Next to meetings, newsletters are the primary way that User Groups stay in touch with their members. Predictably, newsletters are among the most costly and labor-intensive services a User Group can provide. To assist you in maximizing the effectiveness of your group’s communications we’ve gathered insights and suggestions on how your UG can streamline the publishing process.
We recently asked User Group newsletter editors to share "words of wisdom" on the experiences they’ve gained through producing their publications. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a novice editor, their suggestions can save your group some time and money, and make your publishing cycle run more smoothly.
Newsletter content
Copy for your UG newsletter can come from many sources. Keep in mind that your readers are a unique group of people, even though they may have many common interests.
* Remember the basics. Each issue should include a calendar, a listing of SIGs and a roster of resources available to group members. By keeping these listings in regular spots in your newsletter, members know where to look for these important resources.
* Reprint other material. Although it may not seem so to the newsletter editor facing a late-night deadline, lots of stories are available for use. In addition to the MUG News Service disk (see sidebar), check online services such as AppleLink, America Online or other User Group BBSs. Many newsletters--such as Quick Connect--encourage reprinting of material, and ask only that credit be given to its original source.
* Meeting highlights. Several UGs have a member take electronic "minutes" of their meetings, including the Q&A sessions. Other newsletter editors ask SIG coordinators to upload meeting reports to their BBS. With a little editing, these text files become a valuable article for members who couldn’t attend a meeting and a handy reference for those who did.
* Articles by members. Original articles add unique value to your group’s newsletter. It’s often more interesting to hear reactions from other members than generic news. Getting articles from members, however, can be a challenge. Some UGs require each member to submit one article as part of their annual "dues" to the group. Others offer incentives such as a free month of membership for every article published. Members often aren’t aware of the extent of their knowledge, or are afraid of making mistakes in print. The key is making it easy to contribute, explains one editor, who accepts copy in any format--disk, online or hard copy--and on any topic.
* Product reviews. Reviews of products can be useful for members making buying decisions. To encourage members to write reviews, one User Group publishes a list of donated products and offers writers the product free or at a substantial discount.
Design and Production
The way your newsletter looks is just as important as the content. As one newsletter editor observed: "Your printed material will be your legacy. Make it represent you well." A good-looking newsletter will help you attract new members, gain respect in dealer and developer communities, appeal to contributors (and potential advertisers) and, above all, get read.
* Be consistent. Standardize on a set of fonts and format. Choose a versatile format that enables you to vary between a two- and three-column layout while maintaining an overall cohesive visual appearance throughout the issue. Some groups solicit a graphic designer to create a template for the newsletter. This gives a professional polish to your publication and ensures consistency over time, especially when editors and staff change.
* Make the reading easy. Newsletters are, by their nature, intended to be read comfortably, in short sittings. You’ll lose readers if you play cat-and-mouse with your audience by jumping stories from page to page. Either edit the copy or make the story flow smoothly to an adjacent page. Sub heads also help the reader move from section to section.
* Graphics and photography. Graphics add visual interest to your stories and make them more inviting to read. Clip art is widely available, and many UGs turn to their artistic members for drawings or cartoons to accompany articles. It’s a great way to showcase local talent and lend a unique touch to your publication. Photos are another good device for generating reader interest--but editors shouldn’t feel obliged to use only computer-generated photos. Sometimes having a halftone made ($4-$10) is a better choice, since it may reproduce much better.
* Color. Editors of some major UG newsletters have discovered the secret to having color in their newsletters: let someone else pay for it! A local printing firm may agree to print the cover if they can use the back cover for advertising. If your UG is paying for a full-color cover from advertising, make sure you have written commitments for payment, or you may face an unfortunate cash flow situation. Other UGs achieve multiple-color effects by imaginatively designing cover art that uses tints of a second ink color and printing on colored paper. Newsletters in the four-to 12-page range can enjoy an additional color at very little per-issue cost by printing a year’s supply of "blanks" in advance. Design your blank with a color masthead, logo, tint boxes or page graphics. Using this approach, each issue will have new copy printed in black, but standardized second-color sections.
Distribution
* Reduce frequency. Feeling under the gun about producing a monthly newsletter? Consider printing only six times a year. This will give you twice as much time (and money) to produce each issue. Much better to publish six consistently strong issues than attempt 12 which appear sporadically with meager content. You can always upgrade to a monthly schedule later.
* Design with mailing in mind. As you are designing, think about how you will get the newsletter to members. Will you be mailing it, or distributing it in other ways? If you are mailing it, where will the label go? If you must staple pages, are they tucked inside a final fold to prevent jamming of postal equipment or snagged fingers?
