These articles appeared in the May/June 1991 issue of Quick Connect, the Newsletter for Apple User Groups. It may be reproduced in other User Group publications not sold for profit. We require only that credit be given to The Apple Computer User Group Connection and that we receive a copy of any publication in which reprinted articles appear. The Apple User Group Connection, Apple Computer, Inc., 20525 Mariani Avenue, MS: 36/AA, Cupertino, CA 95014.
Maintaining a Public Domain (PD) software library is an important activity for many User Groups. Free or low-cost software is a powerful tool to attract new members, and monthly PD disks are a popular membership benefit. The recent explosion of available PD software by some estimates, it’s doubling annually has increased the demands placed on PD Librarians. In this issue we review ways in which your User Group can better manage this popular activity.
User Group PD collections today sometimes range into the gigabytes and they’re growing daily. How do groups stay up-to-date in organizing this flood of material for their members? Based on recent conversations with several PD Librarians, we’ve compiled some tips to help your group manage this task efficiently.
1. Assess your group’s needs and resources. PD libraries range in size from a few programs on floppy disks to thousands of programs stored on multiple hard drives. Take a serious look at what software your group members want and need, and the best way they can obtain it. Resist the temptation to "reinvent the wheel." An up-to-date PD library requires dedicated volunteers and funds both of which are often scarce in User Groups. Many smaller groups are discovering that it’s more efficient to invest in a CD-ROM player and buy an entire PD collection from another User Group (see sidebar). As one User Group leader observed, "Our group can only do so many things, and we decided that maintaining a really good PD library was not one of them. We’re glad to purchase disks from others who have spent hundreds of hours putting together good collections."
2. Designate key volunteers. Once your group has decided the extent of your PD library management tasks, be sure to line up several volunteers to carry the project through. "One person can’t do it anymore," observes Doug Houseman, former PD Librarian of MacTechnics in Ann Arbor, MI. While you need to have a single person directing the effort, Houseman says, it is helpful to divide the chores among several people. One approach is to have a person who does all the downloading from electronic bulletin boards, another who organizes the monthly disks, and a third who runs the copy sessions or arranges the disk duplication. Another approach is to have different members be "keepers" of individual types of programs, such as HyperCard (R)software stacks, fonts, graphics or utilities. Each volunteer tests and evaluates software in a particular category, then coordinates it for inclusion in the library.
Recruitment should also be an ongoing process. One librarian observes woefully that he waited too long to find extra volunteers. "It started out being a one-person task, and now it’s grown, but it’s really tough to find others who want to share the duties," he says. Many UG leaders agreed that to avoid burnout the PD Librarian deserves a break after a two-year stint unless, of course, they choose to continue in the position.
3. Choose an organizational structure for the library. Nothing is more frustrating to a UG member than having a sizeable collection of good PD software and knowing that the program they want is "somewhere on this disk." Unfortunately there is not yet a standard categorization policy for software such as the Dewey Decimal System used for books. Don Rose, PD Librarian for Macadamia in Crystal Lake, IL, called upon his professional experience in library management when he organized the GEM CD-ROM for the 1990 NAUGC conference in Chicago. Rose put together a listing of approximately 900 different categories, and is willing to share this "shell" with other UG leaders. (Contact him at AppleLink: V0006.) Other groups set up separate sub-libraries within their PD collection, such as HyperCard, programming/technical, and general interest.
Another approach is to choose one of two organizational structures: functional or subject. Functional categories might include areas such as applications, INITs, DAs or utilities. Subject categories offer many types of software under an interest area such as business, finance or time management. "There’s no one ‘right’ way of organizing, and every librarian has their own personal approach," observes Doug Houseman. The goal is to empower your UG members to get the most out of your efforts.
4. Establish procedures for quality. In the PD software world, the saying "Quantity doesn’t equal quality" is true. As one UG leader remarks, "Just because it’s free doesn’t mean it’s good." Many groups have volunteers who review PD software to see if it works properly and is of value to members. "If you don’t have quality control," states Doug Rudman, long-time PD Librarian for the Apple Corps of Dallas, TX, "then you lose credibility with your group." Rudman includes an extensive "Read Me" file on every disk that includes details about the programs as well as a disclaimer that the price paid for the disk covers material costs only and that shareware fees are to be paid to authors who request them.
It’s also important to insure that programs are free of viruses that could wreak wide-spread havoc if released on a popular PD disk. Jonathan Carpenter, Director of Software Exchange for BCS*Mac in Boston, MA explains that virus-checking is their first step in reviewing PD software. "Yes, it takes a little more work," he says, "but since our disks are distributed so widely, we definitely don’t want to take any chances." Carpenter adds that even if a program is virus-free, it still must pass a BCS*Mac quality review process which determines if it is worth including in the library. Only about 1/3 of the downloaded software passes, Carpenter says. Once a disk is mastered, it is kept locked in a cabinet accessible only to PD coordinators to prevent tampering or accidental contamination.
