Issue #1 1-16-1999
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You fellows in 80 degree
weather eat your heart out!
We have all the great
weather here in Cherry Valley!
1-16-99
Beside the snow and -3 degree weather, Work-work-work! We have been in a constant "push" mode since August. Every one is tired but all are doing their part to "keep cool" until the pressure can be relieved. Where is all the pressure coming from? The Windows '95-'98 programs that's where (those little devils)! Why August? That's when we realized that it was now or never. If we didn't apply a full court press, it would never happen.
Because the Win'95 programs have required a whole new approach, new programming disciplines, new teaching methods, more training, new literature, more learning and more frustration, we have found ourselves often times between a rock and a hard place! The fact that we are now burdened by a form of confusion which comes with supporting two very different operating systems and different sets of programs, everyone feels "out of sorts"! I can hear some of the conversations in the office in my head. They go something like "...now wait a minute...are we talking Windows or DOS here ?...but yesterday your said....but yesterday that was Windows. This is today and this is about DOS! ..."
I am very proud of our Monu-Cad crew. All have had to deal with this change over and just about relearn everything to do with customer support. Windows is a whole different world from our inside viewpoint.
See the new
1999 Monu-Cad Windows Programs at
TECHNOVATION '99
MBNA's 90th Convention & Full Industry
Show
Jan. 24 - 27 Charlotte, NC
Jim, Jeanne, Michele, Joe and Harold will be attending. In addition there will be a special guest operator from Suhor Industries along with many of our customer's operators. We will have 4 booths as usual and plenty of room to display the latest we have to offer our industry. On Wednesday, there will be the "CAD ShootOut" where we and 5 competitors will be on stage showing "our stuff". We hope to see many of you there.
I've been hearing from different sources that the TURBO cutter is no longer available! There is no trouble with supply now or at anytime in the forseeable future. There is some truth in this rumor but it is not what the competitors are saying. Publicly, I can say no more. But, If you would like to know the details, give me a call.
Boy, you have got me there! Because we are going to show them for the first time at the MBNA Convention next week, we don't want to "spill the beans" here just yet! But I can tell you this: they are REAL!; they are FANTASTIC!; they are POWERFUL; they are EASY to USE; EASY to LEARN; EASY to INSTALL. They have features I have been dreaming about being able to offer for years! Others in the Computer Industry who have seen what we have come up with can't believe that a small company like Monu-Cad has made this happen. Just some of the ideas alone are amazing!
Here's a hint! Imagine being able to find one design or component out of a library of 20,000 designs in just 5 seconds!! Imagine being able to see your whole design base without having to load a drawing first! Imagine Click & Type™ added to Monu-Cad.
Another hint! The Windows programs will be scaleable. That means, we will be able to offer versions at various price levels with variable levels of power and features. New users will be able to purchase an entry level product and then upgrade as necessary as they grow and need more features. There will be versions specifically for those not interested in cutting rubber who will be using the program just for point of sale. Of course, there will be the full versions for our Power Users! And, there will be versions for those in between. The full blown version is being called Monu-Cad Pro. You will hear this term a lot in coming months.
Here is the most unbelievable part! The Monu-Cad Windows programs which are comparable to the current DOS programs are FREE to all users who have purchased a full system and maintained their VIP support package since they purchased their system. In other words, there will be no cost to upgrade to the Windows programs. This was our word to our users from the beginning and this is the way it will be. Some of the new, expanded add on modules will be priced reasonably to help us recover the incredible costs that we have incurred. I was asked recently what I would estimate that I have invested in developing these Windows programs. The number was so unbelievable to me that I had to recheck the number. Are you ready.......$500,000.00 and it's not over yet. (figure it out...4 years of development ... and professional programming time costs $80.00/hr.) Any reasonable feature desired by our users not presently in the programs and not considered a separate module will be added within the next 6 months!
Here is the best part for Monu-Cad users! We own the code! It's all ours! Developed in house! This means that we can change, embellish, improve to our hearts content now and in the future! It also means that the supplier cannot go out of business and leave us and our users stranded. It's VC++ and MFC for you techno types out there....FULL 32 BIT Windows '95-'98-NT code, not last years doctored 16 bit code. In the future, should a user or organization need a custom version to do special custom processes, we are now in a position to offer a specialized version.
When can you get it? I hear this question every day. While the programs may be finished, there are many, many more details that have to be completed before we can ship...like manuals and documentation, extensive testing, installation programs, CD creation ... a lot of last minute stuff! We are being very cautious with this release. After all, you cannot give your customer $50.00 off because you misspelled her last name! We are hoping for the end of February.
1999 Design Contest
Every year for the past 5 years we have had an annual design contest. The rules are simple: send in 15 designs, we judge them, award prizes for the top 4 (T-shirts, mugs and stuff for all participants) and then send all designs entered to all participants when the contest is completed. We also print and publish the designs in book form. The formula is simple: Send in 15...get back thousands! A better deal you cannot get anywhere!
I am on a "mission from God" to get every Monu-Cad user to participate in this year's design contest. I have Jeanne calling every one who has not entered as yet. She has orders to call and call and keep calling until she gets everyone to send in their entry of 15 designs. I have told Jeanne that if she runs into a real stubborn case where the user just won't comply, to let me know and I'll make the next call! And you all know what that means! :) Keep the short Italian on your good side and send in your entry. It only takes 5 minutes. And, this year's contest will yield almost 5,000 designs which you will get all for FREE! Lets make this the largest contest ever! Send in your entry NOW!
User Showcase
We have a page here on our site dedicated to displaying pictures of our users installations. Many of you have built very nice Monu-Cad operating rooms. We would really like to show off your installation to other users. Please mail in or email a photo of your Monu-Cad setup room and we will put it on the showcase page along with your company information and even add a link to your web site! Click Here to go to User Showcase page
Retail User page
We would like to build a page on this site which contains links to the sites of Retail Monument Dealers every where. If you are a Retail Monument Dealer and have a web site, drop me a note and I will add a site Link to this page. email URL link to Monu-Cad
Many of you are familiar with the MCK-142 WorkSaver programmable keyboard that we have included with our Monu-Cad systems for years. We dedicated a page to it here on our website and have been selling it "like hotcakes"! If you are interested in what may be considered to be the greatest keyboard ever made for use on any of your PC computers, click on this link and take a look. Goto WorkSaver Keyboard
We just added the 1999 MSDOS sign on screen to our downloads page for MSDOS users who wish to download and install the updated screen on their manufacturing computers. goto download page
to be continued...stop back soon.....
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Graphics by Monu-Cad
Copyright © 1999 Monumental Computer
Applications, Inc.
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