*****¢ NEAR*US REVITALIZED¢¢ FLASH.........¢ On Saturday, December 3, 1994, after a¢ gap of several years, representatives¢ of three user groups and several¢ interested individuals met to discuss¢ the revitalization of the umbrella¢ service organization known as NEAR*US.¢ I am delighted to report that the¢ meeting accomplished its goal and set¢ vital new directions for NEAR*US to¢ follow. NEAR*US originally stood for¢ the North East Atari Regional User¢ Society. It was designed as an¢ umbrella service organization of its¢ member user groups, most of whom were¢ located in the northeastern part of¢ the United States. Shortly after its¢ formation, a BBS network was¢ established and lists of member user¢ groups began to be printed in the¢ newsletters of those member user¢ groups. Other services and sharing¢ were the result. However, the¢ organization became dormant as the¢ user groups developed their own¢ facilities and prospered. Now, with a¢ general decrease of membership and¢ dealer services, and with the¢ geographic dispersion of members, it¢ has become apparent that there was a¢ need to reestablish NEAR*US.¢¢ Long Island Atari User Group, LIAUG¢ LIAUG hosted the meeting. The OL'¢ HACKERS ATARI USER GROUP (OHAUG) and¢ the LEHIGH VALLEY ATARI USERS GROUP¢ (LVAUG) were represented by officers¢ and other members. Several other¢ groups were interested, but were¢ occupied and couldn't attend. They¢ expressed wishes to be kept informed¢ and involved. Apparently, a few of the¢ original member groups had disbanded.¢ Now NEAR*US will attempt to contact¢ former members and bring them the new¢ services that NEAR*US will provide.¢ Those assembled quickly established¢ that Jon Mordosky, vice-president of¢ LVAUG will chair the new organization,¢ and that there will be a second¢ meeting on March 18, 1995, hosted by¢ hosted by the OL' HACKERS A.U.G. at¢ PLAINVIEW Library at 999 Old Country¢ Road, Plainview N.Y.¢¢ It was recognized that Atari user¢ community consists of both user group¢ members and unaffiliated -- perhaps¢ isolated -- Atari users. Therefore,¢ NEAR*US will attempt to gather and¢ disseminate information about Atari¢ dealers and repair facilities, user¢ groups, and sources of help and¢ information. We will support all Atari¢ products, whether computers or video-¢ game systems. To accomplish this,¢ NEAR*US intends to outreach to Atari¢ users by using commercial on-line¢ services, networked and individual¢ User Group BBSs (including the NEAR*US¢ and International Atari Networks of¢ PRO), the Info Atari Digests on¢ InterNet (USENET), print publications¢ such as Current Notes and Atari¢ Classics Magazine, user group¢ newsletters, etc. For the first time¢ in its history, NEAR*US will also seek¢ the active involvement of non-user-¢ group BBSs and networks that support¢ Atari computers. It will not dictate¢ the platform on which such a BBS¢ operates. The BBS must not engage in¢ software piracy. It was also made¢ clear that the tone of friendship and¢ comaraderie, help and support,¢ education and sharing that has¢ characterized Atari user group¢ meetings over these many years will be¢ encouraged and strengthened in the¢ revitalized NEAR*US.¢ For more information, please¢ contact Jon Mordosky on GEnie. His¢ GEnie address is J.C.MORDOSKY, and he¢ will be happy to direct unaffiliated¢ users to user groups and other sources¢ of information, service and support.¢ He will also be able to help the¢ sysops of non-user-group BBSs and¢ networks as described above get¢ involved. NEAR*US is alive, well, and¢ functioning again! "Spread the word!"¢¢ Alan Sharkis¢ *****¢
