**==** ›   THE MARCH 11, 1995 NEAR*US MEETING›     by - JOSEPH E. HICSWA, member of›     THE OL' HACKERS and President of›     JERSEY ATARI COMPUTER GROUP››   Thanks to NEAR*US (NORTH EAST  ATARI› REGIONAL  SUPPORT)  liaison for JERSEY› ATARI COMPUTER GROUP, Sam Cory  I  was› able  to  attend  the  meeting in Long› Island, NY, hosted by OL HACKERS AUG.››   Sam provided transportation since my› motorcycle was in the repair shop.  He› is a good driver, pleasant company and› shared wisdom from the deepness of his› mind. He even quoted an anecdote about› over populated areas and traffic jams.››   My problem on this trip was with the› tolls. Years ago, I paid .25  and  .50› cents.  Now the cost is three and four› dollars--outrageous!   My   coins  had› amortized tunnel  bonds.  Today,  more› dollars are needed to maintain them???› Boy how things have  changed,  and  so› must  we  ATARIANS,  ergo  the NEAR*US› solution??››   Explicit directions and fine driving› allowed Sam and I to enjoy a McDonald › brunch prior to  the  meeting.   As  a› senior  citizen  I  availed  myself of› free coffee refills and carried one to› our destination--The Plainview Library› at 999 Old  Country  Road,  Plainview,› NY.››   Pulling into the library parking lot› we saw  people  carrying  ATARI  WARES› into  the  building.  Parked alongside› of us was Ben Poehland, a  name  known› to  most  ATARIANS.  He  started ATARI› CLASSIC MAGAZINE for 8-bit  Computers,› working  only  with a volunteer staff.› Because of a lack of subscribers,  the› magazine  only  lasted  a  year  and a› half. A real loass to ALL 8 BIT'ers.››   As I  got out  of the  the car, Dave› Goodwin  of  JERSEY   ATARI   COMPUTER› Group,  and  THE OL' HACKERS, came by.› What a pleasant surprise that was!! He› brought  my  joystick that had stopped› working   for   me.  Dave  traced  the› problem to a bad  wire  and  corrected› it.  ATARI  folks  are like that, they› like to be helpful to each other.››   Dave made name tag labels  for  JACG› members.  Dave, Sam and I displayed it› proudly. (One OL' HACKER showed  us  a› sun  visor  with  NEAR*US captioned in› colors. That  would  have  made  great› souvenirs  except  he  did  not   have› enough to go around).››   At the building entrance we met Alex› Pignato, President of OL' HACKERS, and› also  Ron  Fetzer, another OL' HACKER,› who is  a TURBO BASIC whiz programmer.››   A pre-meeting flea  market  had  all› kinds  of  bargains  to lure potential› purchasers.   All   the   while,   the› shoppers  enjoyed refreshments catered› by The OL' HACKERS club.››   Those unable to attend missed out on› a great meeting and also the bargains.› Sam Cory got a bag full, Dave  Goodwin› got  a $24 ALLADIN program for $2. The› savings alone paid for his trip.››   There were twenty-five representives› from four ATARI groups:›     OL' HACKERS ATARI USER GROUP›     JERSEY ATARI COMPUTER GROUP›     LONG ISLAND ATARI USER GROUP›     LEHIGH VALLEY ATARI USER GROUP››   A  gathering  of  ATARI  folk   from› Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  New York,› New Jersey, Massachusetts. What a nice› turnout!››    They    were     club     officers,› programmers,    hardware    engineers,› teachers,  writers, professionals, and› home users  of  Atari  computers.  All› came  together  to  talk  about  their› ATARI computers.›  ›   The  two teenagers were: Elias Grim,› Jonathan  Mordosky  Jr  and  the  lone› female   was  computer  whiz  Jennifer› Larkin of Massachusetts.››   We had all learned about prior NEAR-› US   meetings   from   clubs,   BBS's,› INTERNET, GEnie, or other source,  and› now  we  were  in  on  an organization› meeting.››   Each person explained who they were,› when they started with ATARI computer,› how they use it and why they  persist.› It  was  reinforcing as they described› the efficiency and durability of ATARI› computers,  ease  of  programming, and› the myriad of  programs  available  to› accomplish  about  any  want or need a› person might have. What I like most is› the    affordable   price   of   ATARI› computers and equipment  (second  hand› mostly.)››   President  of  OL'   HACKERS,   Alex› Pignato   introduced   Jon   Mordosky,› President of LEHIGH VALLEY ATARI Users› Group,   who chaired the meeting.  The› chairman gave us a history of NEAR-US,› how  and  why  it  was formed and it's› original purpose.  He  mentioned  that› the  first  meeting  was hosted in New› Jersey by J.A.C.G. at the  Bell  Labs,› about  5  or 6 years ago.  There was a› discussion about how Atari  Clubs  can› and  do  offer support and answer most› questions,     and    how    technical› information and  unanswered  questions› would  be   sent   to    NEAR*US   via› telecommunication  accessed  by  local› club  officers  or  individual   ATARI› user. Sort of information center.››   Ben  Poehland  explained  why  users› must  become a self-sufficient entity.› We   no   longer   have   the  earlier› supporters.   We  are  left  alone  to› learn, teach and aid ourselves.  NEAR-› US can be an umbrella and a library of› support for ATARI users. He  described› the  potential  of  NEAR*US  to  be  a› central  source  of  information   for› ATARI  Clubs  or  any  ATARI  user. He› suggested   that   there  could  be  a› department for each particular type of› ATARI  user: Game Machines, 8-bit, ST,› Falcon,   Jaguar,   etc.   After   all› hundreds  of thousands of Atari's were› sold, and are still out there.››   There were pros and cons. There were› problems  and solutions, hopefully  to› make NEAR*US viable.  Only  time  will› tell.  The  most  important ingredient› will be the desire  of  volunteers  to› make it work by offering of their time› and expertise.  A committee was formed› consisting of two members of each club› to  consolidate  the  ideas and  offer› recommendations at  the  next  NEAR*US› meeting,  which  will  be  held  on or› about March 26th, 1995.››   The meeting then opened to a general› discussion including a question/answer› session for any members with problems.› We  shared ideas how to reach out find› and invite owners needing  support  in› the    use    of    ATARI    equipment› efficiently. We must let them know who› we are and how they can join with us.››   I myself got help from  Pat  Mulvey,› President  of  LONG ISLAND ATARI USERS› GROUP, about the printed circuit in my› 130XE.    Several    people    offered› solutions  on  how  to  save data in a› Basic Program.››   At a meeting break the  OL'  HACKERS› club  treated  us to pizza, along with› soda, coffee  and  cake,  so  that  we› wouldn't  waste  any time by going out› to lunch. How's that for hospitality?››   Yes,  It  was  a  most  interesting,› informative    meeting--hopefully,   a› rebirth into a new phase of  Atariism.› I  certainly  was  inspired!  All said› they enjoyed the meeting.››   The next NEAR-US  meeting  is  March› 26th,  you might want to attend, learn› and   share   something  with  others.› SPREAD THE WORD!››               ** END **››