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newage08.txt
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2006-10-19
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.IF DSK3.C3
.CE 6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^W-AGE/99 * NEW-AGE/
^99 *NEW-AGE/99* N
^EW-AGE/99 * NEW-AGE
^/99 *NEW-AGE/99*
^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^*by JACK SUGHRUE, Box
459, East Douglas, MA 01516*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^#8
Declining membership in the TI
world is definitely a real problem
which has some interesting and real
solutions.
The old guard is getting tired
and its members no longer want to
(or are too tired to) be presidents
and newsletter editors and workshop
demonstrators and librarians and
bulletin board downloaders and
whatever. They can't be blamed for
this. Nobody can continue to operate
well forever, particularly in what
seems an unappreciative atmosphere.
Almost every newsletter I read
has the same common problems:
basically, too few doing too much for
too long. This is true in LA and in
Boston and in Canada and England and
Australia. Large changes are taking
place within groups, in many cases
with very bad vibes coming across
strongly in the newsletter
pleadings. Over and over we see such
things as "This club is dying." and
"If the members who never contribute
don't start doing something soon... "
followed by serious threats.
Realistically, a group without a
newsletter is a corpse that hasn't
yet been identified as such. There
are exceptions, of course, but a club
without a newsletter is a body
without a brain. So, first things
first, keep a newsletter going. This
is also the biggest (or only) contact
with the outside world through
exchanges.
Next, a regular monthly meeting
YEAR ROUND is essential. Without a
place to gather (even if it comes to
homes, as a last resort) there can be
no club. A club implies a community,
a spirit of friendship and
commonality, a gathering. Business
and pleasure must be mingled here and
can only be done by meeting.
Those are the two big things.
Even if your group has only three
members, but you put out a newsletter
and you meet regularly, you can still
have a viable, worthwhile user group.
Nutmeg 99ers of Connecticut and the
Lima User Group of Ohio are two fine
examples of TerIffic TInies. But,
believe me, there are many, many
more, and they are more common than
the large, flourishing groups.
There are some other things to
consider, too, of course.
Is it worth complaining
constantly in print and at meetings
that too many are not doing their
fair share. Most of the people who
sit on their hands and don't take
leadership roles are not capable and
know it. Not everybody is a leader.
Not everybody is outgoing and
comfortable performing in public.
There are lots of insecure (though
maybe talented) people who just
cannot put themselves on the line.
It has nothing to do with laziness or
meanness or unwillingness or lack of
responsibility. Some of these people
come to every meeting; all continue
to pay their dues.
And, in truth, everybody in the
group has, when allowed and
encouraged by the leadership,
probably contributed in some
continuous, if not significant ways.
My own group - M.U.N.C.H. of
Worcester, Mass. - is typical, I
think, of most. We went from over
200 members to about 15 (5 or 6 of
whom were active) to about 40 (a
dozen of whom are active in one way
or another). There are officers, of
course. Our Treasurer (Jim Cox) was
one of the founders and has continued
to man that post and perform lots of
others (including membership and
newsletter editor at the present).
Without him there'd be no club. Every
club has a Jim Cox, someone with
incredible dedication and common
sense. All the rest of us have done
different things: officers, editors,
workshop demonstrators. Some have
brought in friends; some have written
programs; some have catalogued our
libraries; some have repaired
equipment; some have lugged in
equipment or materials; some have
helped with sales and fundraising and
faires. All have paid their dues;
most come to meetings, take part in
raffles, appear interested in demos
and workshops. All enjoy the company
of fellow TIers, which has to be the
most important aspect of a group.
A lot of us lead some incredibly
busy lives. One member flies all
over the country and never knows when
he'll be able to make a meeting. When
he comes, though, he brings
enthusiasm and knowledge which he so
generously shares. Our chief BBSer
who provides the club with many of
the library and Disk of the Month
goodies misses most meetings because
of courses he's taking toward a
degree. His sharing doesn't stop,
though, as the boards, phones, and
mail demonstrate. Then there are
illnesses or family matters or all
the other obstructions of life in
this complex age. But we're still
linked by newsletter, library, and
common desire to keep a good thing
going and growing.
So our M.U.N.C.H. group is a
success, as are lots of other groups
who don't realize they are.
If you still have an operating
group; if you still put out a
newsletter, share materials, meet
regularly, enjoy some of the friends
you've made through TI - then you
have a successful group. The
workload may not be equitable, but no
situation in life ever is.
For what it's worth, here are
a few suggestions to get members
reinvolved, revitalized:
At the next club meeting find out
the following:
^1) What kinds of newsletter does the
club want (type-in programs, latest
hard/software, reviews, club news,
graphics, whatever)
^2) If everyone would be willing to
contribute something to a raffle
(blank disks, tapes, cables, non TI
stuff even)
^3) If all members would dig through
old disks and tapes and locate at
least THREE programs they like (or
liked back in the old days) to add to
a giant club D.O.M. (games,
utilities, kids' programs, LOGO
stuff, tutorial text files,
whatever)
^4) And maybe demo at least ONE????
^5) Hold a NOVICE NIGHT! This would
be to introduce beginners, older
kids, and definitely long-time TIers
to the fun of writing in BASIC (or
XB). I know there are thousands of
TI users who became comfortable with
their machines and have used them
successfully for years and are now
ready to learn to program or would
take a refresher. All the old
newsletters contain GREAT little
tutorials, type-in programs, etc.
Just what the doctor orders for a new
boost in attitude. Maybe this would
be a continuing thing with EVERYBODY
who wants to getting involved in
research, xeroxing, demoing,
tutoring, whatever. But mostly
sharing and helping. There are more
of us amateurs out there (probably
1000 to 1) than wizards.
In order to get reformed we need
to remember the three Rs: Review,
Rethink, Rekindle!
[If you use NEW-AGE/99 please put
me on your exchange list.]
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