* Bulk mail. Sending newsletters via bulk mail can offer substantial savings, but it requires a minimum number of pieces which must be carefully sorted to receive this discount rate. Allow extra lead time, since delivery dates cannot be guaranteed. If you’re using bulk mail, printing the phrase "Time Value" or "Time Dated Material" near the address label can often speed delivery. Similarly, you may want to include an "Address Correction Requested" phrase about twice a year. The Post Office will update (for approximately 30 cents a name) address information, enabling you to weed out inactive or inaccurate member addresses.
* Bar codes. Under the new postal regulations enacted last month, first class mail that carries a ZIP+4 address and a bar code is eligible for a reduced rate, since processing time is reduced. If you regularly mail your newsletter first class, it may be worth collecting this information from members and using one of the new software utilities that automatically print bar codes on mailing labels.
MUG News Service
Newsletter editors in search of material for their publications can find a valuable resource right in their mailbox, with the MUG News Service (MNS). The brainchild of UG leader Don Rittner (MECCA, Albany, NY), MNS is a UPI-like service that produces a monthly disk full of articles, reviews, tutorials, clip art, news and other information that is distributed on disk to User Groups. MNS solicits third party support for the service so that User Groups receive the disk free of charge.
To participate in the service, a UG newsletter editor agrees to place a 1/4-page ad (supplied by the sponsoring company) in the group’s newsletter, to include credit at the end of each article, to mail MNS a copy of each issue, and to place the MNS membership logo somewhere in the newsletter. In exchange, the group is free to use all MNS editorial and graphic material. In addition, many sponsoring companies include special User Group discounts, demo disks or sample copies of products in the mailing.
For more information, contact:
Don Rittner
MUG News Service
1726 Lenox Road
Schenectady, NY 12308
518/374-1088
AppleLink: UG0194, AOL: AFC MNS
Editorial Salute
Hats off to the hundreds of individuals who produce User Group newsletters each month! Special thanks to Fred Showker of Shenandoah Mac User Group (Harrisonburg, VA) for his help with this article. We’d also like to thank these other UG editors who sent along their favorite tips: Dorman Bullard and Gary Fields of AMUG (Phoenix, AZ); Edward Floden of Northern Illinois Computer Society (Arlington Heights, IL); Warren Kokinen and Kass Johns of MEGS (Colorado Springs, CO); Duane McGhie of PIE (Santa Clara, CA); George North of NOMUG (New Orleans, LA); Bill Rabel and Bob O’Connor of dBUG (Seattle, WA); Don Rittner of MNS and MECCA (Albany, NY); Wili Scher-Grodner of NYMUG (New York, NY); and Jean White and Mary Rose of Applejacks of Inland Empire (San Bernadino, CA).
From the Staff…
Dear Apple User Group Ambassador,
Apple is a fast-moving place, and we understand that it’s sometimes confusing for you to keep up to date on current members of The User Group Connection (TM) . In this issue we’ve decided to re-introduce you to the entire UGC team, with a brief description of their background and focus.
Craig Elliott, Manager of The User Group Connection, evangelizes the User Group concept within Apple and coordinates activities with other Apple departments. A five-year Apple veteran, Craig was formerly in Business Systems Marketing at Apple, getting the word out that Macintosh (R) computers connect easily to other platforms. (He was the only Apple employee to have MS-DOS on his business card!) Craig has been with The Connection for 2 years.
Dee Anne Dougherty works to develop and grow User Groups for the K-12 and Higher Education markets. Dee Anne has been with Apple for 6 1/2 years, the last 2 1/2 with The Connection. Dee Anne is also coordinating the 1991 User Group Advisory Council that will be held in July.
Michèle Free is Communications Specialist, the person behind-the-scenes in producing the monthly mailings, the Quick Connect newsletter and the quarterly videos. Michèle gathers information from around Apple, ranging from Technical Notes to new product training materials. Michèle is also establishing international connections with User Group champions in Apple offices around the globe. She’s been at Apple 2 1/2 years and a member of the UGC team for the past two.
Rye Livingston is the newest member of The Connection team, but has been an Apple employee since June 1980. Rye focuses on Community User Groups, the largest segment of User Groups registered with The Connection. Rye is working on plans for a nationwide User Group meeting via a live Apple TV telecast sometime later this year.
Chris Marcoida serves as a Marketing Associate for The User Group Connection. Among Chris’ ongoing tasks is keeping the User Group database current. (So if you’re planning an address or officer change, be sure to let her know!) Chris also organizes the User Group breakfasts, and is usually the person you reach on the phone when you call us for information. Chris works with UGC team member Jerry Starr in supporting Professional Associations such as MacIS, and has been with The Connection for a little over a year.
Charley Schaff focuses on working with User Groups in corporations and government agencies, an area that has experienced the biggest growth in the UG community in the last two years. Charley has been with Apple for 3 1/2 years, and with the UGC for the past two years. Prior to joining The Connection, Charley developed joint marketing programs between Apple and key software vendors.
