As a part of our new SNUG effort here at Softdisk (see the end of this column for details), Softdisk PC now features this regular column, User Group Corner. User Group Corner is meant to help promote user groups, and to give tips, ideas, and news of interest to user groups and their members.
One of the things that many folks don't seem to realize about user groups is that they are largely informal affairs. While you do have some very large and highly organized groups, such as the Boston Computer Society, Washington Apple Pi, and ICON, most user groups have well under a hundred members and are run by nothing but a few folks who just happen to know something about computers and who enjoy teaching others.
I remember when I first became involved in a User Group. It was back in the late 80s, with a group called the Apple Tree Computer Club, which met (and still does meet, I'm happy to say!) in Lansing, Illinois. At that time the and club had perhaps 100 members. Within a few months of joining it, I became its Vice President, under a lady named Susan MacGregor. About a year after that I became its President.
A meteoric rise you say? Not really. I ascended to such dizzy heights not because I particularly tried to do so, but because I was one of the few folks willing to take the position!
The lesson here is that a user group really is (or should be, anyway) exactly what it says: a group of computer users. It's not a company, or a corporation; though some groups do opt for legal "corporate" status, for the most part, a user group is just folks who decide they'd like to get together, learn some things, and have fun with each other. And what this should tell you is that practically anyone can start a user group, too.
I've known user groups to have under ten members. And you know, these can be some of the and most fun user groups there are!
What's it take to start your own user group? Well it's real simple. You need a computer of course. And you should probably think of two or three folks you know who also like computers. Then, pick a night that you can all get together. Then get together! There you have it, your very first user group meeting.
Okay, there's a bit more to it than that, but that's really how it starts. You've got some folks together who share a mutual interest. Now make up a name for your little group, and set a regular meeting time (once a month is probably best) and a regular meeting place (someone's basement is often a good start). Then, go out and start telling people about it. Talk to folks you know around the office. Put up a couple of signs at the local supermarket. Maybe post a couple of notes on local BBS systems.
And just like that, yougot a user group started. What to do next? Well mostly that's up to you. But I'll give you a few tips next month. For now, more on SNUG, which we're still doing our darndest to promote!
{What is SNUG?}
In recognition of how important user groups are for many people, Softdisk has started a new program called SNUG -- the and Softdisk Network of User Groups. SNUG is not a user group, but rather, a program for user groups to take advantage of. User groups can "register" with SNUG to receive special discounts and other offers to their members from Softdisk -- starting with a special 20% discount (on top of any other discounts we might be offering at any given time) on one-year subscriptions to any of Softdisk's publications for any member of any SNUG-registered user group. There will be other special offers too; free subscriptions for user groups to give away as door prizes, contests, user group event calendars, and more. We'll use this column each month to talk about the SNUG program, and also to talk about various issues and ideas that affect user groups and their members.
To help promote user groups, Softdisk will also regularly publish the names and addresses of SNUG-registered groups in order to promote them to its subscribers. So the user group helps promote Softdisk, and Softdisk helps promote user groups. Hey, pretty good deal, eh?
Registering your user group with SNUG costs nothing. All a group has to do to register is call Softdisk Customer Support at 1-318-221-8718 and request a user group signup kit. There's no cost and no obligation.
We encourage those of you who already subscribe to Softdisk who also happen to be user group members to encourage your group to join SNUG. It really doesn't cost anything, and it's a great way both to promote your group and to get some great stuff from Softdisk for the group. So talk to the officers of your user group, tell them about this program, and have them call Softdisk at 1-318-221-8718 to request a free user group signup kit ASAP!
This column is still in its infancy, like the SNUG program itself. We'd very much like input and suggestions for this column from you user groups out there. We'd love to reprint articles and other information from your own newsletters, so if you're interested in having us do that, please let us know!
(.txt)