5. Organize efficient distribution methods. Once your collection is compiled, don’t overlook the many ways of getting it to your members. Some groups offer a "subscription" service, sending disks by mail to those who can’t make regular meetings. Others have their collections available online as part of their group BBS. By far the most common way of distributing PD software is at meetings. Groups either sell disks already filled with popular programs, or have their collections on a hard drive or CD-ROM player (often on a network) which members can access.
Another innovative way for UGs to offer PD software is through an event such as a "PD Pigout." Some groups set aside one night a month (or quarter) for PD sharing. Such events can also be staged for the public, and can generate income and new members for the group. The Central Kentucky Computer Society (CKCS) hosted three shareware events in the last six months and generated nearly $14,000 for their group. President David Reed says that the group sold about 5,000 disks of shareware during the three one-day events. Two events were held at a local mall (see Quick Connect, Jan/Feb 1991) and a third took place at the Kentucky Educational Technology Conference. The group sold both Apple and MS-DOS disks, and worked with two shareware vendors who sent goods on consignment. CKCS plans on continuing the three events each year. (For more information, contact Reed at AppleLink: UG0129 or America Online: DMRKY.)
One other important aspect of distribution is printed materials describing the programs on disk. BCS*Mac sells an extensive printed catalog of their collection but bundles flyers with single disks at no charge. Other groups keep printed listings in a loose-leaf binder for member reference since they know collections change rapidly.
6. Take time for periodic reviews of your progress. The computer industry is based on change and evolution, and User Groups need to remember that their PD library procedures may need to change as their group grows and matures. Try to keep an open mind and examine alternative ways to success. While your current approach may work well, you may discover a better way from sharing ideas with others.
To CD or Not To CD?
As the amount of PD and shareware software expands, and CD-ROM technology matures and drops in price, more and more User Groups are turning to CD-ROM format for publishing their PD collections. If your group is considering this approach, review carefully your resources of people, time and money. In putting together the recent M3 PD CD-ROM, Doug Houseman estimates that 10-12 people spent a total of nearly 4,000 hours on the project. Groups should also estimate about $3500 for artwork, mastering and duplicating 200 disks. A 650MB hard drive is needed, and a good backup system is a must, he adds. Another big challenge: checking for duplicates when you’re dealing with more than 500MB of files!
For groups interested in buying rather than making PD CD-ROM disks, we’ve compiled a list of User Group offerings. Check the flyer in the May User Group Connection mailing, and contact the group(s) directly for further details.
Dear Apple User Group Ambassador,
It was almost two years ago that I wrote to you in this column, shortly after I joined The User Group Connection (TM)team. Amazing how time flies. The User Group Connection is now eight full-time people. User Group popularity is on the rise. Our "monthly" mailings are actually going out every month. The Berlin wall is down. Will miracles never cease?
The most significant change I’ve seen at Apple in the last two years (besides the stock price) is the new attitude that Apple, developers, the press and others in the industry have about User Groups. We’d love to take credit, but we know that it’s really been you as User Group leaders that have polished the image. Your regional User Group events, training classes, high-quality newsletters and professional organizations have been recognized by Apple and the industry for the important part they play in keeping things up and running in the "real" world.
After years of begging, people are now coming to us asking "How can we include User Groups in our event/introduction/article?" For us at The User Group Connection, it’s nice to be wanted. We amaze people each day when we show examples of the variety and quality of activities that are put together by volunteers in User Groups. We’ve valued for a long time the energy you put forth on Apple’s behalf, and it’s nice to see others at Apple now recognizing the impact of your efforts, too.
This next year will be significant in making Apple User Groups part of the mainstream in delivering information and services. Our goal is to act as your "inside" advocates, making sure that Apple’s support, training and marketing departments both here in Cupertino and at Apple offices around the country are aware of User Groups’ ability to teach and influence end users. We’ll be doing our utmost to get you access to the materials you need to increase the value and range of services your group provides.
Let us know the directions that your group is heading so we can be the best representatives for your needs inside Apple.
Sincerely,
Craig Elliott
Manager, User Group Connection
New Programming Resource Tools
APDA (R), the Apple Programmers and Developers Association, offers a wide selection of development tools and information for UG members. Last month, APDA announced a series of new resource tools designed to help customers new to Macintosh (R)computer programming or for those wanting to keep up-to-date with Apple development. All of these products are available from Apple through APDA or Developer Tools Express.
Developer Resource Kit
This complete collection of Macintosh computer self-help technical resources includes a subscription to the AppleLink (R)network, subscriptions to develop (Apple’s quarterly technical journal and CD) and APDAlog(R), a Developer University catalog, the Macintosh Directory of Development Services, and the Developer Resource Guide. Also included are valuable coupons for development products, books, and services.
