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Can I get a copy of the software for my own in-house review?
Yes. However, we first prefer
to run a remote demonstration of the software for you. This will allow us to give you a guided tour
of the software so that you have a fairly good overview before you begin your own testing. To facilitate
a remote demonstration, you will need to have a PC running Windows 95, 98, or NT with a modem attached.
You will also need 2 phone lines available. During the demonstration, we will use one for a data connection
and another for a voice connection. Pathways will provide you with a temporary copy of communications
software that you can install on your system for use during the demonstration. During the demonstration,
you will connect to a PC in our office where the software is running. The communication software will
allow your monitor to mirror what is occurring on our PC. In effect, it will appear to you as though
the software is running on your PC.
Once we have run an initial remote demonstration of the software
for you, we'll be happy to provide a demonstration copy to you. The demonstration software you receive
will be a full working version of the software with a restriction that will allow only 50-100 data records
to be entered.
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Can the Pathways software interface with my existing database?
No. The Pathways system
requires that all editorial data be converted to pre-defined database formats that are included as part
of the Pathways software system. The software is written in Microsoft's Visual FoxPro and uses the FoxPro
database engine. Importation routines are included to facilitate the one time conversion of data into
the databases from the publisher's current data source.
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I understand that the Pathways software can handle multiple publications. Does each directory or
buyers guide reside in a separate database?
No. Typically, data for all of a publisher's directories
will reside in the same physical database. However, data for each publication is defined as a logical
database within the physical database. By doing so, users need only maintain one set of physical databases
while still having the ability to efficiently process a particular publication from within the database.
For those publishers who have directories being produced from more than one office location,
it is possible to install the software in more than one physical location. The Pathways databases at
each of the locations may contain editorial content for one or more directory products.
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Are there any restrictions as to how many publications can be produced from the Pathways system?
Yes. Publishers have the following options for licensing the Pathways software: 1 publication, 2-5
publications, 6-10 publications, or Unlimited publications. Within the Pathways system, a publication
is defined as a related group of editorial data. Because of this, publishers may actually produce multiple
products from a single "Pathways" defined publication. As an example, a publisher could have a publication
defined within the Pathways system to hold information about manufacturers and distributors for a particular
industry. The publisher could produce multiple directory or buyers guide products using the same base
of information. These directories could be regional directories, multiple issues of the same directory,
or directories containing certain subsets from the publication database.
The Pathways software
will restrict publishers so that they may not define more publications within the database than their
contract allows. However, contracts can be upgraded at anytime. As soon as a publisher's license agreement
has been upgraded, a new serial number will be issued and the publisher may immediately begin adding
additional publications to the database.
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Once I license the software, will I receive upgrades containing new enhancement?
Yearly
maintenance agreements are available for all Pathways software. Yearly maintenance fees assure publishers
that they will receive all future upgrades to the software at no additional cost. Maintenance fees also
provide access to the Pathways phone-in help desk which is available from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central
Time.
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How often should I expect to receive a software upgrade?
There is no set rule as to how
many upgrades will be issued per year. However, the software has been evolving steadily over the past
few years and should continue to do so for the next several years. In the past, we have issued anywhere
from 2-4 major enhancement releases a year. We would expect this trend to continue for the next few
years anyway. Much will depend on the number of requests being made from our user base. Typically,
at the end of a users group meeting we will have anywhere from 30 - 40 enhancement requests. Many of
these are minor enhancements that can be accomplished very quickly, while others are fairly major enhancements
that will take much longer.
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What type of training is available for the Pathways software?
Pathways one time license
fees include one week of systems training at the publisher's site. Additional days of training can be
purchased and customized to meet a publisher's needs.
Each year, at the annual Users Group meeting,
the Pathways staff will hold additional training sessions for those attending. These sessions tend to
cover advanced topics not covered during normal training, as well as training for new features that have
been added during the past year.
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What if I don't use any of the desktop publishers Pathways currently supports; can Pathways still
help me?
Yes. Pathways will be happy to work with a publisher to develop new interface drivers
for DTP software not currently supported by the software. As long as the DTP software uses some type
of "markup" language, Pathways should be able to develop a driver to produce the markup syntax required
for interface. Typically, new drivers are developed at no cost to the publisher.
