*.*.*.*.*› ( The following article about  OHAUG,› appeared  in the MAY issue of CURRENT› NOTES and is reprinted for  those  of› you  who  may have missed it. It is a› brief history of the club.)›› The Ol'  Hackers  Atari  User  Group,› Inc. (OHAUG)›› A Place to Turn When You Don't Have a› Local 8-bit User Group›› by Alex Pignato, OHAUG President,› GEnie:  A.PIGNATO›› [The  following  article  is  a  1993› update   to   the  OHAUG  story  that› appeared in Issue #61 (July 10, 1987)› of the now defunct Z*Magazine.]››› In the Beginning›› It started innocently enough.  I read› a message on a Bulletin Board  System› (BBS) from another "poor soul" (Kevin› Blaes) who was  pleading for help  so› that  he  could  upload  and download› with his 835  Atari  modem.   It  had› taken  me six months to get a program› to do this with my 1030 Atari  modem,› so  I  had a genuine appreciation for› his   frustration.    I  left  him  a› message   to  send  me  a  disk  with› programs on it and I  sent  back  the› program  he  wanted  along with other› public domain programs.  The exchange› of  disks  between  us continued at a› rapid pace,  each  of  us  trying  to› outdo the other. ›› Over  the  next  1-1/2  years, I kept› addressing   Kevin   as   "The  Young› Hacker," and signed notes as "The Old› Hacker."   He  responded in kind.  We› also spoke on  the  phone  frequently› and  in  short  order  a   friendship› evolved.   This  is  part   of   what› computers  do  for  people,  it makes› friends.  During  this  time,  I  was› conversing  with   Jerry  Ginsberg, a› lawyer friend, and found that he  had› an  Atari,  too;  but  no  one in his› family was  using  it.   I  told  him› about    this    "game"     machine's› potential,  and  its  ability  to  do› countless other things.  Soon, he got› hooked, almost as deeply as me.   His› wife and children got involved to the› point where they actually had to  set› up a schedule to use the computer!›› When  the  Long Island Coliseum had a› Computer   Electronics   Show,  Kevin› suggested we meet there in person.  I› brought  Jerry  with me and the three› of us spent a great afternoon at  the› show.  When we saw all that there was› to see, we decided  to  have  a  chat› over a cup of coffee.  An hour later,› finding it very  hard  to  break  up,› Jerry  suggested  that  we  all  meet› again  at  his  home  in  a couple of› weeks.››› OHAUG is Born!›› When we next  met,  we  each  brought› Atari  friends;  and, suddenly, there› were about eight in  our  group.   It› was  suggested that we start a user's› group and so "The Ol'  Hackers  Atari› Users  Group  (OHAUG)"  was  born  in› December,  1985.   I  was voted in as› President, Kevin  as  Vice  President› and  Jerry  was  made   Corresponding› Secretary. ›› When  Jerry's house got too small, we› moved over to Tom Carroll's house and› took  over  his  top floor.  Tom, who› was self employed in  the  electronic› recording field, had a studio with at› least   three   Atari   800's    (all› modified),  an IBM., and I don't know› how many video  cassette  recorders. › We  met  once  a  month on a Saturday› afternoon from 12 to 5 PM and  had  a› ball  at   our   informal   meetings,› exchanging knowledge and data.›› When  the  group again got too large,› we looked for new  quarters.   Thanks› to  Jerry,  we  got permission to use› the   Plainview   Public    Library. › Interestingly enough, the library was› run on Atari 800's, so our group  was› very welcome.››› What We're About›› Our  aims  are similar to other Atari› users groups.  We exchange  knowledge› and  information  with each other and› with   over   60  other  users  clubs› throughout the United States,  Canada› and  Europe.   We  have a few members› who have technical knowledge and  who› are  constantly   looking   to   make› modifications  to  the  hardware.  We› also    have    members    who    are› professional programmers for  various› banks  as  well   as   many   amateur› programmers.   The  members  are  all› adults and are a cross-section of the› community.  Our  membership  includes› blue  collar  workers as well as many› white collar professionals.  The club› brings together people from all walks› of life with a  common  interest  and› the results are very warm friendships› and growing enjoyment  of  our  8-bit› computers.   We  are deeply committed› to the 8-bit community.  For example,› we    unanimously    volunteered   to› package,  stamp  and  mail  over  200› Atari Classics disks, and will do  so› as  future  issues  are   made.    We› understand  that at present about 300› people have bought these disks,  more› than was expected.  