Giao Diem II

I. Announcement of Availability

VN-CDROM, a not-for-profit community volunteer working group, is pleased to announce the release of its second edition. Giao Diem II, a two-CDROM set, continues to reflect the group's declared aim and commitment.

While at times difficult, it has been no small joy and privilege to be part of an important process -- the translation of cooperative spirits and collective knowledge into simple services: cultural awareness, permanent relics of cultural heritage, and means of community investment.

The Giao Diem series has been made possible by the sacrifices of many and the support of their families. Yet, the more important outcome of this effort rests with actions on your behalf: the active support and contribution of everyone. Lest there be beliefs to the contrary, positive changes occur only with an united good will and collective generosity.

Even though our communities possess a vast amount of knolwedge and enormous good will, the necessary mechanisms to translate this power into services have been minimal.

Every GD product seeks to produce something real, albeit necessarily humble, in terms of community investment via the Community Investment Fund (CIF). The fund comprises of generated proceeds and amount sent to VN-CDROM in excess of the recommended price for GD products.

Forms of community investment, as encouraged by Giao Diem distribution:

• GD I CIF. Community Investment Fund. A community CDROM burner has been purchased and is available for use by community organizations and non-profit efforts.
• GD II CIF. One to two multimedia computer systems are planned for donation to community groups focused in education and/or job training. To nominate your local community group for these computer system, please watch for future announcement on the nomination process.
• The distribution of Giao Diem products at cost to organizations and communities as fund-raisers. Please contact [email protected] for terms.
• The donation of proceeds by distributors to charities and community organizations of their own choosing.
• The donation of Giao Diem CDs by its volunteers to charities and community organization of their own choosing.

A. Cultural Tributes

• Traditional Vietnamese music [instruments: Tran Quang Hai; vocal: Bach Yen]
• Photo illustrations of traditional Vietnamese musical instruments. [Source: Nguyen Thuyet Phong; Presentation: Nguyen Manh]
• Selected Buddhist teachings by the Ven. Thich Phung Son
• Historical materials about Lasalle Christian Order of Vietnam & Lasan Schools.
• Artifacts and crafts in the Art Museum of Hanoi. [Photo]
• Native tropical fruits of Vietnam and Southeast Asia [Photo]
• Illustration of Hanoi unique cuisine [Photo & Description. Book excerpt]
• Old schools in Saigon: Bac Ai, Gia-Long, Lasan Taberd, Le Quy Don, Petrus Ky, Trung Vuong
• Visit to the major cities of Vietnam: Hue, Saigon, Hanoi [Multimedia with photos, texts, map, and music]
• Illustrations of flora and fauna native to Vietnam; introduction by the late Bishop Nguyen Van Binh [Multimedia]

B. Literature.

• Short stories by Tran Bach Hue
• Memoirs by Phan Nhat Nam, famous soldier-writer.
• Memoirs on major historical events by Pham Ba Hoa.
• Interviews with Pham Ba Hoa.
• VietnamUs history and traditional folklore tales in comic sketches
• Ho Dzenh poem collections: Que Ngoai, Que Ngoai II, Hoa Xuan Dat Viet

C. Community Portrait & Activities

• Cultural snap-shots of various overseas Vietnamese communities
• Non Song newsletters published by Non Song in Southern California
• Cartoon drawings by Dong Nguyen with English texts (/dongtrng).

D. Software Utilities and Educational Software.

• Customizable screen/slide savers with complete Vietnamese verses of Vietnam's most significant literary achievement, the Tale of Kieu.
• Latest software upgrade of VPS Winkey 3.0 for Windows and Win95.
• Full shareware version of VPSabc, a program that teaches Vietnamese [Multimedia]
• A tri-lingual fun program for kids to learn Vietnamese, English, and French
• Vietnamese-text conversion utility to interchange between known fonts.
• Chinese horoscope for Windows
• Financial and scientific calculators [Shareware].
• Virus scanners [Shareware].
• Vietnamese Tic-Tac-Toe (Caro) [Shareware]
• Software update from VPS and Trichlor authors

A. Recommended Pricing.

Financial contribution for Giao Diem II are suggested at:

• US$12 for students and community organizations
• US$18 for everyone else.

