Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!csus.edu!beach.csulb.edu!sichermn From: sichermn@beach.csulb.edu (Jeff Sicherman) Subject: Re: Scanner Message-ID: <1991Jun4.081727.24339@beach.csulb.edu> Organization: Cal State Long Beach References: Date: Tue, 4 Jun 1991 08:17:27 GMT In article tm150s227@telstr.UUCP (Ted Masune) writes: >I am still looking for a scanner that picks up pencil marks on a data sheet. >I have no Idea who makes such a product... But I know that they are out there. > I have looked in the Shopper but couldn't find it. I don't know if my >messages are getting back to me here since this feed is in the process of >changing software... anyways any help on those scanners that read pencil makes >would be appreciated. Thank you. > I think you are talking about Optical Mark Readers - the fill in the bar/circle with a No. 2 pencil - that are typically used for giving multiple choice tests such as SAT, Achievement tests, class exams, etc. There are two main manufacturers that I am aware of: National Computer Systems (NCS) and Scantron I have done programming for the NCS type machines. Not too difficult. The concept and technology are rather old, however, and some uses of optical scanners and soon-to-be-released pen-based computers may make this technology obsolete and relatively inflexible in comparison. I suggest you think carefully about the alternative solutions to whatever the application is before choosing this one. However, I can probably find the addresses and phones numbers for NCs and Scantron if you're still interested. Please email.