Jerry Starr works with Professional Associations, serving as a liaison in helping them establish User Groups within their specific fields of interest. Jerry is the key UGC contact with MacIS, the national organization of IS managers working with Apple computers in the workplace. Because Jerry works with so many organizations known by their initials, he has been dubbed "The Keeper of the Acronymns." Jerry’s been with Apple for six and a half years, and with the UGC the past year and a half.
Carmela Zamora is a Marketing Associate who has been with Apple for a year and a half, and with The User Group Connection for the past year. Carmela supports Education and Community User Groups, answering questions and locating materials they request--a skill that’s given her the nickname "Radar O’Reilly." She is assisting Dee Anne in organizing this year’s User Group Advisory Council.
If you would like to contact any member of The User Group Connection, please refer to the listings on the back cover. We look forward to your feedback--by phone, mail or e-mail (such as the AppleLink (R) network or America Online)--or at one of our Connection events held during the year.
Sincerely,
The Apple User Group Connection
Leader to Leader
Many User Groups spend a lot of time convincing individuals to join their User Group, but devote little energy to encouraging members to renew. Those who have been able to build stable memberships know that a simple action such as sending a pre-stamped postcard at renewal time is often effective in sustaining their group. Others run brightly-colored newsletter mailing labels or inserts in the issue a membership expires. Some groups offer renewal membership rates at a lower cost than initial membership fees. Below are some other comments from UG leaders on how their groups promote membership renewals.
Color coding
The South Bay Apple Mac (R) User Group changes the color of their membership cards every six months. At general meetings we hand out raffle tickets, and the colored cards make it easy to tell which memberships are close to expiring. With about 235 members and growing, we find that it’s much easier if we stagger membership renewals. We issue personalized membership cards each month, using FileMaker (R) Pro software. Labels are also generated once a month for "Time to Renew" cards. After a few months we also generate labels for the "We’ve Missed You" cards. We’re willing to share a template of our FileMaker database with any interested groups.
Gary Fortune
South Bay Apple Mac User Group
114A S. Juanita Ave.
P.O. Box 432
Redondo Beach, CA 90277-0432
213/316-7738
AppleLink: UG0168
America Online: Fortune1
Perks for members only
We do many things to continue the interest in AMUG. Each member receives a renewal notice 30 days before renewal and again 30 days later if monies haven’t been received. We offer many special prices to our membership only, an advantage many find worth their $30 annual fee alone. Each month at the main meeting, vendors give away thousands of dollars in door prizes to AMUG members only, something that keeps renewals coming, too. PD software is sold at 50% off the regular price to members, and members also can take our training classes for free. If we still don’t get the renewal, our executive board takes time out once every three months to call each person individually to ask them to renew, or to ask them why they have not renewed yet. We have found that many individuals who did not renew had valid complaints and we use this information to review and improve services. As a result of all these efforts, we have found that we now have renewal rates of approximately 90%.
Michael S. Bean
Arizona Macintosh Users Group
718 E. Campbell Ave.
Gilbert, AZ 85234
602/892-5454
AppleLink: UG0116
America Online: AMUG
Non-dues groups
Since we do not charge fees and are sponsored by the state government, we use a mailer that must be returned in order to maintain membership in our UG. The mailer includes a space on the return portion where you can add someone else to the group. We grow by 10% whenever we do a purge mailing, which is once every other year. The group now numbers over 500 members.
Stephen C. Prey
Caltrans Mac User Group
6740 Folkstone Way
Elk Grove, CA 95758
916/445-3229
AppleLink: UG0301
America Online: Steve.Prey
Solicit feedback with renewals
Newsletters stamped with inch-high red letters stating that the addressee’s membership is going to expire result in a 70% renewal rate for our group. Those who don’t renew are sorted into a database for postcards that ask members to evaluate UG services such as meeting presentations, SIGs, newsletter, BBS and general satisfaction with the club. Nearly half the recipients send a check for renewal with their response, and the suggestions are used to plan activities and set objectives.
John Lorch
Hartford User Group Exchange (HUGE)
P.O. Box 380027
East Hartford, CT 06138-0027
203/568-0492
AppleLink: UG0270
America Online: JLorch
NAUGC ‘91:
Raising the
Standards
The National Apple User Group Conference, or NAUGC, will move to the West Coast for its 1991 event--to Berkeley, CA and the University of California campus. This annual three-day gathering of Macintosh and Apple II User Group leaders traditionally attracts around 500 UG enthusiasts, who come together to share ideas on management issues, industry topics, vendor relationships and user-advocacy issues. In the process they also have lots of fun, take part in discussions with industry leaders, and learn how to run their groups more effectively.