Developer Resource Kit with AppleLink
APDA Product #R0014LL/A (U.S.) $125.00
Developer Resource Kit without AppleLink
APDA Product #R0015LL/A (U.S.) $90.00
Note: AppleLink also is available now as a stand-alone product.
Call for additional details.
APDA Product #R0049LL/A $70.00 (Available U.S. only.)
Getting Started in Macintosh Programming Bundles
For a limited time only, APDA is offering special pricing on two new product bundles for programmers who are getting started in Macintosh programming and who want to develop using C or Pascal. These offers expire August 1, 1991.
Getting Started in Macintosh C
Programming Bundle
Includes THINK C v.4.0, the Macintosh C Programming Primer, Vol. 1-2, Human Interface Guidelines, and Macintosh Programming Secrets.
APDA Product #B0473LL/A $250.00
Getting Started in Macintosh Pascal
Programming Bundle
Includes THINK Pascal v.3.0, Just Enough Pascal, Macintosh Pascal Programming Primer, Vol. 1, Human Interface Guidelines, and Macintosh Programming Secrets.
APDA Product #B0472LL/A $275.00
Remember that APDA products are available to User Group members in three ways: to individuals who are members of APDA; through Developer Tools Express; or through a User Group membership in APDA. For details contact APDA at 800/282-2732; AppleLink: APDA.
UG Meeting Sites
Each month, hundreds of User Group meetings are held throughout the United States. These gatherings range from casual get-togethers in someone’s living room to formal presentations in large rented auditoriums. We recently asked User Group leaders to share their thoughts on where their meetings are held and how they select the sites.
Schools offer equipment
Our group meets in the cafeteria of a local Middle School. This is no coincidence, since a computer lab with 30 networked Macintosh IIsi computers is immediately adjacent. We used to meet at another school, but it did not have the resources we required, such as a projection screen. We also pay no rental for this site. Since McKinley School has all the Macintosh computers in a networked environment, we have no need to hold our SIGs or tutorials at another location. The computer room holds about 30 people and the cafeteria about 350+, so we have ample space for all of our meetings. While our group feels extremely lucky, with some snooping any group in a metropolitan area like ours could probably find a similarly equipped school.
Brian M. Drier
Racine-Kenosha Macintosh Users Group
P.O. Box 85881
Racine, WI 53408-5881
414/634-8212
AppleLink: RK.MUG
Space to socialize
We meet at the Wilkinson Senior Center, a multipurpose room about the size of a basketball court or high school gym. It has a rear room with a Coke machine, bathrooms and comfortable seating for those who want to socialize. I think a flat meeting place is much better than sloped auditorium seating. It seems to allow more social interaction, an important part of any User Group.
Robert Wright
MacValley User’s Group
P.O. Box 4297
Burbank, CA 91503
818/882-4467
AppleLink: UG0098
Dealerships and businesses
We normally rotate our meetings between two local Macintosh computer dealers, but also visit the workplaces of members who have interesting Macintosh installations. For example, our Annual Meeting was at Gastineau Log Homes which uses the Mac (R)computer for CAD assembling, marketing and sales of authentic log homes. Another visit was to a fully-integrated K-12 500-student rural school with a marvelous Ethernet and AppleTalk (R)network connecting over 80 Macintosh, 60 Apple II and 40 MS-DOS machines.
Tom Piper
appleJAC Mac User Group
2539 Lexington Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109
314/634-3102
AppleLink: UG0117
Easy freeway access
Our main meeting place is the Howard Johnsons Plaza Hotel at University and I-10 freeway in Phoenix. We chose the site due to its proximity to the airport, since most of our monthly guests fly in to see us. For approximately $300 we get access to all three ballrooms and a suite upstairs for training. We also have access to the restaurant, bar and pool before, during and for a short time after our meeting. Funding for the room costs comes from our monthly raffle. Our main concern for a meeting area is being centrally located and easy to find. Being near the center of Phoenix, right off the freeway helps us. We also advertise our meetings in the local paper so that all our Mac friends know we exist.
Michael S. Bean
Arizona Macintosh Users Group
718 E. Campbell Ave.
Gilbert, AZ 85234
602/892-5454
AppleLink: UG0116
America Online: AMUG
Sites to suit needs
Central Kentucky Computer Society meets at several sites. General meetings are held at Lexington Community College (LCC) in the school’s large auditorium. A member of the school’s faculty helps us obtain the room and we give the college an institutional membership. We jointly sponsor an AutoCAD SIG with LCC, which also meets at the school. Last year we were able to donate $250 to the school’s scholarship endowment fund as a result of our successful shareware sales. Other SIG meetings are held at businesses. For example, the Macintosh and DTP SIGs meet in the local newspaper’s auditorium, since the newspaper has a large Macintosh network and good facilities. A local engineering firm is a heavy DOS shop and hosts our MS-DOS and database SIGs. Our Apple II SIG meets in our SIG leader’s home, mainly because the Apple II SIG seems to last a long time at times as long as four and five hours. "The people don’t seem to want to go home and I don’t mind," says the SIG leader. "If we stay until three in the morning, it’s OK with me."
