OptiBoard Community Newsletter - July 2002

Welcome to the OptiBoard Community Newsletter for July 2002!

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Today's Date is: 07-09-2002. This newsletter covers activity activity since 06-01-2002.
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As many of you have noticed, OptiBoard is undergoing some changes and growth. I have been busy reorganizing the forums so information is easier to locate (see the section on 'OptiBoard Resource Directory'). In addition I have added an Optical Industry News section that will contain the latest news and press releases from the industry. And even more improvements are on the way. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? If so, please feel free to post them in this thread:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=5026

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OPTIBOARD SPONSORED FORUMS!
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Do you realize that only two companies have the foresight and generosity to support OptiBoard and it's members by becoming sponsors? These fine companies are:

- Transitions, the developer of the most popular and advanced photochromic lenses in the world today, and
- Live Eyewear, the rapidly growing supplier of innovative and quality sunwear products.

Please show your support for OptiBoard and these sponsors by visiting these forums and learning more about the products and services offered by these fine companies.

o Smart Lens Technology by Transitions Optical
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/foru...?s=&forumid=28

o Sunwear Selling Solution by Live Eyewear
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/foru...?s=&forumid=29

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OPTICAL INDUSTRY NEWS FORUM
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In order to provide you with more comprehensive information on what is happening in the industry, we have added a new forum called 'Optical Industry News'. If you have any news to share, please send your press releases in text or MS Word format to: news@optiboard.com. You can check out the News forum at:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/foru...?s=&forumid=31

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OPTIBOARD BOOK REVIEW PANEL
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I am pleased to announce that in cooperation with Elsevier Science, Health Service Division, OptiBoard will now publish reviews of selected ophthalmic titles published by this company. The first book, Current Contact Lens Practice by Nathan Efron, BScOptom, PhD, was reviewed by a panel of OptiBoarders including Pete Hanlin, Joann Raytar and Chip Anderson. You can read their reviews here:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4915

We are currently working on our second review. Please let us know what you think by posting your feedback and questions on this thread. Thanks!

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OPTICAL RESOURCES DIRECTORY
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I have created a new forum called the Optical Resources Directory. Included in this category are:

1. The OptiBoard Speaker's Bureau
2. The OptiBoard File Directory
3. OptiBoard News Affiliate Sites
4. OptiBoard Statistics

Did you know that people from 64 countries have visited OptiBoard since last November? That's just one of the things you can learn by visiting the new OptiBoard Statics. The resource Directory is here:

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/foru...?s=&forumid=32

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OPTIBOARD FEATURED MEMBER OF THE MONTH
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This month's featured member is:

wmcdonald (aka Warren McDonald)

Although Warren just recently joined OptiBoard, he is a well known and popular figure in the optical world. As expressed by the Moderators who nominated him, Warren brings "his expertise on opticianry education and for continuously plugging away toward educational goals." His posts are also very informative and his contributions are "invaluable to many of our discussions about Opticianry and what must be done to improve its outlook."

Congratulations Warren, and thanks for being a valuable member of the OptiBoard Community!

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HOT TOPICS
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Here are the hot topics currently running on OptiBoard over the last month:

Title: "TIPS ON DISPENSING" (posted 05-31-2001 by harry a saake)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=1034

Title: "Trivex" (posted 04-26-2002 by sarahr)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4536

Title: "Its time to put up or shut up!" (posted 06-18-2002 by hcjilson)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4881

Title: "Who Is Your Favorite Lens Manufacturer and Why?" (posted 08-31-2001 by Jo)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=2699

Title: "Legality of non-standard thickness glass.." (posted 05-25-2002 by Optician)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4735

Title: "World Cup..." (posted 05-28-2002 by John R)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4742

Title: "Any Good Joke lately" (posted 02-27-2002 by MVEYES)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4054

Title: "My Son applied at LensCrafters today" (posted 06-27-2002 by Steve Machol)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4939

Title: "Luxottica sent me a Letter!" (posted 04-16-2002 by LENNY)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4463

Title: "One nation under ?" (posted 06-27-2002 by Jo)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4941

Title: "Which is the best fast food chain?" (posted 05-09-2002 by Pete Hanlin)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4623

Title: "If you could live in any state..." (posted 06-01-2002 by Pete Hanlin)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=4761

Title: "...where the deer and the antelope play..." (posted 12-28-2001 by Johns)
o http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...&threadid=3576

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OPTIBOARD STATISTICS
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We had the following activity in June:

o New members: 78 (1,633 current total*)
o New threads: 197 (4,811 current total)
o New posts: 1,481 (36,671 current total)
o Total hits: 731,705
o Total unique visits: 9,605
o Total Kb downloaded in June: 1,866,825 Kb (or 1.867 gigabytes of information!)

* Some obsolete memberships were removed last month.

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Once again, thanks to all of you for your support and for helping make OptiBoard truly the 'Premier Online Community of Eyecare Professionals Worldwide!'

Steve Machol
OptiBoard Administrator
smachol@optiboard.com