The theme of the 1991 conference is "Raising the Standards." Sessions will focus on helping User Groups get past the "survival" stage, and how to operate more effectively to serve members and communities. "We want to help groups avoid reinventing the wheel, and to assist them in their management, planning and other activities," comments Raines Cohen, organizer of the event. In addition to the keynote address and after-hour discussions with industry notables, there will be tutorial sessions to help groups in all stages of growth. Topics include forming a group, obtaining nonprofit status, affiliating with other groups and setting up a BBS system. An extensive discussion on System 7.0 is also planned.
NAUGC traditionally takes place in mid-spring at a midwest hotel. (Past sites have included Dayton, OH; Ann Arbor, MI; Indianapolis IN; and Chicago, IL.) This year the conference will be held Friday through Sunday, June 7-9, on the University of California at Berkeley campus (near San Francisco). "We’ve arranged for the use of university dorms and classrooms to help make the conference more affordable for attendees," says Cohen. Two-to-a-room accommodations will be available to help UG leaders reduce costs, and to facilitate communication and interchange among participants.
The exact rates for accommodations and attendance at NAUGC ‘91 have not been set as of this writing, although admission should be in the same range as in the past ($30-70 per person to attend, meals included). Dorm accommodations are expected to cost considerably less than nearby hotels. Sponsorship by Apple Computer and other industry vendors has traditionally made the conference fees very reasonable, attracting participation from UGs around the country--and the world!
While NAUGC is primarily intended for Apple II and Macintosh User Groups, it is by no means exclusive. Anyone involved in running or starting a User Group is invited, and can most likely benefit from the sessions. Attendees will include representatives from corporate, educational, government and community User Groups.
NAUGC ‘91 is not formally affiliated with or sponsored by any specific Bay Area User Group or organization, but attendees and volunteers are expected from most of them. Organizer Raines Cohen, a User Group activist for over 12 years, understands the needs and challenges of both new and established groups. He co-founded the Macintosh SIG of the Boston Computer Society, BMUG (originally the Berkeley Macintosh User Group) and the Newton (MA) Apple Kids.
Individuals interested in attending should contact NAUGC ‘91 at the address below for details. As in past years, conference fees will escalate as the event approaches. Cohen reports that there is a registration limit that cannot be exceeded, and encourages UG leaders to sign up early to reserve a place.
NAUGC ‘91 is also seeking volunteers from the Bay Area and around the country to help organize the event and spread the word. For User Groups unable to attend, a program book will be available containing papers submitted prior to the conference. The deadline for papers is May 1, 1991.
For registration, volunteer, sponsorship and conference paper submission details, contact:
NAUGC ‘91
1442A Walnut St., Ste. 341
Berkeley, CA 94709
415/215-9550
415/849-9026 fax
AppleLink: NAUGC
America Online: Raines
User Group Advisory Council 1991
Plans are underway for the sixth annual User Group Advisory Council, Apple’s most formal communications meeting with the User Group community. Each year The Connection brings together representatives from a broad cross-section of User Groups to assess current directions and forecast User Group priorities for the coming year. The three-day gathering is an opportunity to forge relationships between all levels of Apple and User Groups from around the nation.
UGAC 1991 will focus on ways in which User Groups and Apple can work together to serve users better, particularly the influx of new users that many groups are experiencing. "We’ll be reviewing the common challenges and unique needs that User Groups are facing," says Dee Anne Dougherty, Apple’s User Group Connection Education Specialist and chair of this year’s Council. "Our goal is to identify the needs and opportunities related to serving our customers better as the User Group community matures," she adds.
UGAC 1991 will take place in San Jose, CA on July 14-17. Participants are leaders of User Groups from all segments of Apple’s installed base, including educational, community, government and corporate environments. Members are also chosen to create a Council balanced with large and small, new and established, and geographically diverse groups. "We review dozens of groups to find those who can best represent the broad range of User Group and customer needs," explains Dougherty. "Selections are always difficult to make, since it’s important that this small group reflect the concerns of the entire User Group community."
As Council members, UGAC participants are responsible for collecting and channeling the input of User Groups similar to theirs when they voice their concerns to Apple. "Being a Council member means coming prepared to address more than just personal issues," observes Dennis Kuba, representative of Mickey’s Mac Club at Walt Disney Imagineering and a member of last year’s Council. "Council members understand that their voice must represent wider concerns. To do this, we gather feedback from many sources--User Group members, online services such as AppleLink and America Online, other UG newsletters, and face-to-face meetings with lots of other users to hear their thoughts," he adds.
As in past years, Apple Chairman John Sculley will address the Council, and highlights will be shared with the User Group community in a quarterly Connection video. Council meetings with Apple managers are documented using Macintosh technology, and a detailed report of findings is presented to Apple executives and decision makers. Previous Council meetings have noticeably influenced Apple policy and direction. For example, the Software Licensing Agreement with User Groups now enables groups to distribute system software at no charge, a change from the former fee-based system.