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I can see how the Pathways system could be flexible enough to handle simple publications that have
only companies, personnel, and products. However, my publication needs to maintain very specific information
that no other directory has. How can the Pathways system maintain my unique data and verify that the
data is correct?
The Pathways software comes with a set of "predefined" databases that were
designed to hold 90% of the information found in most directories. Additionally, the Pathways system
allows publishers to define their own "custom" databases and seamlessly tie those databases into the
Pathways system. Once a custom database has been defined and a data entry screen has been developed,
the Pathways system has utilities available to examine the new database and add the necessary information
to its internal data dictionary. The Pathways software takes care of all the work necessary to add menu
options to access the new database and data entry screens. Once that's accomplished, the publisher is
ready to begin data entry. Additionally, all of the new data fields are immediately available for exportation
or extraction and interface to desktop publishing for page production.
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Does the Pathways system come with system documentation and a user manual?
The Pathways
software includes a full on-line help system and on-line data dictionary. Therefore, printed manuals
are no longer issued. Additionally, the software includes utilities that allow users to print a full
set of system documentation including all file layouts. The data dictionary used by the software is
accessible from the on-line system, allowing users to easily enter descriptive information about any
custom database fields added by them.
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I don't have any technical support staff available within my company. Will I be able to run the Pathways
software without technical help?
Yes. Very few Pathways customers have in-house technical staff
assigned to work with the Pathways users. Those customers that do have technical support in-house typically
only use them to aid with the initial conversion into the Pathways system. If in-house staff is not
available, Pathways staff can be contracted to handle initial data conversions for publishers.
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Can I generate questionnaires containing known data about a company directly from the Pathways system?
If so, can I distribute them via fax or e-mail?
The Pathways software allows publishers to
generate 2 types of questionnaires. The first type is printed directly from the Pathways software to
a printer without using desktop publishing software. Typically, these types of questionnaires are used
for internal proofing purposes and are not distributed to the listee company. The second type of questionnaire
is created by producing an interface file that is imported into desktop publishing software such as Quark,
Ventura, FrameMaker. The desktop publishing software is then used to produce the actual pages of the
questionnaire. This option allows publishers to have much more control over the presentation format and
as a result, a much more attractive questionnaire can be produced for final distribution.
Pathways
customers may distribute questionnaires generated through the use of desktop publishing software via
fax, e-mail, or regular mail. In order to distribute via fax or e-mail, publishers must license an additional
add-on module from Pathways. Rather than faxing or e-mailing directly from the Pathways software, these
modules are designed to produce an individual PDF file for each questionnaire. A control file is also
generated containing either the fax or e-mail address along with the name of the PDF file that is to
be distributed to that address. This process allows publishers to have maximum flexibility when producing
questionnaires. As the individual PDF files are being generated, publishers have the option of including
other information along with the questionnaire to produce a complete distribution package. This additional
information might include a cover letter, information about advertising options, product master listings,
or any other information the publisher wishes to include. If the individual PDF files are to be e-mailed,
it is also possible for publishers to include an interactive index within the PDF file. Using this index,
readers are able to quickly access a particular document within the PDF package. Once the individual
questionnaire PDF files are ready for distribution, the publisher can contract with any number of 3rd
party fax vendors to do the actual distribution of the questionnaires.
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Once I have data converted to the Pathways FoxPro databases, do I have any way to get data back out
of the databases for use by my other applications?
Yes. The Pathways system comes with exportation
modules that allow users to easily define selection criteria for extraction of data from the Pathways
databases. Once selected, the user can also define custom layouts that are to be used for the extracted
data. A number of output formats can be produced including but not limited to comma delimited, tab delimited,
fixed length (SDF), DBFs, and spreadsheets. The exportation modules can also be used to generate mailing
labels in some 15-20 different formats.
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What type of skill level will be required for my staff to be able to run the Pathways software efficiently?
Data entry staff can be trained very quickly since the Pathways system has extensive data editing
capabilities. Staff that will be charged with defining and maintaining publication control information,
or writing DTP interface templates will require more skill. These staff members will need to have good
organizational skills and need to be logical thinkers. We typically equate the level of skill for a
good Pathways power user to be similar to the skill level required to properly use a desktop publishing
software package.
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