President's Message

Only a year ago, on the eve of Y2K, civilization prophesied its immediate end by meltdown into a digital soup. In hindsight, this was not an occasion to prompt throngs of the anointed to cash in their frequent flyer miles and hop aboard a comet. If a meltdown occurred, it did not come from adding zeroes before each year, but from subtracting zeroes from the end of dot com portfolios.

A year later, as we approach the REAL millennium, another auspicious milestone occurs, as foretold by Arthur C. Clarke: the ultimate confrontation between man and computer, in which man ultimately prevails. But even this semi-apocalypse seems vastly overblown when one looks at the current state of man and machine. Where is the threat from a cyborg that shakes its head, sits on command and wags its tail. Where is the final struggle to the death, other than in the contrived simulations of the latest action computer game? Even the gargantuan shadow cast over the desktop by the mighty Microsoft seems to have been cut down to size in the face of the new universal operating system--the Internet.

At our next meeting on January 2, Microsoft representative, John Stroiney, will show off some of the products that his company hopes will keep it firmly placed on the evolving desktop: action games, enhancements for the home, and Internet tools. As always, it will be an entertaining and informative experience. So, come on by, relax, and be treated to a view of the "kinder and gentler millennium."

Three for the Board

I am pleased to announce that three new directors have been added to our board, following the annual election in December. Don Neary has been a member of DACS since it emerged from the alphabet soup of Danbury Area User Group (DAUG), Danbury Osborne Group (DOG), Danbury Computer Society (DCS), and Western Connecticut Micro-computer Users Group (WCMUG). Matthew Greger is a new member who has become very active in the Web Design SIG, bringing a thorough knowledge of both the PC and Mac platforms. Don Pearson is an old-timer, who has been active in promoting alternative operating systems, from OS/2 to Linux. All three will provide real life experience with fresh new insights to their role as directors. Congratulations also to Charlie Bovaird and Marlène Gaberel, who were both elected as incumbents to new two-year terms.

Assistive technology tools

Mark your calendars for the 6th of February, the day of our monthly meeting, and a presentation on assistive technology. A relatively new but rapidly growing industry, assistive technology offers advanced products to enhance the lives and independence of the physically and mentally challenged. DACS members who are familiar with the eye switch and voice synthesis technology used by Voice for Joanie, may not know that the field extends far beyond that--to alternative keyboards, voice activated computing, environmental control, mobility tools, and much more.
Our guest presenter will be David Goldberg of Health Science, a durable medical equipment distributor and assistive technology provider representing over 25 manufacturers. Among the products David is responsible for are augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC), speech discrimination and hearing products, computer access hardware/software, environmental control units (ECUs), and educational technology.

If you know someone who needs special assistance, or just curious about cutting edge technology (aren’t we all?), then you should make it a point to attend this intriguing and informative program. In the meantime, for a preview of what’s in store, visit the VFJ Web site at www.voiceforjoanie.org, and follow the links.

--Allan Ostergren
dacsprez@aol.com