If you have input to UGAC 1991 or would like to know more, we encourage you to get involved. A UGAC folder is available on the AppleLink User Group Bulletin Board and an online UGAC discussion with Council members is scheduled for America Online (check online in the UG Forum for details). Post-Council highlights will also be posted online. You can get in touch with the representative User Groups directly using the electronic addresses shown at left.
Although the Advisory Council is Apple’s most formal information exchange with the User Group community, opportunities exist for every User Group to tell Apple what they’re thinking. Use the information on the back of this issue of Quick Connect to send Apple your thoughts, either by electronic or conventional mail. And check our calendar, on the back page of each issue, for information on upcoming trade show meetings and other gatherings bringing Apple and the User Group community face-to-face.
UGAC 1991
Apple*Boston/BCS
Boston, MA
Pam Michaelson
AppleLink: UG0057
AOL: Pamme M
Central KY Computer Society
Lexington, KY
David Reed
AppleLink: UG0129
Golden Gate MUG
San Francisco, CA
Chuck Wilcher
AppleLink: U0574
AOL: ChuckW6
MacClique
Clinton, TN
Wolfgang Naegeli
AppleLink: N0198
Mac Group
Bartow, FL
B.R. Black
AppleLink: K0007
Mac SIG/3M Corporation
St. Paul, MN
John Grabrick
AppleLink: UG0032
MadMacs
Notre Dame, IN
Tony Van Hoof
AppleLink: UG0330
MECCA
Albany, NY
Don Rittner
AppleLink: UG0194
AOL: AFL DonR
Mickey’s Mac Club/Disney
Glendale, CA
Dennis Kuba
AppleLink: AM0024
MIT MUG
Cambridge, MA
Joanne Larrabee
AppleLink: A0275
NASA HQ MUG
Washington, DC
Dave Lavery
AppleLink: UG0337
AOL: NHMUG
Rogue Macs
Medford, OR
Tom Pentland
AppleLink: UG0309
AOL: TomP16
Smithsonian MUG
Washington, DC
George Venable
AppleLink: UG0378
AOL: VenableGL
Worcester Country Apple Club
Berlin, MD
Merle Marsh
AppleLink: UG0298
AOL: MerleM
Apple Pacific
An Interview with Ian Diery
From its legendary entrepreneurial startup in Silicon Valley, Apple Computer has grown to be an active member of the global business community. Apple personal computers are now sold in more than 100 countries around the world, many within Apple Pacific, the Apple division encompassing Australia, Canada, Japan, the Far East and Latin America. Heading this geographically diverse division is Ian Diery, a native Australian who joined Apple in 1989 after 11 years with Wang Laboratories. We recently had a chance to talk to Mr. Diery and hear his thoughts on Apple’s activities in the international marketplace and how end users around the globe are influencing Apple’s future directions.
Quick Connect: You have stated that you feel there is a difference between a U.S. company selling products worldwide and the notion of a true "global company." Could you please share some further thoughts on this?
Ian Diery: Globalization is one of the popular buzzwords these days. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. Typically, most people think globalization is about recognizing sameness. But what makes a company global is not emphasizing sameness, but allowing and appreciating differences. All around the world we see people striving to express their uniqueness. At the same time, we’re seeing a shift away from the supremacy of institutions to the empowerment of individuals. So we at Apple have come to realize that the idea of a single market product is obsolete. It’s been replaced by what we call a world product concept, where we build a standard platform--Macintosh--that recognizes the uniqueness of the different environments around the world. For example, Sony doesn’t build a different Walkman for every country. The hardware stays the same. It’s the music that changes. For instance, traditional Japanese Koto music isn’t as popular in New York as it is in Tokyo. The hardware’s the same, but the music is different. For Apple, the music is system software.
QC: The Macintosh operating system currently is available in 50 different languages, and Apple does business in 120 different countries. What advantages and challenges does this present for Apple as a company, and for individual end users?
ID: The advantages are many. First off, we get to deal in foreign countries and don’t have to say, "Please, I know you generally don’t speak English, but would you mind using English just to use our computer?" Clearly, that’s not going to work. It’s a huge advantage to have the operating system available in many languages. The Macintosh platform is specially designed to adapt to a variety of languages and cultures. This process of conversion is what we call localization. So whether you’re in Japan, Hong Kong, Costa Rica or the United States, your Macintosh works the same way, on the same hardware, but with system software in your own language. Also, since the Macintosh is graphics-based, it’s easier to program and easier to use, particularly for non-Roman languages. Can you imagine typing typical DOS commands for Japanese characters? It’s nearly impossible! But with KanjiTalk (TM) , Apple’s Japanese version of the Macintosh operating system, graphic characters come up on screen. A user can switch from an English to a Kanji application with a click of a mouse.
