NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #19/NN_1992_19.iso/spool/comp/sys/sgi/12880

Text File | 1992-08-25 | 19.2 KB | 543 lines

Newsgroups: comp.sys.sgi
Path: sparky!uunet!destroyer!gatech!gsusgi1.gsu.edu!gsusgi1.gsu.edu!syscrc
From: [e-mail] (Randy Carpenter)
Subject: SUMMARY: Known SGI User Groups
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Organization: Georgia State University
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 00:48:04 GMT
Lines: 533


                         SGI User Groups                       (8/25/92)

Here's a summary of information about 17 known SGI User Groups around
the world.  There are probably more groups than those listed here, so
if you have information about a group, use the template found at the
end of this post and send me some e-mail.  Also, some of the information
is incomplete and if you can fill in the blanks please let me know.
If you have any suggestions or comments about the summary, please
contact me.  Thanks.

                                           Randy Carpenter
                                           Georgia State University
                                           Wells Computer Center
                                           [e-mail]

Known SGI User Groups:

   1. Albuquerque Silicon Graphics User's Group.
   2. Atlanta SGI User's Group.                       (that's us! :)
   3. East Bay SGI Users Group.                       (San Francisco area)
   4. Houston SGI Users Group.
   5. Huntsville SGI Users Group.
   6. Langley SGISIG.                                 (Virginia)
   7. Los Angeles Silicon Graphics Group.
   8. Melbourne Silicon Graphics Users Group.
   9. The Naval Research Laboratory SGI User's Group  (Washington, DC)
  10. Ottawa Area SGI User Group.
  11. The SGI Israeli Users Group.
  12. Silicon Graphics Gebruikers Groep.              (Netherlands)
  13. Silicon Graphics User's Group of Nova Scotia.
  14. SGI User's Group.                               (Washington, DC)
  15. St. Louis SGI User's Group.
  16. South Texas SGI User's Group.
  17. The University of Illinois SGI User's Group.

Rumored SGI User Groups (non-authoratative reponses):

   a. German SGI User's Group.
   b. Minnesota SGI User's Group.
   c. NSWCDD (Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren) SGI User's Group.
   d. San Diego SGI User's Group.
   e. Silicon Graphics UK Academic User Group.


Observations:

  a. Fifteen groups use a "SGI User Group" type name, one group uses a
     "SIG" (Special Interest Group) type name, one uses a foreign name
     and the rumored ones don't count yet.  So, the de facto standard
     user group name is:

            __________ Silicon Graphics User's Group.

  b. Only one of the groups collect meeting cover charge; all other
     groups are free-of-charge (i.e. no membership fees or cover charges).

  c. SGI seems to strongly support the local user groups.

  d. Most of the groups meet 4 times a year but a couple of really
     active ones them meet every month.

  e. The oldest known group is the Huntville SGI Users Group (1987).

  f. The largest average attendance looks like a close tie between
     South Texas and Huntsville (around 100 attendees).


Details:

  1. Albuquerque Silicon Graphics User's Group.

       Group contact:    ?

       SGI Liaison:      Margaret Herrera
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Albuquerque, New Mexico
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     Februrary 13, 1992
       Meetings/year:    ?
       Num. of members:  ?
       Avg. attendance:  ?
       Membership fee:   ?
       Meeting cover:    ?
       Free form text:   The first meeting was in Februrary.


  2. Atlanta SGI User's Group (formerly Atlanta IRIS User's Group).

       Group contact:    Randy Carpenter, UNIX Administrator
                         Georgia State University
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI Liaison:      George Smith, Systems Engineer
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         1100 Abernathy Rd. N.E.
                         Building 500, Suite 1120
                         Atlanta, Georgia 30328
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     October 2, 1990
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  75
       Avg. attendance:  25
       Membership fee:   none.
       Meeting cover:    none.
       Free form text:   The ASUG elects no officers and charges no
           membership fees or cover charges for meetings.  The group is
           mainly alive through archistitic volunteerism and is populated
           with visualization professionals from a wide spectrum of
           commercial and non-commercial institutions.  SGI gracefully
           foots the bill for the cost of mailing our meeting notices and
           provides nibbles for our meetings.  Our meeting format is:
           1) gather/admire demos, 2) introduce new people,
           3) announcements, 4) questions/answers, and 5) the speaker.
           Both SGI and Georgia Tech have hosted our meetings.  The ASUG
           e-mail list is [e-mail].