David Reed
Central Kentucky Computer Society
2050 Idle Hour Center, Ste. 160
Lexington, KY 40502
606/231-3113
AppleLink: UG0129
America Online: DMRKY
User Groups in Japan
Last February, the Apple Japan User Group Organization hosted their first-ever User Group event, a meeting held in conjunction with the debut of Macworld Tokyo. In honor of the event, Apple Japan invited a representative of The Apple User Group Connection and an American User Group leader to speak about User Groups in the U.S. With minimal arm-twisting, Michèle Free, User Group Connection Communications Specialist, and Andy Reese, Apple Ambassador and former President of the Apple Corps of Dallas, TX, headed off to Japan.
The focus of the trip was to share experiences and knowledge with Japanese User Group leaders as they develop their organizations. "We wanted to share information so that they can take some of our ideas, modify them if necessary, and adapt them to meet their needs," says Michèle. "We also wanted to share our successes, but to communicate that it took many years for the U.S. program to be established," she adds.
A reception with leaders from the approximately 40 existing Japanese User Groups was held the evening before the U.S. presentation. The reception included a video message from Shigechika Takeuchi, the President of Apple Japan, a welcoming speech from the Director of Service and Support (the individual ultimately responsible for establishing Japan’s User Group Support group), and introductions by each of the User Group leaders in attendance. Both Michèle and Andy were pleased to discover the similarities between U.S. User Group leaders and their Japanese counterparts. "Give User Group leaders a chance to get together to exchange ideas, and they’ll seize the opportunity anywhere and in any language," remarks Andy.
The next day, Michèle and Andy delivered presentations on User Groups in the United States for their Japanese hosts and the Japanese User Group leaders. (Both are still marveling at the translation of their comments into Japanese.) Michèle spoke about The User Group Connection’s background and gave an overview of the current services it provides to U.S. User Groups. She also spoke in general about the services that U.S. User Groups provide to their members, such as meetings, newsletters, BBSs and telephone helplines. Later, Andy shared insights in his Texan twang about the need for all User Groups to establish certain fundamentals to insure success. He spoke about the basic needs for membership recruitment, nurturing volunteers, fiscal responsibility and creating a meeting format that works best for each group’s particular situation. He also encouraged group leaders to share information with each other, noting that it reduces the workload for all. "Above all," Andy urged, "make it fun. Make sure there is plenty of laughter with the work."
Following the presentations, breakout groups discussed newsletters, PD libraries, BBSs and recruiting volunteers. Afterward, User Group leaders reported back to the larger group. "Japanese User Group leaders share many of the same concerns as those in the U.S.," observes Michèle, "but with a different cultural twist."
Before heading home, Michèle and Andy visited Macworld Tokyo, and were impressed by the quality and popularity of the inaugural event. Michèle also took a quick visit to Tokyo Disneyland, which provided another cultural (and humorous) insight. "The Haunted House is not nearly as scary when you can’t understand what they’re saying," she laughs.
User Groups and Desert Storm
With their own special way of blending personal connections with technology, User Groups played their part in supporting United States troops in the recent Gulf War. Through a project called "Letters From Home," User Groups around the country helped friends and families of U.S. military personnel send electronic mail to their loved ones stationed in the Middle East.
User Group leader Jean Polly, who serves as the Assistant Director of Public Services at the Liverpool Public Library, near Syracuse, NY, heard about the "Letters From Home," program last November on AppleLink. "I’m constantly on the prowl all over AppleLink, looking for information I can use at the Library," says Polly. She discovered the release posted by the GEnie Online Information Service announcing the initiative to send electronic mail to the Persian Gulf.
Letters were sent electronically via GE Information Services’ worldwide teleprocessing network to GE’s local telecommunications facility in Saudi Arabia. The letters were received and printed on computers and printers supplied by GE Rents. The mail was folded and sealed in envelopes using state-of-the art equipment provided by Pitney Bowes. The letters were then given to the U.S. Armed Forces for delivery to the designated serviceperson. All of this took place within 48 hours of the message being sent from the U.S. Although it used the GEnie network, no GEnie account was needed. All access and phone charges were free, and anyone with a personal computer and modem could participate.
