From Mary Emerson, San Jose, CA:

In response to David Faucheux's letter in January's Readers Forum, there is an e-mail discussion list for people interested in the Optacon. Not only are users part of the group, but also those who repair the machines and others interested in the device. It is a low-traffic list, but we support one another and encourage people to discover and share innovative ways to use the Optacon.

One of the things that has helped keep the Optacon alive is the enthusiasm of Optacon users and the unique uses they find for it. Also, a survey is being distributed to help us gather information about how people currently use the Optacon and what would enhance its use if it could be reconstructed with current technology. I converted the R1D and Optacon II documentation to electronic (plain text) files, which helped at least one new user learn to read with the device. To join the list, anyone can send a blank message to optacon-I-request@freelists.org with only the word subscribe on the subject line.