Before you commit to sending us all your cards, first photocopy just 3 cards and mail the paper copies to us, as a trial run. We'll convert them to text and e-mail the results to you, at no charge, so you can see how well they come out.
To avoid extra charges, please follow all instructions carefully.
Step 1: Photocopy Three of Your Cards.
Using a photocopier, copy three cards onto plain paper.
We use intelligent image processing software, and so,
you don't need to align your cards squarely straight on the glass.
Tilt is not a problem; our software automatically detects the slope of each card and compensates.
Copy only the back side of each card, not the printed side (for better accuracy, our software reads cards from the back).
Copy the cards with either (a) a black piece of paper behind them, or (b) in a dimly lit room with the photocopier lid open, and then adjust your copier's brightness controls so that all holes copy as black rectangles.
Your photocopy should look like this.
Step 2: Mail the Copies.
Write a short cover letter, asking for a "Card Reader Free Trial." Enclose the card images, and mail to the address below.
Sample letter:
Dear Sir,
I've enclosed copies of 1-3 punch cards.
Could you please read the cards and send me the output,
under the rules of your Card Reader Free Trial plan?
I have a total of ____ cards to read (including these ones).
Sincerely,
x
We'll prove that we can read the cards and send you the text.
Important:
The purpose of the Free Trial Run is to work out any bugs in the process before we commit to doing business.
If you disregard or alter any of the above instructions, this could prevent our software from reading your cards smoothly, and you would need to redo the Trial Run phase.
Additional Trial Runs are $2 each.
To avoid these extra charges, please follow all instructions carefully.
Last-Minute Issues
After we read your trial cards, we can discuss any special formatting issues that may need to be worked out before you spend time mailing the rest of your cards. Then the paid work can begin.
If your cards have historical value or are irreplaceable, so that you wouldn't want them out of your custody, you should use Method 2 instead.
