount of free information for the
    business person. I found two very useful SBA resources
    that you should be aware of. The first is the National
    Small Business Development Center Research Network at
    http://www.smallbiz.suny.edu, where you'll find business
    loan information, tips on handling your finances, and
    contract opportunities.

    There's also a list of the various state and local SBA
    sites across the US, each with their web address. Set
    your browser to http://www.smallbiz.suny.edu/sbdcnet.htm.
    It should be a good way to see what your local agencies
    are doing for small businesses.

    > TAXES

    Everything you ever wanted to know about the IRS, their
    guidelines, tax tips, forms for businesses -- you name
    it -- can be found at http://www.irs.ustreas.gov. 'Nuff
    said.

    ***** FUTURE PREDICTIONS

    It's no mystery that the technologies for
    communications and commerce are changing at an extreme
    rate with the advent of the Internet. Attempting to
    anticipate their development trends can be a little
    formidable. However, there are a couple of technologies
    that you may want to follow fairly closely, since they
    are sure to affect how we do business in the future.

    > Electronic money

    Have you seen the credit-card-size smart cards that
    enable you to spend a set amount of money drawn from
    your various bank accounts? This technology is currently
    in its infancy. However, with the participation and
    promotion by some of the world's largest banking and
    retail companies, electronic money will be the payment
    of choice in the future. It's simple to use, with
    extremely low transaction costs. No more the check is
    in the mail responses. You either have the money or the
    credit, or you don't.

    Why is this important to printers? Since these
    technologies are profoundly new and exciting forms of
    communication, they're easily embraced by the younger
    generation. The printed word is obviously another form
    of communication ... some would even say a competing
    form of communication. By adapting new products,
    services, and business practices that take advantage of
    the new media, printers can continue to play a vital
    role in the everyday lives of the next generation of
    customers.

    ***** How about the future of faxing?

    I'm fairly new to the printing industry. When I first
    began working with folks in this industry, I was amazed
    by the amount of faxing going on. EVERYBODY FAXES
    EVERYTHING TO EACH OTHER. This supports the findings
    from a recent four-year study by The Gallup Organization
    where 60% of large and midsize companies stated that
    they are faxing more than they did last year. In fact,
    they tended to choose faxing over e-mail, voice mail, or
    over-night couriers. Fax machines are being purchased
    in record numbers. Toner sales for fax machines are up
    12%.

    But wait!!! Did you know that faxes can now be sent
    over the Internet? Instead of using long-distance
    telephone lines to send faxes, faxes can be sent from a
    desktop application to a local Internet access provider,
    who sends it to the local Internet access provider in or
    near the destination city. The fax is then sent using
    local lines to the designated recipient.

    NetCentric is one of the companies providing the
    fax-via-Internet service. Their listed prices are
    $10/month for up to 125 minutes of point-to-point U.S.
    domestic faxing or $20/month for up to 1,000 minutes of
    point-to-point U.S. domestic faxing. If you're counting,
    that's 2 to 8 cents a minute!

    NetCentric's technology is called FaxStorm. You can
    check them out at http://www.netcentric.com. (Hint:
    They've announced a pretty good deal too! Free 30
    minutes of faxing to anywhere in the U.S. Free trial for
    one month! No obligation! Limited to the first 50,000
    customers. Hey, I don't represent them; I just think
    that this is a can't-miss technology which we should all
    follow.)

    ***** But how do the costs compare between e-mail and
    faxes

    Did you know that ...

    > the average long-distance fax costs $1.50 over phone
    lines, 15 cents per fax over the Internet

    > the average e-mail costs 2 cents per message,

    > 1 trillion e-mail messages were sent last year,

    > 78% of telecommunications managers in large and
    midsize companies aren't aware of their faxing costs?

    Source: COMPUTERWORLD, September 2, 1996

    ***** Dilbert meets Jeff Foxworthy

    You know you're a Manager if ...

    > You believe that anything you don't understand must
    be easy to do.

    > You feel a need to explain in great detail why
    profit is the difference between income and expenses.

    > You think employees should schedule funerals only
    during holidays.

    Source: The Dilbert Principle, by Scott Adams

    ***** Netscape Tricks

    > Have you ever wanted to borrow a graphic file on
    someone's web page? With Netscape and Windows95, it's
    very easy to grab. Simply click on the image with the
    right mouse button and select Save As to save the
    picture to your harddrive.