The challenges come with our goal of trying to do simultaneous worldwide introductions with our products. With something like System 7.0, for example, this can add some development challenges--for translations and other localization. But we feel they are challenges well worth facing.
QC: The new Macintosh models have been extremely popular in the United States. What has been the impact in the Apple Pacific region?
ID: The new Macintosh CPUs have had a tremendous impact in Apple Pacific because many of our markets don’t have the affluence of the United States’ market. One of the more successful markets is Latin America. In Mexico City, we had a presentation with 500 people, standing room only. In addition, we had a hands-on room, and it was open until 9 o’clock at night and 2500 people came through. The entire launch was done entirely in Spanish. The same thing was done in Venezuela, Costa Rica, Trinidad and the entire Caribbean.
Japan has also been a strong market for us. It’s the second largest microcomputer market in the world, and Apple is the second most recognizable brand. Desktop publishing has proven to be a strong entry point for Macintosh in Japan, and many of the prestigious design centers have standardized on Macintosh technology. Because of the potential of the Japanese market, over 140 software developers, both in Japan and the U.S., have created Japanese versions of their software. Just two years ago there were only five localized software products for Japan.
Overall, the Pacific represents tremendous opportunity for Apple. Predictions are that 1/3 of all PCs sold in the world in 1995 will be in the Pacific rim. Just in the past year, Apple’s international sales have grown from 36% to 42%. And in the first quarter of this fiscal year, when our new products shipped, international sales were up 9% from the same quarter a year ago. Research tells us that people who buy an Apple system tend to stay with an Apple system when they upgrade. By spreading our base at the low end, we make a big impact on the longevity of our company, because in the coming years many of those new users will want to move up to more powerful Apple systems.
QC: If you were to characterize the differences between a "typical" Apple computer user in the United States and one in an Apple Pacific country, what might they be?
ID: I think they’re roughly the same. Even though the cultural differences may be great, the appeal to the values is the same. Users want the ease of use, and the power of individual expression and creativity that Apple products offer. We don’t want our customers to say, "Well done, you’ve simplified computing." We’d like them to say, "Well done, you’ve conquered the complexities and enabled me to access information wherever it is." We want all our users, wherever they live, to have that gateway to the globe.
QC: Apple Japan has recently experienced tremendous growth. Can you point to any one factor that has led to this success?
ID: Our success has been based on a number of things in combination, and it centers primarily on understanding and paying respect to the local situation. When Apple Japan was created in 1982, instead of doing things the Japanese way, we tried to superimpose successful American management and marketing techniques on our business in Japan. After a few frustrating years, we placed a local management team in place. These are seasoned professionals who understand the culture, and know about building a Japanese company with an Apple flavor rather than a U.S. company just working overseas. But it also was a combination of other things, including providing a product to sell that was localized, with KanjiTalk, and having developers create products designed for their market. In Japan there are a lot of computer associations that are directly tied to the way of doing business. The Japanese managers understood that, and now we’re more integrated into the fabric of the Japanese business environment. Put all these things together and you spell success.
QC: What about User Group activity in the Apple Pacific region? What changes or growth do you see?
ID: We have established User Group programs in both Canada and Australia, and Japan’s program is just getting underway. In fact, we were delighted that Apple Japan recently translated The User Group Connection’s start-up guide, Just Add Water, into Japanese. We’ve also heard about User Group activities in the Far East and Latin America. We watch with interest what is going on in U.S. User Groups, because they are often closer to sources of information, and we’re farther away and thinly spread out, dealing in many languages. I’m a firm believer in User Group communities. The great thing is that you can go out and ask current users for feedback, and test out new products and ideas. When one of my managers travels, I make sure that they visit end users, resellers and developers--every trip--so that they can say "thank you." And also so they can build a better understanding of the marketplace.
Education & UG Partnerships
User Groups as Mentors
by Mary Anne Mather
Even if you don’t have any educators in your User Group, attracting teachers to your group still might be in your best interest. Consider this…
What do older, established User Groups made up of non-educators have? They have long-time technophiles who understand the benefits and the excitement of using technology to get a job done. They have parents of kindergarten through grade 12 and college level students. And they are parents with expertise and answers.
What do teachers have? They have a need to know why and how technology can improve their teaching. They have the task of bringing exciting learning opportunities to the children of your members. They have questions.
Educators are in a position of tremendous responsibility when it comes to teaching students with and about technology--a responsibility parents in your UG share. Educators need guidance and answers. The parents in your User Group also have an investment in making sure the expertise is shared--their children.