Polly thought the program would be a great service for the Library to offer, but was reluctant to relinquish one of their three Macintosh computers set aside for public use. She called a friend at General Electric’s Syracuse Operations who agreed to loan a Mac Plus for the duration of the pro-ject. To assist users with little computer experience, Library Media Specialist Alan Rowoth wrote a Microphone II 3.0 script to allow a patron to write the letter offline and send it easily.
Polly reports that the program was an immediate success. Within a week after starting the project, they were receiving phone calls from around the country from others who wanted to set up similar programs. In the first month they booked 69 hours of Macintosh use. By the end of February, the tally was up to 228 hours, and thousands of letters had been sent.
One of the groups that contacted Polly about the program was dBUG, the Seattle Macintosh Downtown Business Users Group. Working with GEnie, the Bellevue Apple Computer office and the Seattle Public Library, dBUG set up two Macintosh computers at the downtown Library branch. UG President Andrew Johnston said that a crew of volunteers, organized by member Robin Spady, helped get the system up and running.
One dBUG member, Tom Benedict, built a HyperCard software stack to simplify the process of sending mail. "Even though the stack made things as easy to use as possible," says Johnston, "dBUG staffed the Library with volunteers who offered assistance or answered general questions about the Macintosh." Johnston posted the stack on AppleLink, where several other UG leaders downloaded it for their own use.
UG Leader in the Gulf
The Connection has learned that a User Group leader is among the hundreds of thousands of military personnel in the Gulf. Fritz Kass, a leader of E-MUG, the Eastern Orange Mac Users Group in New Windsor, NY, is serving in the U.S. Navy in Saudi Arabia. A Mac enthusiast, Kass is well-known among area UG members for his collection of leading-edge Macintosh equipment. UG colleague Marietta Allen reports that he has his Macintosh IIfx and LaserWriter (R)printer with him, as well as an optical disk drive. As a holiday gift, she shipped him a brown laser printer toner cartridge, "so he could do things with a desert motif," she says. We send him our best wishes and wish him a safe and speedy return home.
Apple’s Worldwide Manufacturing
An Interview with Fred Forsyth
When a customer unpacks a brand new Macintosh from its sleek white box, most likely the farthest thing from his or her mind is how it was made. The details of manufacturing, however, are a cornerstone of Apple’s success in the world marketplace. Meeting demand for rapidly changing products in multiple configurations at three worldwide sites is a demanding task. Leading the team responding to this challenge is Fred Forsyth, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Manufacturing, who joined Apple in 1989 after 10 years at Digital Equipment Corporation. We recently had a chance to hear his thoughts on Apple’s leadership role in manufacturing and its plans for the future.
Quick Connect: Apple’s manufacturing is noted for its innovation, including concepts such as "customer-driven manufacturing" and "virtual integration." Could you tell us about these?
Fred Forsyth: Apple’s goal is to respond flexibly and quickly to customer demands. To do this, we’ve chosen to be highly leveraged, which means we purchase over 90% of our components. In a typical CPU that can average about 400 different parts, ranging from a disk drive to a small switch. We focus on doing a few things very well, such as procurement, printed circuit board assembly, final assembly and testing of the computers, distribution, and service. We rely heavily on our suppliers and have them work closely with our design engineering groups. This allows us to achieve "virtual integration" the benefits of vertically-integrated manufacturing without the burden of fixed capital investment. This leveraged model significantly improves our flexibility and responsiveness.
We’re also constantly looking at customer demand changes, and striving to build products in response to orders rather than forecasts. We are aggressively working to provide the capability to fulfill customer orders within a two-day window in all our regions. It’s quite a challenge when you factor in foreign language system software and other localizations, we’re dealing with well over 1000 configurations of our product line.
QC: With such a high percentage of purchased components, it seems that Apple could be very vulnerable if one of its suppliers failed to deliver. How do you allow for that, in terms of scheduling and flexibility?
FF: With so many components and configurations, statistically it shouldn’t be able to work. We put a lot of trust in our suppliers, and our goal is to build strong partnerships with them. We want them to understand our business so well that if they don’t receive an order for their product from us when it’s due, they should be calling us and double checking. We’re also electronically connected to many of our key suppliers which enhances communications considerably.
A critical part of this is the quality of our suppliers. Last year we instituted a Supplier Certification Program, by which we now measure all of our key suppliers in areas such as flexibility, technical support, cost, quality and reliability of the components they provide. It’s a very tough measurement, but the supply base is responding very well. We cannot afford to be working with suppliers who cannot predictably deliver high-quality, cost-effective components.
QC: Apple has three worldwide sites for manufacturing: Fremont, California; Cork, Ireland; and Singapore. Are these three sites specialized for specific parts of the Apple product line? Do they differ, even though they’re manufacturing the same products?