    > All those folks using AOL on a regular basis should
    definitely upgrade to Version 3.0. It quicker and
    easier to use. Plus, the AOL web browser is dramatically
    better than past versions. IMHO however, it still does
    not come close to Netscape or Microsoft browsers. The
    later two programs can handle all of the latest web
    presentations, such as Java and multimedia plug-ins --
    something the AOL browser cannot do. AOL 3.0 and
    Netscape or Microsoft Explorer can co-exist quite
    nicely, however. To use Netscape through AOL, simply
    logon to AOL 3.0, go to AOL's Internet section, minimize
    AOL and launch Netscape. You should then be able to use
    AOL's Internet connection to browse the web via
    Netscape. (In fact, you can use the same technique to
    logon to PrinterNet using AOL's Internet connection.
    You'll need PrinterNet's Worldgroup software, instead of
    the web browser. Send e-mail to me at
    sysop@printer-net.com if you have questions.)

    ***** Buying a Used PC?

    With all of the deals available on new PC's, you
    wouldn't think buying a used PC is such a good idea.
    But in some cases, you can pick up a real bargain.

    If you can find an older 486 or Pentium PC for a few
    hundred dollars, that can be upgraded to accommodate a
    larger harddrive and additional RAM, it's definitely
    worth considering. Hard disk and RAM prices are at all
    time low prices.

    (One other word of warning: Never ever buy a used
    computer through the mail.)

    ***** True story ... I swear ...

    I heard this on National Public Radio the other day --
    driving home -- and almost wrecked.

    It seems that this guy called one of the PC tech support
    lines to ask How do you fix the cup holder on my
    computer?

    The tech support rep replied that he didn't know their
    PC's were equipped with cup holders.

    The guy with the cup holder responded, Mine has! And
    it's labeled '4X'.

    Yep, he was referring to the loading tray for his
    CD-ROM.

    Don't you love technology? But then again, why don't
    they come with cup holders??? 

    Until next time, cheers! Terry Montgomery

    =====

    I-Way or the Highway is electronically published on a
    monthly basis. If this is the first time you've received
    our newsletter and would like to be included on the list
    for email distribution of this FREE newsletter, please
    send an email to sysop@printer-net.com with the keyword
    SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Use the keyword
    UNSUBSCRIBE if at any time you wish to be taken off of
    our distribution list.

.
    =====

    Why Publish Printing History?

    Unless we keep the stream of the past with living
    significance for the present, we not only have no past
    but we have no present. Tradition is not a barren pride
    in a dead glory; tradition is something that provides
    refreshment for the spirit. Felix Frankfurter

    Some would argue that history is nothing more than
    ancient people, events, and technology. With the
    exception of a few celebrated examples, the vast
    majority are gone and forgotten.

    It's been said that a discussion of history produces no
    commercial value and doesn't belong in our rapidly
    changing technological industry.

    History, however, will always have those who view it as
    interesting. Historians will labor in research to find
    facts, dates, and agenda for a select, but appreciative
    audience. But, is this little more than entertainment?
    Is there value in a discussion of printing history

    What about the cycles, trends and patterns to be found
    in a study of the past? By close examination of the
    past, can one possibly predict future events? Some
    believe so.

    The most important reason to remember our printing
    heritage is one of culture. It is a bond with the
    immortal spirit of printing. Some would say this only
    exists in the minds of a few, but no eloquent
    explanation is needed for those who have ink in their
    blood.

    A salute to those who proudly call themselves printers
    - past, present, and future - those who share the
    fraternal bond. As long as mankind has or shall inscribe
    words on paper, you shall be a part of the greatest
    contribution to commerce, culture, and civilization that
    has ever existed. Frank Granger - 1996

    =====

    Some of Frank's pieces can be found on my Infoserver. To
    get an index of available documents, send an e-mail
    message to: hotinfo@printer-net.com. In the Subject
    field of your e-mail software, type the word INDEX.
    Nothing is required in the message area unless your
    software requires it. In a few minutes an index of
    available documents will be e-mailed to you. You can
    order any document free by replacing the word INDEX
    with the keyword of the document. Keywords for Frank's
    pieces are GRAN?? (where ?? is 01, 02, etc.)

    =====

    Commercial =====

    Helene's Hotline is the graphic arts industry's premier
    source resource. If you need to know how to do it or
    where to find it, Hotline is your source, and it's free.
    For details as to how Hotline works, send an e-mail
    message to: hotinfo@printer-net.com. In the Subject
    field, type the keyword: WHATIS. Send the message and in
    a few minutes the document will be e-mailed to you.

 



The House of Gutenberg

Cy Stapleton

Box 151107

Lufkin, TX 75915-1107

(409) 637-7475

Fax (409) 637-1480

Email - hotlinecy@aol.com



Tuesday, January 14, 1997 2:10:30 PM