<VV> Computer Use Re: The future of publishing?

[FrankCB]

Ned,
     You don't have to OWN a computer to USE a computer.  My friend Teena has steadfastly refused all offers of her kids to buy her a computer.  She simply goes to the nearest public library, sits down and uses THEIR computers to access her email and do searches on the web.  She even gets 6 pages of printouts FREE each time she visits.  (Additional ones cost 10 cents each)  She learned how to do this without any background in using computers.  And she, like me, is nearly 80 years old.  If she can do it, anybody who does their own work on their Corvairs can learn how to do it, no matter how old they are.  Most of the local community schools offer adult courses starting with "Introduction to Computers" and moving up as far as you want to go.  You certainly don't have to learn how to program a computer anymore than you have to learn how to redesign a Corvair engine to keep your Corvair running.
     When I was using a dial-up connection I found it took about 6 minutes to download a 1 mb file so a 3 mb file took almost 20 minutes.  So you could probably still download an electronic version of the Communique, it just requires patience if you have a dial-up connection.  When I go to the NJ shore in the summer, I only have a dial-up connection available which is quite adequate for normal email.  If anybody sends me a big file I just delay downloading it until I can get to the library with my laptop and download it wirelessly at high speed.
     Frank "never too old to learn" Burkhard    

In a message dated 12/04/09 10:17:35 Eastern Standard Time, aeroned writes:
If I remember the survey results from a few years ago (on another computer), something like 25% of our membership do not own a computer. Are you saying we should just disregard them? 

I don't look at it as an all or nothing proposition. The future will offer a "real" electronic version of the Communique, without giving up the option of a printed version. The amount of member's dues will reflect the actual costs of the option they each choose. 

Ned