FF: The three sites really are distinct, and each has its own character. The majority of Macintosh Classic (R)computers, as well as most of the Macintosh LC units, are built in Singapore and these days the plant is really humming. Singapore provides high-volume, low-mix computers to all geographies. Cork has a very high mix of products, because they’re supporting 14 countries, with localized system software, international keyboards and other mix-driven challenges. The Fremont factory tends to be higher volume than Cork, but has lower mix, since we’re dealing predominantly with a single country. Cork and Fremont focus on making products for their respective markets, but can also manufacture product for other regions. This is good from both demand and risk perspectives, since if something were to occur at one of our sites, we have the flexibility to quickly shift our manufacturing operations to another site.
QC: How has the extraordinary demand for the new Macintosh CPUs affected Apple Manufacturing?
FF: We trained 18 months for this, and we’re glad we did, because it has been a phenomenal challenge. For example, last year at this time our Singapore plant was running at 28% of capacity. They’re now running at over 100% capacity a phenomenal jump in one year. If we hadn’t taken that surplus time last year and trained our folks well, we wouldn’t be as productive as we are today. Training is a critical part of manufacturing, and we’re embedding it into all our plans. We’re also quite proud of the Macintosh-based training tools we have running in the plants. These online tools enable employees to find the answers to their questions when they want and need them.
In terms of staffing, the extreme demand for the Classic has presented both challenges and opportunities. In Singapore, we’ve just begun a new organizational approach of running the plant nonstop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This will help us produce Classics at an even higher weekly rate and will reduce costs as well. We are also planning to add three more manufacturing plants in anticipation of the future unit demand.
QC: You have said that quality alone will not be enough of a competitive weapon for Apple in the future, since other industry leaders will also deliver high quality. What will give Apple the competitive edge?
FF: I’m delighted to see the progress we’ve made in understanding all aspects of our business from the customer’s perspective. We’ve launched an Apple Quality Management initiative that involves every organization in Apple and it is increasingly becoming a key element of our strategic and operational processes and practices. However, even if we achieve a ten-fold improvement in quality, we cannot assume that will be enough to make us winners. What will differentiate us will be speed. We have to reduce total cycle times for everything we do and keep decision-making down at the lowest levels if we are to remain competitive. Trying to manage very short product life cycles, both the phase-in and phase-out stages, is going to be an unbelievable challenge and a lot of companies won’t have that ability. How do we keep this very big ship performing like a speedboat that’s the key challenge.
Historically, the way organizations are run is through separate "stovepipes" manufacturing, distribution, engineering. We’re trying to look at the organization the other way a way in which the customer benefits. You start with the customer and work backwards: through the channel, distribution, manufacturing, our suppliers, and back to our suppliers’ suppliers. You form what we call the integrated supply chain. We’re trying to get information to flow along that whole chain, in both directions, as fast as possible.
QC: The last year has been remarkably hectic, with major jumps in production of new products and shifts in the entire product line. Looking back over the time you’ve been at Apple and what you’ve been through, what are your thoughts?
FF: Yes, it’s been hectic, but it’s exactly the reason I came to Apple. This is one of the few companies in the U.S. which can set the standards for manufacturing, and for the industry. This is a fast place, and there aren’t a lot of companies our size that are moving like this one. What I wouldn’t want to do again is make so many changes at once. We basically changed 75-80% of our product line in one sweep, and we went from relatively slow unit growth to phenomenal unit growth at the same time. Fortunately, I have an organization that doesn’t like to fail and they were the ones responsible for successfully ramping up the new products last fall. This coming year will be even more challenging and exciting, so hang on!
Educators + Technology = TEACHSIG
by Mary Anne Mather
Education SIGs are often specialized groups, with homogeneous memberships of all K-12 educators, Higher Education professors or professional trainers. One SIG that takes a different approach is TEACHSIG (Tennessee Educators with Apple Computer Hardware Special Interest Group), a Special Interest Group of MacClique, a Community User Group based in Clinton, TN. By focusing on broad issues of educational computing, TEACHSIG brings a diverse educational computing community together. TEACHSIG members are a mix of K-12 educators, Higher Education professors and students, parents, corporate trainers and educational computer dealers. Although each has its own special interests and questions, the overall issues of why and how to use technology to enhance learning are a common focus.
The membership diversity of TEACHSIG is no accident. MacClique has over 150 members, including professional software developers, technology business professionals and long-time computer enthusiasts who recognize the importance of educational computing and want to share their technology expertise. Last fall, prompted by several educators in the group, MacClique launched an Education SIG to address the basic issues of technology in education. They solicited members from the area’s broad educational community. The mailing was sent to K-12 and Higher Education faculty and administrators, Higher Education research and lab assistants, technology consultants and community members at large. As a result, TEACHSIG was born, and 17 educators now meet monthly to network and learn from each other.