When Joe Brennan’s second-grade son was pulled from class on more than one occasion and brought to the school computer lab to show his teachers how to access the Control Panel on an Apple IIGS(R) computer, Brennan became concerned. As a long-time User Group member and educator, he realizes the importance and the magic of using computers to teach and to learn. He understands how they make his job easier every day, whether for grading, testing, or curriculum enhancement. The incident with his son made him feel a need to help other teachers in his district make that same discovery.
Brennan’s Community User Group consists of businessmen, BBS experts, government employees and other enthusiasts. Many are parents with both the technology talent and the incentive to educate others. Brennan approached his group with the idea of soliciting educators as new members, and it happened.
Brennan says, "It’s a great reward to bring the spark of discovery to a new learner. Teachers experience this satisfaction each time they teach a first grader to read, or lead a student through their first real conversation in a foreign language. Our User Group members experience this reward as education mentors."
Brennan has a vision. He sees current UG members becoming resource advisors for specific projects with individual teachers and more special interest groups forming. He sees the people in his User Group excited about sharing questions and answers. He sees students, like his son, as the real winners.
If you’d like more information about the benefits and ways of involving educators in your UG, write to Joe Brennan, Ambassador, N. Illinois Computer Society’s Education SIG, at Niles West High School, 5701 Oakton St., Skokie, IL 60077.
Expanding the Base of Your UG
1. Poll your group and determine if there is interest in helping educators. People often are seeking ways to share expertise and practice good will.
2. Brainstorm how educators can serve your group. Success depends on group members recognizing mutual, rather than one-sided, benefits. Teachers will bring new knowledge back to their students. In addition, teachers are creative thinkers and good organizers, and often can provide meeting space and equipment.
3. Plan an organizational meeting and get the word out. Have parents personally invite their children’s teachers. Hang flyers in schools. Help educators understand that your User Group can help make their jobs easier.
4. Assess educator needs. At the first meeting, encourage educators to discuss their needs and initiate specific projects, matching your User Group members as individual mentors.
5. Call 800/538-9696 ext. 500 and let Apple’s User Group Connection know you have an Education SIG. Monthly mailings to registered Education SIGs (special interest groups) include materials of special interest to educators, including newsletters, technology research studies, and curriculum guides.
Profiles
A Slice of the Apple User Group Community
NJ MacLaw
Three and a half years ago, a group of eight New Jersey laywers, driven by their enthusiasm for the Macintosh and a frustration with the lack of software tailored for laywers, banded together to form NJ MacLaw. Today over 100 laywers, many of them in solo practice, come together on the User Group’s BBS or at monthly meetings. About 95% of the members live in the New Jersey area, although lawyers as far away as Ireland have joined, explains UG president Stuart Kurtzer. "They’re attracted by the opportunity to share expertise and our library of templates, documents and PD software," he adds, referring to the extensive collection of legal forms the group has compiled. With the electronic templates, the process for creating wills, deeds, divorces, property-settlement agreements, motor vehicle complaints and other common legal actions has been streamlined. This means the lawyers save time and their clients save money. "In a broad sense, our group is an extended law office," observes Kurtzer. "It takes the isolation out of solo practice, gives us the power to compete with larger firms, and have some fun, too."
Stuart M. Kurtzer
87 Franklin Avenue
P.O. Box 555
Nutley, NJ 07110
201/235-0200
201/235-1160 fax
AppleLink: LAW.KURTZER
America Online: Quatraine
CeCor MUG
A 40-mile stretch of land, populated by ceramic and glass industries and leading universities for ceramic research, has been designated a "Ceramic Corridor" in New York State’s Southern Tier region. Macintosh computer users in the region have banded together in CeCor MUG, a User Group founded in early 1990. Group leader Robert Aho started the club as an offshoot of his teaching Macintosh classes in the area and his Mac-based printing plant. The few dozen members include teachers, administrators and local business folks, explains Aho. Meetings alternate between a local high school and "on the road" excursions to area businesses to see the Macintosh in action. Past meetings have included a tour of the offices of the Corning, NY daily newspaper, The Corning Leader, where the Macintosh is used for editing and production, and a visit to the Corning public library to see how they use the Macintosh to track their holdings. Another meeting was held at the studios of a high-end graphic design firm in the area. "Our members show a hunger for more and more ways of using the Macintosh in different settings," observes Aho. "By alternating the meetings between more formal settings and site visits, we’ve generated a lot of interest and shared some good information."
