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Over 1000 Windows 95 Programs (Microforum) (Disc 1).iso
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readme.txt
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1997-04-02
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NotifyMe version 1.1 Shareware mgoguen@netzone.com
Copyright (C) 1995, 1996 MPG Software
NotifyMe is a simple yet powerful messaging system for the Windows desktop.
It will run on Windows 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT. NotifyMe displays as
a non obtrusive marquee which scrolls across the bottom or top of the screen.
It is most useful when installed on a LAN drive and executed by many users.
Athough it may be used as a simple reminder system on a stand alone PC.
NotifyMe was developed as an information solution for a major Incoming Call
Center. The client had two major problems. The first dealt with some reps
not receiving critical information when it was placed on the electronic display
boards. The problem was not with the boards, it was with the reps. Ninety
percent of the time when they read the display board it wouldnÆt have any new
information. As time passed, they tended to read the information on the display
boards less often which caused a significant delay in getting critical
information to the reps on the phone. This caused improper information to be
given to the customer or orders to be taken which couldnÆt be filled in a timely
manner. The second problem was that the Call Center was growing and all of the
reps could no longer fit into the main room. Some were actually moved into
another building across the street. These reps could no longer see the display
boards and where therefore not able to stay current on important information
they needed to do their jobs. The solution NotifyMe provided addressed both of
the major problems as well as providing some additional benefits.
NotifyMe, as it's name implies, notifies the user when a new message has
arrived, thereby alleviating the need for the rep to constantly be looking for
new messages. The program now let them know when there was a new message. The
second problem was solved just by the nature of the program each rep had their
own little display board on their workstation desktop. So all reps could once
again stay informed of important information. Additional benefits gained by the
Call Center utilizing NotifyMe were the ability to prioritize messages, the
ability to have messages automatically start and stop at predetermine times,
and the ability to force all users to view some message types while allowing
each user to subscribe to view other message types.
The Call Center was broken into teams and each member of a team would view the
messages for their team as well as the overall Call Center messages. This allowed
leaders to communicate with their reps without disturbing all of the other reps on
the floor. NotifyMe has two methods of notifying a user of a newly arrived message.
Based on the priority of the new message, the color of the text will change and a
user defined audible .wav file will play. Once the user has read the message, they
just click the mouse on the scrolling message and the color returns to the normal
color. If the rep returns to their workstation from a break or lunch and the color
of the message is still the same, they know there are no new messages to read. The
program can also be run minimized, as an icon. When new messages arrive, the icon
will flash to alert the user of a newly arrived message.
Users have full control of their individual preferences on how NotifyMe is
configured on their desktop. Based on the priority of a new message, each user
can set the following attributes: text color of the message; the audible .wav
file which is played; and whether a new message will pop up in front of any other
application that is executing at the time the message arrives. Each user can also
select the font and size of the message text, the speed of the scrolling message,
whether the message displays at the top or bottom of the screen or if it displays
as an icon.
NotifyMe is currently being distributed as shareware. This allows anyone to
download it from the Internet and evaluate it in their environment before
purchasing the software. Shareware is a way of marketing software, not a category
of programs. Software marketed using the shareware method, in a lot of instances
is as robust and feature packed as the competing commercial products. In other
cases developers create a shareware program out of necessity, when there is no
commercial software available to fill a niche. That is the case with NotifyMe.
Shareware is often considerably less expensive than commercial software. This in
no way reflects a lesser product. The low pricing is achieved by defrayed marketing,
packaging and warehousing costs. Companies interested in acquiring NotifyMe can
download it from http://www.netzone.com/~mgoguen.
The shareware version of NotifyMe is exactly the same as the commercial version
with two exceptions: it has a menu selection which opens a registration window and
every five hours or so it will send a message to the users stating that they are
running a shareware version of the program.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Some Basic Features of NotifyMe include:
* User's may subscribe to message files or may be forced to view message files.
* The Message Editor makes it easy to specify the priority of a message and
when the message is to be displayed. Athough message files do not have to be
created using the Message Editor. For example a productivity statistics message
file may be created by a program and statistics automatically displayed on the
user's desktop.
* User's may set their own preferences as to how NotifyMe will notify them when
a new message is displayed based on the new message's priority.
* User's may also choose the font and size of the message as well as how fast the
message scrolls and foreground and background color of the message window.
Basic interface Tips:
* Click the RIGHT mouse button on the scrolling message to display the popup menu.
* Click the LEFT mouse button on the scrolling message to discontinue notification
of a new message.
* Hold down the LEFT mouse button on the scrolling message to stop the message
from scrolling until you release the LEFT mouse button.
* Double click the LEFT mouse button on the scrolling message to minimize the window.
Who can edit messages:
* I suggest that you handle who can update message files by utilizing the file
security mechanism designed into your network operating system. So a user may be
able to open a message file but the write of any changes would fail on the server
if you only give the user read access to the files in the NotifyMe directory.
* To prevent the Message Editor from being available to a specific user you can
set CantEditMsgs=1 in the [NotifyMe] section of the user's win.ini file.