In my last column we explored the various ways to organize and structure a user group, and at the and end I said that this next column would be about how to plan user group activities.
Well, I lied. I forgot one other thing that needs to be covered first, and that is figuring out what sort of computers and what sort of users you want to support in your user group.
In a group of only a few friends, this is not much of an issue. Once you get past that stage, though, it's not necessarily an easy question. The easiest way to answer the first question, what sort of computers you'll support, is usually to pick just one platform and to stick with it. If everyone in the club uses the same basic type of machine, then it's much easier to structure activities, write newsletter articles of interest to all members, and so on. If everyone in your group uses Commodores, or Apples, or Windows machines, then life tends to be a lot simpler.
That last brings up an interesting point, by the way; notice I said "Windows machines". With established lines of computers that have been around for many years, it's often not enough to say that you just support one type of computer; sometimes you may have to get even more specific. If you say you support IBM PC compatibles in your group, does that mean you really want to be trying to support 8088 microprocessor-based CGA machines? If you say you are a Mac user group, does this mean you will support machines going all the way back to 1984's 128K and 512K black and white Macs?
Don't laugh; there are a significant number of people using older machines like that, and they often wind up needing more help and support than users of newer machines.
In the PC Compatible market, this problem is worsened by the growing divide between Windows and MS-DOS users. These days, there is probably a place for "Windows" user groups that support only PC users who also use Windows...or MS-DOS user groups that don't support Windows, for that matter.
Why bother with all this division? Why not just say you'll support all Macs or all PCs? Or even go a step further and say you'll support ALL computer users of ALL platforms?
Well actually, there are a number of user groups which do this, and do it quite well. What they'll usually do is have sections of their newsletters devoted to various platforms. They'll also have meetings which will start as general-interest meetings for all users, and then split up into "SIGs" (special interest groups) for platform-specfic meetings. The benefit of this sort of approach is that you have a much wider potential audience for your group. Most of your really big computer user groups support multiple platforms.
Okay, so why not do it this way? Well for one thing, you get a lot more in the and way of headaches. You have to structure your meetings carefully so that you have something for all the various platforms you support. You have to do the same for your newsletters. You'll also have to put up with occasional "turf wars" and fights that inevitably crop up between users of various machines; many people become very attached to, and partisan about, their particular choice of computers. I've seen arguments over whose-platform-is-better get so vehement they nearly came to blows. Now, most people are mature enough to make arguments of that nature rare, but such rivalries do exist and create just another headache for those who run multi-platform user groups.
The benefits and drawbacks of both methods balance out pretty well if you ask me; there are bad and good things about both. A platform-specific user group can concentrate more on supporting one type of computer, which creates a more unified group feeling, and being platform-specific makes meetings and newsletters easier to structure. On the other hand, more universal groups can have a more open, "everyone is welcome" atmosphere, and can wind up having far more people involved. Pick the and method that works for you, and have fun.
Okay now, NEXT month I'll talk about planning user group activities. In the meantime, I'd like to welcome the and following groups to the and growing list of Softdisk Network of User Groups:
Anchorage Commodore Users Group
PO Box 14615
Anchorage, AK 99510-4615
Ripon PC User Group
1146 7th St.
Ripon, CA 95366
Fresno Commodore User Group/64UM
PO Box 16095
Fresno, CA 93755
Gravenstein Apple Users Group
PO Box 964
Petaluma, CA 94953-2964
South Bay Computer Club
22631 Evalyn Ave
Terrance, CA 90505
Apple Pi, Inc.
6501 Welch Crt.
Arvada, CO 80004
First State Commodore Club
PO Box 1313
Dover, DE 19903-1313
Apple Tree of Central Florida
1112 Shawn Court
Travers, FL 32778
Apple Computer Enjoyment Society (ACES)
6391 Haye St. Apt. South
Hollywood, FL 33024
Port St. Lucie Computer Society
2 Don Quixote Court
Port St. Luchie, FL
Stone Mountain Users Group
1576 Darwen Lane
Tucker, GA 30084
Metro Atlanta Computer Klub
3391 Bryan Way SW
Marietta, GA 30060
M.A.C.H. Gateway
PO Box 83702
Boise, ID 83714
Treasure Valley/Boise User Group (TV BUG)
PO Box 83702
Boise, ID 83714
Champaign Urbana Commodore Group (CUCUG)
PO Box 716
Champaign, IL 61824-0716
Salt City Commodore Club
PO Box 2044
Hutchinson, KS 67504-3674
Northwoods IIgs User Group
PO Box 550
Milford, ME 04461-0550
New Mexico Commodore Users Group
PO Box 37127
Albuquerque, NM 87176
Clark County Commodore Computer Club
PO Box 28136
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Las Vegas PC Users Group
1350 E. Flamingo Rd., #188
Las Vegas, NV 89119
BUG "Bronx User Group"
PO Box 523
Bronx, NY 10475
Commodore Computer Club of Toledo
PO Box 13011
Toledo, OH 43613
Toledo PC Users Group
PO Box 13085
Toledo, OH 43613
Coos Computer Club
2175 Everett St.
North Bend, OR 97459-2336
Lane County Commodore User Group
PO Box 11316
Eugene, OR 27440
Commodore Users Association
PO Box 84
Medford, OR 97584
Main Line Commodore user's Group
1046 General Allen Lane
West Chester, CA 19382
Harrisburg PC User Group
(Member APCHUG) c/o Jack Stahl
1195 Fairmont Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112-3408
Central Cambria Computer Club
Box 800 RD#4
Edensburg, PA 15931
Houston Area Apple Users Group (HAAUG)
PO Box 610150
Houston, TX 77208-0150
NASA/COMM
PO Box 57284
Webster, TX 77598
WAVE
725 Lois Ave.
Brokefield, WI 53045
Get your user group registered with SNUG today!
What is SNUG?
In recognition of how important user groups are for many people, Softdisk has started a new program called SNUG--the 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. This is for any member of a 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!
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