Reading, Berkshire-based European Information Technology Plc has launched a new document image processing package, Scan-Link, for stand-alone or local networked personal computers. The software will run under MS-DOS and Windows 3.1 and does not need any add-on hardware boards. It is also compatible with all standard scanners, optical disk drives, DAT tape and PCL-compatible printers – EIT can supply these if required. The system is built around a relational database, capable of storing files in eight variable fields – date, name, company name and so forth, and incorporates a number of standard file index schemes. It costs UKP2,500. Scan-Link complements EIT’s existing range of information, retrieval and message switching products: Office-Link, a forward message switch connecting network users to telex, facsimile, electronic mail, local and wide area networks including X25; and Voice-Link, a voice mail system connecting the office PABX to a personal computer network. The combination of all three provides what EIT believes to be a unique enterprise-wide multi-media office system (note that this definition excludes moving images which the company thinks have little significance for office communication). The products conform to Vines, NetWare and LAN Manager networking protocols and can also be integrated with workflow management tools such as Lotus Notes, as well as EIT’s own Inference application. The products will be available in the UK, where EIT has a 6,000 strong user base; across Europe, where EIT has expanded its distributor base to France, Germany, Portugal and Turkey; in the US; and in Japan where negotiations are under way with Mitsubishi Electric Corp and Michiiwa Co.
