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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear colleagues,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> As usual , please excuse
multiples of this message.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I had a thought today (Tuesday) at the VITTA
conference as I walked through the vendor displays that were set up for our
viewing pleasure to partake of or ignore as we please or just to hang around
long enough to win one of the many prizes they offered at the end of the day for
lucky teachers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The thought I had was this: Wow, these
people have put many many hours of effort into setting up their stands carting
their products, and putting on a bright happy face from early morning to late
afternoon as many hundreds of people meander around and through the displays.
What is more, most if not all were trying to wolf down their lunch whilst still
"on duty" at their stand either on a high chair or standing, in advance of
the teacher lunch break and inevitable rush that would follow.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Roland summed it up very eloquently
when recently he wrote :</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>" I think it does these commercial groups and partners proud that they
slog<BR>through all the e-mails we churn out on these lists, turn up to all
those<BR>conference trade stands, grind away at all those phone calls and keep
up a<BR>brave face listening to all our gripes." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Therefore, I wish to provide a vehicle for
these partners in our journey to do the best for our students by setting up a
"products" mailing list that can be used by any vendor with something to offer
schools. As the description of the list states, " Vendor Product Information
Mailing List is a vehicle for vendors to announce, inform, advertise and
otherwise disseminate information about educational products such as hardware,
software, solutions. class materials, training, multimedia tools, electronic
equipment and any other material that can assist schools ". </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For many if not all teachers, it is necessary to
keep up with what is happening in the market place. For example, I had been
looking around for a long time to integrate a number of databases that operate
at my school as separate stand alone products eg. rollmarking, reporting and
timetabling. I think I found such a product at one of the stands today. This
will remove duplication and synchronisation of data. Entering student data once
will make it available to all components of this integrated system.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would like to offer all vendors this mailing
list so that each can make a product announcement or post an advertisement on
this "products" list without any apology or justification. They can praise their
product and tell us how wonderful it is. Teachers who wish to keep up with
vendor announcements can join this list accepting that the purpose of this list
is purely advertising and prospective schools or teachers can follow up with
vendors any way they like.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope this initiative gives recognition and a
rightful place for our partners in education who do so much to make our
lives so much easier and what we deliver so much higher in quality.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2> </DIV>
<DIV>Best Wishes<BR></DIV>
<DIV>Kevork Krozian<BR>Mailing List Creator and Administrator<BR><A
href="mailto:kevork@edulists.com.au">kevork@edulists.com.au</A><BR><A
href="http://www.edulists.com.au">www.edulists.com.au</A><BR>Tel: 0419 356
034</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>