*****› (EDITORS   note:   This  article  was› submitted to the  NEW  ATARI  CLASSIC› magazine. It is reprinted here in the› event that you have not subscribed to› this  totally  8 BIT magazine, or you› lived  in  another  planet.  You  can› subscribe by  sending  a  check/money› order  for  $25.00  to ATARI CLASSIC,› Att.: Ben Poehland, Managing  Editor,› 179 Sproul Rd., RT/RT 352, Frazer, PA› 19355.-3 Magazine disks $9.00)››  TIPS ON WHAT USERS CLUBS CAN DO TO  ›  SURVIVE AND EVEN GROW!›     by  ALEX  PIGNATO,  member of the›     OL' HACKERS  ATARI  USERS  GROUP.››      As the president, and one of the› 3  1985  founders  of the OL' HACKERS› ATARI USERS GROUP, Inc., I wanted  to› pass on some of the things we did, to› not only survive  but  to  grow.  We,› those  of us in users groups already,› all know the  value  of  being  in  a› users  group,  but  how  can  we  get› others  to join us? How can we add to› our own knowledge (and fun)  as  well› as  to  impart  some of our ideas and› knowledge to others? Here are some of› the things we found that work.›**›      Get  a list of 8 BIT users. How?› From  want adds, from BBS's, (ask for› names  and  addresses  in  private E-› MAIL, telling  them  your  club  will› send  them  a  free newsletter, as an› inducement for them to give you their› full  names and address) and from any› other source that you can think  of. › Then  carefully  prepare   a   letter› addresed  to   "Prospective   8   BIT› member",  telling  them  that you are› enclosing   a  sample  copy  of  your› newsletter,   and   extoll   all  the› benefits   that  they  can  get  from› joining  your  club,  but  BE  HONEST› above all if you want them  to  RENEW› and REMAIN as members after they have› joined you. Tell them how  many  P.D.› library  disks   are   available   to› members  at  BARGAIN  rates.  We  are› currently  selling  5  double  sided,› single  density library disks to non-› local members for a total  of  $8.00,› prepaid.  Tell them that your members› are availbale  to  answer  questions,› and or problems. At our meetings, all› correspondence is read out loud,  and› are  included as part of club minutes› which   are   put   into   our   disk› newsletter,  and  it  goes out to all› our members worldwide. I  can't  tell› you  how  many  times  members   have› voluntarily responded to the problems› of other members, most often  solving› the  problem. Remember that your club› MUST SERVICE its members if it is  to› survive.  Give  members  a  reason to› want  to join and to remain a member.› **› ›     Meetings  must   be  interesting,› members  who  are  present, must feel› deeply involved  and willing to  give› of themselves, in return because they› themselves are  getting  a  lot  from› being members. Those members that are› not present, and who read the minutes› from  the  newsletter  must  feel  as› though  they  were  there.  Our  club› secretary brings a little recorder to› meeetings, and uses that at  home  to› help  him  with  what  went  on, when› writing the minutes. This  frees  him› at  meetings to be a participant, and› to do demo's  and  whatever  else.  I› read  all correspondence, and answers› that have been mailed  out,  so  that› everyone knows what is going on.› **› ›     Finally,  remeber that your club› must REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE  who› is  a lonely lost 8 BIT'er, who feels› he is  one  of  the  last  of  the  8› BIT'ers.  I  can't  tell you how many› times we have heard  that  expressed.› Now  that  we  have   a magazine once› again devoted to us 8  BIT'ers,  lets› make  sure  we  get  behind  it   and› subscribe.  In  other words, put your› money where your mouth is,  and  stop› complaining any more.› **››     A  final caveat, to all those who› are members of users  groups,  please› get  involved,  and  like  any   good› investment,  you  will  get more than› you put in. Don't expect "GEORGE"  to› do  it  cause  there  may not be many› GEORGE's around, and the death of any› club  diminishes  the  ranks of the 8› BITers   all   over.›           *** ***** ***› (EDITORS note: This is also a reprint› ofa letter to ATARI CLASIC magazine.)›               ****›  November 21, 1992›› Ben Poehland, Circulation Manager› 179 Sproul Rd. RD/RT 352› Frazer PA 19355›› Dear Editor:››      The  long awaited first issue of› ATARI CLASSIC arrived today,  and  OH› BOY, its just what the doctor ordered› for  us  ailing  8  BIT'ers.  I  have› devoured every word  with  a  certain› inner  pleasure,  knowing  that   the› magazine  is  the result of the never› say die 8 BIT community.››      I enjoyed  every  article,  even› the ones that meant relatively little› to me, because of limited  knowledge,› but  at  least  I learned what can be› done with, and to  my  trusty  ol'  8› BIT.››      I,  and  the  OL'  HACKERS ATARI› USER GROUP, Inc. are  solidly  behind› the  concept of a magazine BY AND FOR› the 8 BIT'ers, and in line with  that› thought,  please  find  enclosed   my› $34.00  and subscription form for one› years   subscription   for  both  the› magazine and the 3 disks.››      In passing, let me say that  you› may  freely  use  any articles and/or› programs from the OL'  HACKERS  ATARI› USERS    GROUP,    Inc.    bi-monthly› newsletter  in  the  future issues of› ATARI CLASSIC.  Lets hope  that  like› POENIX, the 8  BIT  has again  arisen› from the ashes, and the ATARI CLASSIC› flys  high and long on its wings!›› Atarily,› Alex Pignato, President ›               *end*›