{
  "id": "1994-august-car-trek-oct-6-9-1994",
  "slug": "1994-august-car-trek-oct-6-9-1994",
  "url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1994-august-car-trek-oct-6-9-1994.html",
  "year": 1994,
  "month": "August",
  "monthNum": 8,
  "headline": "CAR Trek: Oct. 6-9, 1994",
  "kicker": "Panels set for fall conference",
  "author_name": "Jennifer LaFleur",
  "author_title": "NICAR Training Director",
  "affiliation": "NICAR",
  "summary": "IRE and NICAR are hosting CAR Trek, a major computer-assisted reporting conference in Silicon Valley from October 6-9, 1994, featuring over 110 expert panelists and hands-on training courses for 500 attendees.",
  "keywords": [
    "conference",
    "journalism",
    "technology"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Journalism & Newsroom",
    "Technology",
    "Investigative Methods"
  ],
  "technologies": [
    "SPSS",
    "SAS",
    "Atlas GIS",
    "MapInfo",
    "9-track tape",
    "CD-ROM"
  ],
  "full_text": "CAR Trek: Oct. 6-9, 1994\n\nPanels set for fall conference\n\nPick out your favorite pocket protector and plan to head west this fall when IRE, NICAR, and the San Jose Mercury News present CAR Trek: Computer-Assisted Reporting in the 90s, Oct. 6 - 9 in Silicon Valley, Calif.\n\nThe schedule is shaping up for what should be the largest gathering of computer-assisted reporters ever. More than 110 experts in computer-assisted reporting will share their experience and provide practical tips for doing CAR. In addition, 500 attendees will be able to take three hands-on training courses - so register early to ensure a spot.\n\nHere are some of presentations planned for CAR Trek 1994:\n\n- Introduction to Computer-Assisted Reporting\n- The Power of Computer-Assisted Reporting: Examples of what others have done\n- What you need: Software and hardware\n- Introduction to spreadsheets: Using them quickly on the beat\n- Introduction to relational database programs: How to matchmake\n- Introduction to the online world\n- How to get the most out of your searches\n- Linking to your library\n- Introduction to the Internet\n- Number crunching for journalists\n- CAR on a shoestring: It doesn't have to be expensive to do CAR\n- Old fashioned shoeleather: How to get out from behind that computer\n- Beat reporting and CAR\n- Turning online information into stories\n- One project-soup to nuts: The planning and execution of a CAR project\n- Telling the story: Writing a compelling story from numbers is no easy task.\n- Data and the law\n- California access\n- California government online\n- Cyber-law: It's a brave new on-line world, you reprint information from the Net?\n- Government Databases\n- CAR Trek - The Next Generation: The CAR pioneers take a look into the future\n- Surgical strikes with medical databases\n- Workplace safety and databases\n- Inequality: Gender and racial disparity\n- Welfare and housing information\n- Exposing immigration abuses\n- Databases for business reporting\n- Crime in the community: Using data to go deeper\n- Using CAR for education probes\n- Covering the environment with CAR\n- CAR for feature stories\n- The Census\n- Campaign contributions\n- Federal election financing\n- Bad data: How to spot data that might be filled with errors and what to do about it\n- CAR and Macs: See how Macintosh computers can be used for projects\n- Mapping with Atlas GIS and MapInfo\n- CAR and graphics\n- Statistical analysis with SPSS and SAS\n- Nine-Track and cartridge technology\n- Organizing notes and files: Several computer applications for organizing and tracking information.\n- Advanced programming\n- Advanced statistics\n- From Hieroglyphics to data: Techniques for taking data on paper or in ASCII format and putting it into a database manager, using scanners and/or special software applications\n- CAR for broadcast\n- Preach, pitch and pray: Selling the benefits of CAR to the bosses and persuading them to buy the equipment you'll need\n- News of the future: Where is the news business headed?\n- Look who's talking: This session looks at who's typing away at the other end of the line, where the information may reveal far less than what's really out there\n- Surfing the Internet\n- Point and shoot: Here's how you can set up easy-access databases without knowing the ins and outs of software\n- How to set up CAR training\n- Keeping your data all shaped up\n- Building databases\n- CD-ROMs\n\nSpecial sessions\n\nTour of Mercury Center, the San Jose Mercury News' online, phone, and fax service\nDemonstration Room: Ongoing demonstrations of the latest technology including a session on the wireless/portable office\nSpecial editor and publisher program: How to bring CAR into your newsroom\nSuper-session on ethics\nHands-on training in spreadsheets, database management programs, statistical analysis software, mapping, online databases, the Internet, nine-track technology, and building databases\n\nFor more information about this conference, call IRE/NICAR at (314) 882-2042",
  "provenance": {
    "extracted_by": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "extracted_at": "2026-07-05",
    "verified": true
  },
  "similar": [
    {
      "slug": "1994-august-coming-events",
      "score": 0.458
    },
    {
      "slug": "1994-may-computer-conference-set-for-oct-6-9-1994",
      "score": 0.433
    },
    {
      "slug": "1994-september-train-with-best-in-car",
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      "score": 0.385
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  ],
  "html_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1994-august-car-trek-oct-6-9-1994.html",
  "json_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1994-august-car-trek-oct-6-9-1994.json"
}