CONNECT THE WORLD WITH MERLIN UPDATE #6
June 7, 1996

Dear Merlin volunteers,

PROJECT STATUS

1.  VOLUNTEERS

    As many of you know, we released a "Call for Volunteers" last
    Monday, June 3rd.  This was e-mailed to representatives from
    Team OS/2 and OS/2 User Groups around the world.  It was also 
    posted on the Internet at:

    USENET NEWSGROUPS
    Team OS/2 news & discussion           alt.org.team-os2
    User Groups, planning and meetings    comp.org.user-groups.meetings
    OS/2 News & Announcements             comp.os.os2.announce
    Australian discussion on OS/2         aus.computers.os2
    Germany supporting OS/2               de.comp.os.os2.advocacy
    Japanese discussion of OS/2           fj.os.os2
    Systeme OS/2 d'IBM (France)           fr.comp.os.os2

    WORLD WIDE WEB
    The Best of OS/2 on the Worldwide Web
    http://www.aescon.com/bestofos2

    Also, on America Online (Team OS/2 section) and CompuServe
    (OS/2 User Groups and Team OS/2 sections).

    In addition, Peter Lazenby's Team OS/2 Projects web page
    in Kitimat, BC (http://www.teamos2.org/projects/index.html)
    now has links to our sign-up sheet.

    In the four days since the announcement was released, the
    response has been overwhelming!  In that short time, we received
    over 100 new applications for volunteers.

    OUR VOLUNTEERS NOW INCLUDE:

    +300 volunteers representing 30 countries

    - We would like to welcome volunteers from Brazil, Denmark,
      Finland, Japan, Mexico, Slovania, and Taiwan to the project.
      In particular, the Brazilians have enthusiastically
      embraced the project.

      BUT WHERE IS ITALY AND SOUTH KOREA????

    We now have 39 of the 50 United States participating.

      BUT WHERE IS?:  Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine,
      Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota,
      Vermont, and Wyoming

    BUT WE CAN'T STOP HERE.  WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR
    THE PROJECT.  PLEASE KEEP RECRUITING!

2.  EVENT DATE

    Unfortunately, we have not set the date for the event yet.
    I am still having discussions with the Merlin launch team.  We
    have ruled out September for a variety of reasons (including 
    Jewish religious holidays).  Most likely in will be in October.  
    I hope to resolve this soon.

3.  SCRIPT

    I have begun work on the script which will be delivered
    in both INF and HTML formats.  I have determined that it
    will be necessary to divide the script into two parts:

    Part I - for site selection, determining personnel
             requirements, and other preparatory items.

    Part II - the actual script for the presentation.  We
              will not know exactly how to to write this until
              we get the beta-code (now scheduled for mid-June).

    One of our volunteers has come forward to offer his services;
    David Moskowitz, who is no stranger to demonstrating OS/2,
    has offered to help prepare the script (Part II).  We
    welcome his advice.

    I hope to get Part I out very soon.

    By the way, many thanks to the people who suggested various
    web sites to visit during the demo.  This will be included
    in the script.

4.  VENDORS

    As most of you know, we are hoping to demonstrate the
    latest offerings from Lotus in the event.  However,
    I have also been in contact with other vendors to solicit
    the use of their native OS/2 based products during the event:

    *  Volunteer Joel Krautheim of SPG is considering a special
       demonstration version of his ColorWorks product (v2.0).

    *  Bryan Minor of Mt. Baker Software may be able to give
       us a demo version of his company's new Money Tree
       product for OS/2 (also scheduled for release this
       Fall).  Money Tree is a financial planning/management
       application (a la Quicken).

    *  For games, I hope to have a real surprise for you;
       a state of the art OS/2 based killer app which I just
       saw the other night.

5.  HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

    IBM is still in the process of specifying the hardware
    requirements for the demonstration (which will be included
    in Part I of the Script).  This will include requirements
    for speech navigation (e.g., microphones).

6.  WEB PAGE

    Work on the web page is progressing nicely:

    *  IBM is still in the process of selecting a suitable web 
       site/server for the event (possibly equipment left over 
       from the Olympics).

    *  We also have to resolve (with IBM) which web browsers
       to use and how to access the web site.

    *  Lyne Eaker & Jim Whitelaw of the Central Alberta OS/2 
       (CAOS/2) Users' Group in Edmonton, Canada have graciously 
       volunteered their web site as our back-up.

    *  Breckan Morris & Craig Andrew Bradney of Sydney, NSW, Australia
       have been diligently putting our web map together.  They
       have a working prototype in place.  If you would like to
       see what they have come up with so far, point your
       web browsers at:

       http://www.usyd.edu.au/~bmorris

       You can also access our original mock-up from there.

       PLEASE REMEMBER, THE WEB PAGE IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT;
       BOTH THE WORLD MAP AND MOCK-UP ARE JUST THAT:  "WORKING
       MOCK-UPS," AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE FINAL
       VERSION.

       I think Breckan & Craig are doing an outstanding job.
       I hope you do too.

7.  THE LOGO

    The logo developed by Algis Zakarauskas of Winston Hills, 
    NSW, Australia has received rave reviews from both the
    volunteers and IBM.  However, we cannot use the word,
    "Merlin" in the logo and we will, consequently, have to
    eliminate it from the logo.

    PLEASE REMEMBER THE MERLIN LOGO WE RELEASED A FEW WEEKS AGO 
    IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT.  IT IS NOT "OFFICIAL" YET.
 
    Hopefully, Algis will have something for us soon.

    Also, due to the laws governing trademarks, the name "Merlin" 
    will not be used in the final product (the final name is yet to
    be announced by IBM).  "Merlin" is the code-name for the project,
    not the final product.

8.  ADVICE

    Based on the last update (May 24th), I have heard from
    various user groups who have already met to plot their
    strategy locally:

    - Las Vegas users have already organized a project team
      and begun to select demo sites.

    - Connecticut users are contacting local computer stores.

    - And within our own Tampa Bay OS/2 Users' Group (TBOUG),
      we have already targeted four computer stores and a
      local university.

    Like I mentioned in the May 24th update, NOW IS THE TIME
    TO GET ORGANIZED!

    - Contact and meet with local volunteers participating in
      the project.  Attached, please find the latest log of
      volunteers by e-mail address and telephone number.

    - Recruit additional volunteers from your area.
      Please register your volunteers with me by e-mailing
      their:  Name, Address, Telephone, Fax, Web page (if any),
      BBS (if any); also, please indicate if he/she is a member 
      of an OS/2 user group and/or Team OS/2.

      Remember, you can also register through our web page at:

      http://warp.eecs.berkeley.edu/os2/connect/review.html

    - Start selecting sites for the demo (e.g., computer
      super stores and universities).

    Again, I will provide advice for these items in Part I
    of the Script.

9.  Please note:  a copy of this file is available on our
    BBS (+01-813/786-4567) as MERL0607.ZIP

That's all for now.  I'll keep you abreast of developments
as they occur.  Stay tuned!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards,
Tim Bryce
Editor, OS/2 CONNECT
M. Bryce & Associates, Inc. (MBA)
777 Alderman Road
Palm Harbor, FL  34683
United States
Tel:  813/786-4567
Fax:  813/786-4765
BBS:  813/786-4864
E-Mail:  TimB1557@aol.com
CompuServe:  76235,2364
IBM Link:  MA00890
WWW:  http://warp.eecs.berkeley.edu/os2/connect/
Since 1971:  "Software for the finest computer - the Mind"

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