We are also proud› to   be   picked  as  the  July  1987› Z*Magazine User Group of The Month.››› Monthly Meetings›› We still meet  at  the  Plainview-Old› Bethpage Public Library on a Saturday› of each month.  The date changes,  so› please contact us if you are planning› to attend.  Meetings generally  start› at  12  noon  and  the  first hour is› spent in socializing and  setting  up› the  club's equipment.  After we have› an hour's business meeting, we  break› for  coffee  and cake and have a door› prize drawing.  Then we break up into› smaller groups for demonstrations and› classes until 5 PM. or until  we  are› thrown  out  of  the  library!    The› nicest  comment  we  hear is that the› members   can't  wait  for  the  next› meeting.  When we're at the  meeting,› we  don't  like  to leave the library› even after the meeting's end at 5 PM.››› Telecommunication Connection›› At one time, the club owned  its  own› BBS,  but  now  we  can  be   reached› through two local BBS's, whose SysOps› are both members of OHAUG.  The BBS's› are:›› The  Machine     (516)   764-5748    › SysOp:  Lou Trapani› The  New  Nest    (516)  234-4943    › SysOp:  Jim Harris›› Both  BBS's Network with all parts of› the USA, and NEW  NEST also  Networks› with EUROPE-i.e. GERMANY, NETHERLANDS› etc..  My handle  on  both  BBS's  is› "TRIALA".››› Corresponding Memberships›› One  of the unique things about OHAUG› is   that   we    actively    support› "corresponding  members."   These are› people who can't come to our  monthly› meetings  in  person, but are with us› in spirit.   This  is  an  attractive› option  to  those  who  don't  have a› local user group.  OHAUG is a way  to› stay  in  touch  with fellow Atari 8-› bitters.›› We are proud that OHAUG's ranks boast› many "famous" 8-bitters, many of whom› are   corresponding   members.   They› include Ben Poehland (Managing Editor› of  Atari  Classics  magazine),   Tom› Andrews,  Charles  Cole,  Ron Fetzer,› Mark Bensley, Stuart  Murray  (Editor› of FUTURA from Scotland), David Ewens› (Editor  of  England's  Tyne  &  Wear› Atari User Group  newsletter),  Larry› Tischbein  (Editor  of   the   Lehigh› Valley  Atari User Group Newsletter),› Joseph   Hicswa   (President  of  the› Jersey Atari Computer  Group  (JACG))› and  Sam Cory (JACG Librarian).   The› list goes on and on.   (Editors Note:› Their work has appeared in many  mags› i.e CURRENT NOTES, ATARI CLASSIC-also› in the defunct ANTIC and ANALOG mags)›› So  how do we stay in touch with each› other--especially       with      our› corresponding   members?    In    the› beginning, we had the normal hardcopy› club newsletter.  Now  we  publish  a› double    sided    disk    bi-monthly› "softcopy"  newsletter.   It's loaded› with articles of  interest  from  all› over  the  world, as well as a number› of interesting ready to run programs.› As  often as possible, we include the› documentation,   if   available.   We› exchange our newsletters with over 60› clubs,    world    wide.    We   have› corresponding members in Canada,  the› United  Kingdom, France, and Italy as› well as all over the United  States. › Recently  we've  even  added  a  65XE› owner  who  resides in Moscow!  Since› he can't obtain American currency  we› carry him just for the honor of doing› it.  The Cold War is really over!  As› we    exchange   letters   with   our› corresponding   members   across  the› planet, have become good  friends  as› well as just members.›› We respond to problems that any OHAUG› member   may   have.    Recently    a› corresponding  member  wanted to know› where   he   could  buy  a  piece  of› hardware.    Another    corresponding› member  responded  with  the   needed› information.   This has happened many› times, as can be attested to  in  the› club  meeting  minutes that appear in› our newsletter.››› Are   You  Ready  to  Become  an  Ol'› Hacker?›› We have a Public  Domain  library  of› over    300   double   sided   disks,› available to members for $8.00 for  5› disks,  post  paid.   Our annual dues› are $24 from January to December  and› include  our  disk based newsletter. › If you join after June, it  drops  to› $12.   The  rate  is the same whether› you are a local or corresponding  and› whether  you're  in the United States› or overseas.›› If you are a lonely 8-bitter,  or  if› you  want  more  from your 8-bit, you› are welcome to join  us.   Send  your› check  or money order made out to Ron› Fetzer to:›› The Ol' Hackers  Atari  Users  Group,› Inc.› 3376 Ocean Harbor Drive› Oceanside, NY  11572›› Take  care  and enjoy the best little› micro on the market, even today!››› +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++››  * END? No Way Jose! OHAUG goes on! *››