Although members of the parent group are Macintosh computer users, TEACHSIG members represent both the Macintosh and Apple II communities. MacClique sponsors a Bulletin Board accessible from both platforms which features conference areas, message boards and an extensive library of public domain and shareware software. In addition, the group distributes a monthly newsletter and supports a technology hotline called MacClique Helpers. Each member completes a questionnaire detailing areas of special interest and knowledge of both hardware and software. Fellow members are invited to call at designated times for individualized assistance.
Where will TEACHSIG go from here? User Group Ambassador Wolfgang Naegeli would like to see even more educators get involved. He believes in word-of-mouth recommendations, and encourages current MacClique members to spread the news of the SIG’s existence and benefits. Naegeli is also working with his local AESC (Apple Education Sales Consultant) to identify and target other enthusiastic Apple users through a more extensive direct mail campaign planned for the coming year.
The original MacClique group grew from 17 to 100 members in a little over one year from its inception. There’s optimism and expectation that TEACHSIG will follow suit. Naegeli notes, "The SIG attracts diverse people who are interested in a single basic issue how technology enhances teaching and learning. Our membership goes beyond classroom teachers. We reach out to all people who are interested in education and learning." Certainly, an Education SIG like TEACHSIG offers these people a vibrant classroom.
If you’d like more information on how MacClique launched TEACHSIG, contact Wolfgang Naegeli at 615/574-6143, or on INTERNET by using this AppleLink address: wnn@ornl.gov@INTERNET#.
Initiating Diversity in an Education SIG
* Plan a direct mail campaign in your area.
Target local universities, school systems, computer dealerships, businesses, and Parent-Teacher Organizations.
* Conduct an organizational meeting.
Ask new members to relate their experiences using computers in different teaching and training environments.
* Identify common issues and concerns.
Have each person complete a survey identifying topics they want to learn more about and areas of special expertise they can share.
* Spread the news.
Your new SIG is a rich educational resource. Help others discover the benefits through press releases, word-of-mouth advertising, and the support of your AESC.
Mary Anne Mather is an educational consultant who oversees editorial development and special projects for Apple Education User Groups.
A Slice of the Apple User Group Community
This section of Quick Connect offers brief profiles of groups representing the diversity of the User Group community. In addition to an overview of each group’s focus and activities, contact information is included so your group can get in touch if it wants to learn more. If you’d like your group to be profiled, drop a line to The User Group Connection at the address on the back cover. Or contact us electronically via AppleLink (QC.COPY) or America Online (Apple UGC) with a brief summary of your group and its activities.
Mac Office Girls
When a group of female office workers in San Antonio, TX discovered that the little they knew about the Macintosh was often light-years ahead of what their bosses knew, they realized it was time to do something. As a way of helping each other learn more about the Macintosh and be more productive at work, they formed a User Group, the Mac Office Girls. Since its founding in 1989, the group has grown to include 62 women, most of whom work in secretarial or administrative positions at a variety of San Antonio area companies. Monthly Saturday morning meetings are generally workshops given by fellow members on topics such as word processing, databases, utilities and system software. "Education is the primary focus," says Beverly Smith, a Macintosh enthusiast who originally introduced the women to each other and who has been dubbed the "Group Illuminator." The group keeps things streamlined: no dues, no bank account, no newsletter. "Members mostly want to share information and learn more about the technology they use in their daily corporate work environments," Smith says. The group also discusses topics such as software licensing and Macintosh upgrade options.
Kim Heather
Mac Office Girls
P.O. Box 63117
Wetmore, TX 78163
512/494-1004
HAAUG
With a name like HAAUG, a BBS known as "HAAUG Heaven" and a newsletter titled "Pig Tales," the Houston Area Apple Users Group shows it has a sense of humor. The group started out as an amateur radio club in the mid-1970s, then became an Apple II group after many members invested in computers. Over the years the group has grown and evolved, and its 1000 members now include both Apple II (45%) and Macintosh (55%) users. HAAUG members represent a cross-section of the community, including teachers and home users as well as oil executives and computer programmers. "It’s challenging to serve such a broad mix of interests," says UG President Cleland Early, "but HAAUG has set up good programs that are designed to help a wide variety of users." Monthly meetings are held on the third Saturday of the month at 11a.m., although a few early-bird SIGs start before then. The day is split between main Macintosh and Apple II presentations, a business meeting, and six SIG sessions. Once the regular program ends at 3:30p.m., UG leaders unwind by holding their favorite SIG the PIZZA SIG where they swap news and chat about computer topics over pizza with anyone who would like to attend.