Robert Aho
CeCor MUG
2 Cohocton Street
Bath, NY 14810
607/776-7337
NOMUG
NOMUG, the New Orleans Macintosh User Group, is nearly as old as the Mac itself. The group started in 1984 and originally billed itself as "mouse-oriented," explains James Abbott, one of the founders. About 200 members now comprise NOMUG, representing a wide spectrum of Macintosh users. "We have student members, retired folks, lawyers and medical professionals, business persons, local government workers and military personnel," says Abbott. "It makes for a great mix." He explains that one unusual aspect of the group is that there are a lot of MS-DOS users in the club, and that about half used, or are still using, those machines as well as the Macintosh. Club meetings are held in a large dowtown auditorium, and generally feature third party speakers. Group president George North explains that NOMUG has worked out a favorable arrangement with a local wholesaler and Apple dealer to borrow color projection equipment, although the group plans to invest in their own equipment soon. "As more and more programs use the Mac’s color abilities, vendors are asking for color projection for their demos, too," he says. Fundraising efforts are underway so that the group can stay up to date with technology and continue to offer innovative programs.
James Abbott
George North
NOMUG
P.O. Box 5991
New Orleans, LA 70009-5991
504/834-1891
504/837-7984 BBS
Quick Bulletins
Mark that Date!
Here are some upcoming events of interest to User Group members.
* March 4-7: FOSE ‘91, the computer and information systems conference and expo for the Federal Government , at the Washington, DC Convention Center. Details from National Trade Productions, 800/638-8510 or 703/683-8500.
* April 13: Second Annual Computer Show and Seminars, sponsored by Central Kentucky Computer Society, 10a.m.-5p.m., Continental Inn, 801 Circle Road NE, Lexington, KY. Seminars with industry leaders, vendor fair; admission: $3. Details from David Reed, 606/231-3113; AppleLink: UG0129.
* April 14: NYMUG MacFair, annual expo sponsored by the New York Mac User Group, 10a.m.-6p.m., Roosevelt Hotel, 45th St. at Madison Ave., NYC. Details from the NYMUG office at 212/691-0496; vendor info from 201/837-8200; or AppleLink: NYMUG.
* April 22-25: NCGA ‘91, the National Computer Graphics conference and expo, McCormick Place North, Chicago, IL. Details from 703/620-9840.
* April 28: America Online UG Forum Conference on the Apple II and Apple IIgs, 9p.m. est. Join members from the Apple II Development and Marketing teams and members of the UG Connection for an online discussion.
* May 15-17: GTC West, the fifth annual Government Technology Conference for the Western region, at the Sacramento (CA) Convention Center. Contact Deborah Furlow, 800/950-4688 or 916/443-7133 for details.
* June 7-9: NAUGC '91, National Apple User Group Conference, Berkeley, CA. Details on page 6.
* August 6-9: Macworld Expo, Boston. Details from Mitch Hall Associates, 260 Milton St., Dedham, MA 02026; 617/361-8000 (phone) or 617/361-3389 (fax).
Share Your News(letter)!
If you think your User Group newsletter is something special, and one that other UGs might like to see, The Connection would like to consider including copies of it in a future monthly mailing. "It seems that groups are always looking for new ideas on layout, format and content for their newsletters," explains UGC Communications Specialist Michèle Free. If you would like to participate in this information exchange, send a letter stating your interest along with a copy of your newsletter to Michèle’s attention at The User Group Connection at the address on this page.
Programming Resources
The publication develop, the Apple Technical Journal, contains articles and samples to help you create hardware and software for Apple computers. Each quarterly edition also contains a CD-ROM disk that contains the entire journal, plus essential tools for developers like international system software, international HyperCard (R) software, Developer Technical Support Technical Notes, sample code, Macintosh Technical Notes stacks and electronic versions of selected Apple developer documentation. Annual subscriptions are $27 for U.S., $47 for international. Back issues of develop are also available. For details, contact APDA (R) , the Apple Programmers and Developers Association at 800/282-2732; AppleLink: APDA.
Be sure to check the new "Get Info" section of the latest APDAlog(R) catalogue for resources of interest to your User Group. Besides key Apple phone numbers and a roster of Apple Developer University classes, you’ll find a listing of key developer associations and programming User Groups. Also check this month’s Connection mailing for a brochure on self-paced training products from Apple Developer University.
JAWS, the Guidebooks
We’re pleased to announce the debut of two new versions of JAWS, or Just Add Water, the User Group Connection guidebook to starting, sustaining and growing a User Group. The new editions are targeted for two broad segments of our UG audience: community/education-based groups and UGs centered in workplace environments. Each version features nuts-and-bolts information gathered from interviews with former and current UG leaders about planning a group, getting started, delivering services and sustaining growth. The separate editions also provide management tips that address specific concerns of groups in communities, schools, corporations or government settings. Each User Group currently registered with The Connection will soon receive a copy of the edition most appropriate for their group. Even longtime UG leaders will want to review the guide to assess how their organization is doing and learn some new ideas.
Reprint for Your Readers!
User Groups can reprint articles from Quick Connect by downloading the electronic files from AppleLink in the User Group Bulletin Board area. We require only that credit be given to The Apple Computer User Group Connection and that we receive a copy of the newsletter containing the reprint.
