*=*=*=*¢ (Report of NEAR*US meeting of 3/11 by¢ JOE HICSWA)¢¢ TO: Ad Hoc NEAR*US committee¢¢ -----------------------------------¢ NEAR*US MEETING - SUNDAY, MARCH 26,¢ NEWARK, NJ, 12:00 noon to 5:00 P.M.¢¢ A NEAR*US ad-hoc committee was¢ formed at a prior general meeting on¢ March 12 hosted by OL' HACKER's ATARI¢ USERS GROUP in New York to consider if¢ NEAR*US is needed, what's necessary to¢ prevail, and how to accomplish this.¢¢ The travel distance of the¢ participants, required a central¢ location. The Pennsylvania Railroad¢ (Amtrack) Station A/K/A PENN STATION¢ in Newark, NJ. was selected. ¢¢ The Following committee members¢ attended:¢ (Alphabetically and by organization):¢¢ JACG¢ BILL BINGHAM HILLSIDE, NJ¢ SAM CORY BLAIRSTOWN, NJ¢ JOSEPH E HICSWA PASSAIC, NJ¢¢ LIAUG¢ MARK GLICKSMAN BRENTWOOD, NY¢ JENNIFER LARKIN ADELPHI UNIV, NJ¢ PAT MULVEY WANTAUGH, NY¢¢ LVAUG¢ JONATHAN MORDORSKY WHITEHALL, PA¢ JON MORDORSKY, JR WHITEHALL, PA¢ ART PAOLINI ALLENTOWN, PA¢¢ OL' HACKERS¢ RON FETZER ELMONT, NY¢ ALEX PIGNATO OCEANSIDE, NY¢ BEN POHLAND FRAZER, PA.¢¢ Members began arriving about noon,¢ met at the Information gazebo to¢ exchange greetings and pleasantries.¢¢ At 12:30 they dined in the station's¢ McDonald's. The dineing area was not¢ apropos for a meeting. Two scout teams¢ checked around for appropriate meeting¢ room. Jonathan Mordorsky Sr and¢ Joseph E. Hicswa checked Penn Station.¢ None were available. Ben Pohland and¢ Art Paolini inquired at THE HILTON¢ across the street and learned that a¢ meeting room for us wold cost $100. ¢ Funds were not available, so we met in¢ the Penn Station waiting Room benches. ¢ It was a good omen, 'cause it showed¢ that nothing can stop us, even if we¢ have to meet in a busy crowded waiting¢ room with the loudspeaker¢ occaisionally drowning us out. If¢ Atari enthusiasts can conduct meetings¢ amid transient-chatter and movement, a¢ loudspeaker blaring train schedules¢ and music, then we can meet anywhere¢ and accomplish anything we set out to¢ do.¢¢ After an in-depth discussion, we¢ decided NEAR-US is definetely needed¢ in the ATARI community. It's a¢ sobering and challenging task, to¢ support and fulfill needs of all who¢ seek to enjoy and utilize ATARI¢ equipment, regardless of platforms¢ used!¢¢ Knowledge and expertize is¢ available. It only needs to be¢ centralized, exposed, coordinated and¢ easily accessible. That is the¢ purpose and goal of NEAR-US!¢¢ Jonathan Mordorsky agreed to be¢ focal point by allowing us his address¢ for Letter-mail, and E-mail via¢ A.C.U.T.E. BBS (601) 261-0620, voice¢ telephone (610) 261-1044.¢¢ There will be an "orginal" and "back-¢ up" for each of the following¢ resources:¢¢ Correspondence--¢ (letters/publicity)¢ Joseph E. Hicswa¢ Jennifer Larkin¢¢ DATABASE--(Lists of Usergroups,¢ BBS's, Membership, Files)¢ Mark Glicksman¢ Jonathan Mordorsky¢¢ BBS (Coordination and networking)¢ Bill Bingham¢ Mark Glicksman¢¢ Immediate projects are:¢¢ 1. Let ATARI world know we exist¢¢ A. Who we are, What we are, Why¢ we are, Where we are.¢¢ i. Atari publications.¢ a. Letters/articles¢ NEAR-US Etc.¢¢ ii. Network BBS notices¢¢ iii. User Groups¢ a. newsletters.¢ b. club/local BBS's¢ c. flyers - public¢ bulletin boards¢¢ 2. CREATE AND MAINTAIN A NATIONAL¢ COMPILATION OF ATARI USER GROUPS and¢ BBS supporters.¢ List to contain last date¢ registered with NEAR-US¢ Groups, BBS's to re-register¢ periodically after being reminded to¢ renew.¢ Updates distributed as needed.¢¢ Mark and Jennifer said they could¢ help with photocopying.¢¢ A newsletter was recommended. There¢ was a general discussion with¢ suggestions and comments on following¢ subjects:¢¢ Format¢ Editorialship¢ Letters¢ Articles¢ Subscriptions¢ Freebees--eg. disks/issues¢ Free ads for developers¢ Dealer and personal ads¢ Costs of printing/mailing¢ Quarterly, Bi-yearly issues?¢ Number of pages per issue?¢¢ Also "Who will accept opportunity¢ and challenge to be public-domain¢ editor?"¢¢ There will be need for individuals¢ to chair different departments: 8/16-¢ BIT, JAGUAR, LYNX, FALCON ETC.¢¢ Many people can participate. Each¢ has particular abilities to¢ contribute. How do we find them? How¢ do they let us know they are¢ available, willing and able?¢¢ Joseph E. Hicswa coordinating with¢ Jennifer Larkin will attempt publicity¢ notices about NEAR-US in following¢ Atari publications: Atari Classics,¢ Current Notes, ST Informer.¢¢ (Authors note: Excellent training and¢ experience for Bread/Butter jobs).¢¢¢ Next general meeting is scheduled¢ for Sat., June 17, 1995. Alternate,¢ June 24th. Bill Bingham, Joseph E.¢ Hicswa, Alex Pignato will check for a¢ general meeting place. It is hoped¢ and anticipated that a hundred people¢ might attend. Notification to all¢ will indicate if a flea market is¢ permissible.¢¢ Chairman Jon Mordorsky will notify¢ members of confirmed place and time¢ for next meeting.¢¢¢ (NOTE: THIS IS A DRAFT COPY. Final to¢ be presented at next general meeting.¢ ¢ Friendly yours,¢ March 26, 1995¢ Joseph E. Hicswa¢ 23 Passaic Av C-3¢ Passaic, NJ 07055¢¢ ------------------------------------¢ end¢