Cleland Early
HAAUG
P.O. Box 610150
Houston, TX 77208
713/522-2179
Apple Link: HAAUG
COFFEE MUG
COFFEE MUG, the Cooperative Employees’ Microcomputer User Group, is a nonprofit group buying service for User Group members interested in purchasing Apple computers. The club started late last Fall, when individual members of UGs in the Washington, DC area many of whom are Government employees were interested in buying Apple computers for Christmas. Coordinators Manny Devera and Craig Hirai thought that if enough people pooled their orders, a dealer might extend competitive pricing, and everyone could benefit. The project started with an order for 100 computers at Christmas, and bids were solicited similar to Government procurement policy, with full and open bidding among area authorized Apple dealers. "The Government buys a lot of computers, but before now Federal employees didn’t have any means of getting discounts themselves," observes Devera. The project directors also guide first-time buyers, and inform new owners of area UG activities. Devera sees COFFEE MUG working synergistically with users, dealers and User Groups with benefits for all. The group is also open to working with User Groups and UG members throughout the country.
COFFEE MUG
6635 Rockland Drive
Clifton, VA 22024
703/818-9626 Manny Devera
703/506-0861 Craig Hirai
703/527-0336 Debra Rafal
AppleLink: UG0352
Mark that Date!
Here are some upcoming events of interest to User Group members.
* May 2: "User Group Help in Integrating Computers into Regular Classrooms," presentation by Worcester Country Apple Club at MICCA (Maryland Instructional Computer Coordinators Association) conference by Dr. Merle Marsh and ten-year-old Sean Fahey, 11:30 a.m., Rm. 320, Baltimore (MD) Convention Center. Details from Merle Marsh, 301/641-3575; AppleLink: UG0298; America Online: MerleM.
* May 4: AMUG Training Expo, Arizona Macintosh User Group regional training seminar, 10:00a.m.-5:30p.m., Howard Johnsons Hotel, University at I-10 freeway. Details from AMUG at 602/892-5454; AppleLink: UG0116; America Online: AMUG.
* 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 2-5: "Macintosh in a Client/Server World," Spring 1991 MacIS conference, J.W. Marriott, Washington, DC. Details from MacIS: 312/644-6610; AppleLink: MACIS.OPS.
* June 7-9: NAUGC, National Apple User Group Conference, Berkeley, CA. Details from Raines Cohen, 415/215-9550; AppleLink: NAUGC; America Online: Raines.
* July 2: ALUG Annual Meeting, Apple Library Users Group, Atlanta, GA, 8:30a.m.-noon. Details from Monica Ertel, 408/974-2552; AppleLink: ERTEL.M.
* July 20-21: Apple Central Expo, Apple II conference and expo, Conference Center at NOMDA, Kansas City, MO;10a.m.-6p.m. Tickets: $10 advance, $15 at door. Details from Events Specialists, 800/955-6630.
* August 3-4: NAIC CompuFest, sponsored by National Association of Investors Corp. Seminars/workshops on computers and investing, at Old Colony Inn, Alexandria, VA. Details from Ellis Traub, 305/362-2892.
* 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).
UG Resource Disks
In response to frequent requests from both new and veteran User Groups about ways to manage groups more effectively, The User Group Connection is pleased to announce that we’ve just finished compiling a set of two User Group Resource Disks. These disks are designed to be used as an extension of Just Add Water, Apple’s guidebook for starting and sustaining a User Group. The disks include samples of User Group Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation for 501(c)3 nonprofit status, a UG promotional/application brochure, UG member application form, UG budget, UG database, UG election stack, PD archiving system and other files to help you manage your group better. We’ve also included a list of Apple’s Field Offices and graphics of Apple Computer products. The disks are in Macintosh format, and we are at work on an Apple II version. (If you would like to contribute to the Apple II version, please let us know.) The Macintosh version will be distributed to all registered User Groups in an upcoming monthly mailing, and we’ll also place the files on the AppleLink and America Online networks for your convenience. When the Apple II version has been completed, it also will be distributed in a monthly mailing. Our thanks to the many User Group leaders who contributed their ideas and files!
Apple II Guide Update
Due to the enormous popularity of the Apple II Guide, the resource book for the Apple II family of computers, Apple is planning an updated edition to be published this Fall. Since the original edition was published in October 1990, thousands of Apple II owners have used the book as a reference for specific computer-related questions. The book helps users locate Apple resources such as Dealers and User Groups. It is also valuable as a tool for improving a user’s overall understanding of Apple computers.
The revision process is currently in the review stage and the editors are welcoming suggestions from User Group members for ways to improve The Guide’s content. Initial plans are the focus on developments in interactive media on the Apple IIGS(R)Computer, with a special emphasis on HyperCard IIGS. Individuals with topic suggestions within areas such as interactive media, system software, troubleshooting or programming are asked to send their ideas to: Apple II Guide Suggestions, Apple Computer, Inc., 20525 Mariani Ave., M/S 70PM, Cupertino, CA 95014. You can also send your comments electronically to The Apple User Group Connection (AppleLink:USER.GROUPS; America Online: Apple UGC) and we’ll pass them along.