Due to worse than reasonable loss incurred by GD I distribution, it is requested that all financial contribution to GD II be pre-paid. As before, suggested contribution covers all shipping and handling charges (airmail) and prices are uniform across international boundaries.

B. Discount Order.

Direct order from VN-CDROM in quantity qualifies for significant discount. This also alleviate the overhead cost of individual mailings and associated volunteer distributor's time.

• For 10 or more, price is $10 per 2-CD set.
  
• For 20 or more, price is $8 per 2-CD set.
  

C. Ordering Procedure

Please follow the following steps in requesting GD II.

1. Identify the nearest volunteer distributor
2. Contact to verify that GDII is still in stock and verify that his/her mailing address is still up-to-date
3. Send a check or, where applicable, an international money order with proper amount to the selected volunteer distributor
4. Unless a different address is specified, the return address will be the one used for the delivery of GD II.

VI. Call for Volunteers

• Volunteer professionals. To act as mentors and counselors to student volunteers, and those capable are urged to respond to this call for assistance.

• Student volunteer of specific study. To lead VN-CDROM on various fronts and to receive an excellent training ground in business and writings.

All positions require a shared belief in VN-CDROM mission, committed focus on community enpowerment, personal good will and the ability to work well with others.

While correct, it is an understatement to say that your participation will lay down the foundation of opportunities for those who follow.

• analyze customer surveys to understand market demands.
• make recommendations to the technical developers on improvement and enhancement, and thereby drive the GD line of products.
• perform business and market analyses.
• determine product pricing based on past performances.

This position targets English and Business majors.

This position targets English and Business majors.

• Basic computer education
• Operation and use of the product
• Define the process for documenting material submission

This position targets English majors, preferrably with emphasis in technical writing.

This position targets Graphics Design majors.

• Web page creation
• CGI programming
• Java and HotJava programming

VII. Volunteer Information

A. Distribution Contributing Partner

Twenty-five CDROMs, or larger quantity at your request, will be sent to you, at $8 per set. The proceeds raised by your effort can either be returned to CDROM or used by you for local charities and community projects.

Please maintain a list of names of buyers and/or affiliation for latter acknowledgement of contribution. A brief description of the organization is requested when excess copies are donated to it on CDROM behalf.

The prices are suggested as stated in the CDROM summary. You may choose to have your contact information, fully or partially made known in the summary, updated and posted on public forums every two weeks or so.

Please send your name, postal address, and optionally your phone number to Truc Hoang, and inform him of the quantity desired, 10 and up to 20, or maybe more. Also, please specify the manner how you want your contact information to be made public. If not, only your name, geographical location, and email will be listed.

Truc's address: [email protected]

B. Technical Development Contributing Partner

In this capacity, you can either work on your own project or with others on freeware projects for future editions, be it application or enhancement to the CDROM user interface itself. There's no specific guideline for this, except an introduction of you to other technical members of the list

If you are interested in this category, please inform the list as such so that we can organize and direct everyone's effort toward maximizing potential.

C. Observer Contributing Partner

This is your implicit role on the list. You're informed of CDROM development, directions, tasks being suggested, and calls for help. Your comment and feedbacks are always welcome and essential in the group direction.

Please donot let the apparent formality of this letter put you in unease or discomfort. It is meant to provide concise and consistent information to volunteers and relieves committed resources to other tasks as the number of offer for support, like yours, has been overwhelming. The formality of this letter in no way indicative of the informality, fun, flexibility, friendliness, mutual education and satisfaction that the list represents.

You are invited to join the list and familiarize yourself with the inner workings of this working group, of which you are now a part. We hope for the pleasure of your association, and your assistance is very much appreciated by all on this road toward the building of a cohesive greater community.

To respect your privacy, instruction to subscribe to the mailing list will be sent to you. If you decide to subscribe, please feel at ease as your frank feedback and critical comment are always listened and welcome. Ideas are the essential source by which the working group advances and community needs are addressed and better met.

If you have question on administrative issue wrt to the mailing list, please address it to either [email protected] or [email protected]. Your request and questions subscription and unsubscription will be attended by such notice.