Greetings!

I was sent this message on Compu-Serve from the Symantec
theorum and I thought it might be of interest to other
members of the Melbourne PC Users group.

Date:  06-May-95 22:16 UTC+10
From:  Spencer Wulwick [73370,3376]
Subj:  A Plea For Help!

	A PLEA FOR HELP - ONE LAST TIME!

	Some time ago, someone discussed a magazine article indicating that
"Kathy Lang stated that Symantec is stopping further development of
Q&A (DOS and
Windows)."  The magazine is the Personal Computer World (September 94),
published in the Netherlands.

	In order to find out more about this article, I contacted Symantec.  I
was told that the message is similar to what it has been in that no current or
future development of Q&A is planned, but that an actual decision to discontinue
development has NOT  been made.  I was also told that the only thing that might
change this status quo is if  Symantec received a sufficient number of letters
indicating a need for further development.

	I know that many people have already "given up" and chosen other
databases.  But I also know that Q&A DOS is truly a
"masterpiece" and that no
other database offers so much power that is so incredibly easy to use.   Take
Access, for example, and while you can see that there is much that Access can
do, it simply can't be done by the average user.  You MUST be interested in and
dedicated to the use of complex programming and complicated concepts.

	In a more hopeful vein, we have heard from a variety of sources that the
German version of Q&A is currently being upgraded and that a beta version has
been released.  Although this has not been confirmed by Symantec, we have every
reason to be optimistic.  We have heard  that the improvements made to the
German version can be easily transported to the American version.  It is
important to let Symantec know that their dedicated Q&A users want this upgrade.

	So, whether or not you are still using Q&A, will you please join together
in a massive letter writing campaign.  There are at more than 1200 of us on this
forum alone which, I would think, could have substantial impact.  Even if you
have written before, please consider doing so "just one more
time."  We have
little to lose and much to gain.  If you are a developer, or simply know other
Q&A users, please ask them to do the same.  

	Letters (this time around) should be addressed to (Mr.):

	Dana Siebert
	Symantec Corporation
	175 West Broadway
	Eugene, OR  97401

	For additional impact, please send a carbon copy to:

	Eugene Wang
	Symantec Corporation
	10201 Torre Avenue
	Cupertino, CA  95014-2131

	Please do not send E-mail.  For whatever the reason, letters are more
impressive.  I know that most of us find e-mail easier to deal with.  For those
of you that prefer e-mail, the solution is simple.  Go ahead and write an e-mail
message.  Then just add an opening address, print it out, sign it, fold it and
put it in an envelope with a 32-cent stamp.  Drop it in the mail box on your way
out, and you'll barely notice the difference.  You might even experience a touch
of nostalgia. 

	Please do not think that your letter won't make a difference.  It will
take every last one of us joining together to come up with a substantial number
of  letters from the forum.  

			- Spencer

     ** Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty! **


Distribution:

To: Arthur L. Zigas > [74211,226]

cc: Dane Trethowan > [100243,166]       Phillipp Leser > [100600,440]
    Nigel Fisher > [102021,302]         Jim Summers > [70263,351]
    Todd Stanton > [70412,40]           Theodore Pateas > [70472,104]
    Clay V. McCardell > [70662,255]     Johnny Ortiz > [71042,2606]
    Donald E. Gardner > [71334,3070]    Louis L. Slack > [73047,3153]
    Joe D. Kendrick > [73307,542]       S. V. Muralidhar > [74237,1561]
    Buster Feldman > [74312,22]         Robert Benjamin > [75334,2214]
    Richard F. Davis > [75451,1170]     Richard A. DeVito > [76150,1602]

... Tag line thievery ... On the next Geraldo!
--- Blue Wave/Max v2.12 [NR]