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This looks like a job for a Document Imaging and Management Service:
Most such services these days can take all yer docs, scan them in, OCR 'em,
run 'em thru a rudimentary format, and give 'em back to you on CD
compatible with any database system you want...
It's cheaper doing it this way than to try to have yer own crew reinvent
the whole process, work out the bugs, pay techwriters and graphic artists
to do scanning for three times what starving college students make doing
it, etc., etc.
>Date: Thu, 17 Jul 1997 09:51:28 -0500
>From: Jennifer Jelinek <jlkraus -at- AMETEKWATER -dot- COM>
>Subject: Document Management Feasability
>
>Hello techwhirlers! I'm in a a bit of a quandary:
>
>My supervisor has recently told our department that he's received a =
>directive to convert all the technical records in the company in =
>electronic form. .... all
>existing documentation---manuals, spec sheets, old catalogs, etc---in =
>the same manner. Some are already in electronic form, but most aren't....
>I'm afraid we just don't =
>have the "human" resources to take on this task, and I doubt that we're =
>going to be allotted them.
If You're interested, I can try to dig up the analyses I did in a similar
situation a coupla years agoand shoot 'em off to ya, but it boils down to
this: DIMS costs between seven and thirteen cents per page; doing it in
house costs at least $1.40 per page, and your company'll have to lease or
buy all the the equipment you'll need (we're talking kilobucks there).
I think Xerox has the largest such service, BTW <smile>
-------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Brinegar Information Developer/Research Droid/Mac Guy http://www.vr2link.com
Who was it that said:
"I believe the only way to get the scale of change we really need is
to focus on educating citizens so they have the principles,
the framework and the tools necessary to effect change on their own."
vr2link -at- vr2link -dot- com -- CCDB Vr2Link
Performance S u p p o r t Svcs.
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