  3. East Bay SGI Users Group.

       Group contact:    Tom Spelce
                         Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Susan Rosconi, SGI
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         3000 Executive Parkway, Suite 410
                         San Ramon, CA 94583
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     February, 1992
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  approx. 90
       Avg. attendance:  50
       Membership fee:   none.
       Meeting cover:    none.


  4. Houston SGI Users Group.

       Group contact:    Micheal Zeitlin
                         Texaco, EPTD
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Bob Pette

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Houston, Texas

       Date founded:     March 31, 1992
       Meetings/year:    10
       Num. of members:  50
       Avg. attendance:  20
       Membership fee:   none.
       Meeting cover:    none.
       Free form text:   The Houston Area Silicon Graphics Users Group
           meets on the last tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the
           Enterprise Technology Center in Houston.  The group has formed
           a charter and By-laws.  The HASGUG serves visualization
           professionals in the Aerospace (NASA), Chemical, Medical and
           Petroleum industries.  Our meetings center on a keynote speaker
           of interest to the members.  Meetings also include "information"
           sharing amoung members and reports to the group on SGI activities.
           Although focussed on visualization, the computational capabilites
           of SGI computers are also discussed.  SGI does not underwrite
           this group although we beg, borrow and steal whenever we can.


  5. Huntsville SGI User's Group.

       Group contact:    None.

       SGI Liaison:      George Smith, Systems Engineer
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Huntsville, Alabama
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     1987
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  ?
       Avg. attendance:  100
       Membership fee:   none.
       Meeting cover:    none.


  6. Langley SGISIG.

       Group Contact:    Sharon Paulson (Group Chairperson)
                         [e-mail]
                             or,
                         Tad Guy (Group Assistant Chairperson)
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Brian Hahn
                         [phone]

       SGI office        Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         6 Manhattan Dr.
                         Suite 103
                         Hampton, Virginia 23666

       Date founded:     September, 1990
       Meetings/year:    6
       Num. of members:  93
       Avg. attendance:  30
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none
       Free form text:   We have an SGI special interest group formed
           under the auspices of our Langley Computer User's Committee
           that qualifies as an SGI users group.  The group is open to
           all Langley employees (including Air Force personnel) using
           or interested in Silicon Graphics equipment.  Topics range
           from administration through use, with an emphasis on issues
           of importance to Langley users.  Meetings usually end in an
           informal question, answer, horror-story session.


  7. Los Angeles Silicon Graphics User's Group.

       Group contact:    Brian Cooper
                         Jet Propulsion Labroatory
                         (818) 354- 6298

       SGI Liaison:      Andrea Costello

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Los Angeles, California
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     Dec. 5, 1991
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  60
       Avg. attendance:  60
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none


  8. Melbourne Silicon Graphics Users Group.

       Group contact:    Terese McAleese
                         [phone]

       SGI Liaison:      To be announced.

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Melbourne, Australia

       Date founded:     February, 1992
       Meetings/year:    To be announced.
       Num. of members:  ?
       Avg. attendance:  ?
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none
       Free form text:   We are having the first meeting of the Melbourne
           group in Feb 1992.  So, while we don't exist at this instant,
           we certainly hope to soon.  Melbourne represents the largest
           density of SGI machines in Australiasia.  Silicon Graphics has
           agreed to provide refreshments for the user's group meetings.
           There are 3 large academic sites in Melbourne (RMIT, University
           of Melbourne and Monash University) as well as a number of small
           academic sites.  The commercial users include industry research
           (BHP), industry applications. The applications base include
           broadcast production, industrial design, architecture, print etc.


  9. The Naval Research Laboratory SGI User's Group.

       Group contact  : Mark Solsman,
                        code 5160,
                        Naval Rearch Lab,
                        Washington, DC 20375

       SGI Liaison    : Gerry Kolosvary

       SGI office     : Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                        [phone]

       Date founded   : ?
       Meetings/year  : 12
       Num. of members: ?
       Avg. attendance: 20-40
       Membership fee : none.
       Meeting cover  : none.


 10. Ottawa Area SGI User Group.

       Group contact:    Martin Serrer
                         National Research Council of Canada
                         [phone]
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Evan Fietz
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics Canada, Inc.
                         One Anteres Drive, Suite 100
                         Nepean, Onterio
                         K25-8C4

       Date founded:     June 13, 1991
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  40
       Avg. attendance:  36 first meeting; 8 second meeting
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none
       Free form text:   The group was established to:
           a. Create a forum where IRIS users can share some ideas and
              software.
           b. Create an informal forum where SGI can listen/talk to users.
           c. Have some fun, and maybe hoist a few.


 11. The SGI Israeli Users Group.

       Group contact:    Arie Rudich
                         Isreal Institute of Technology
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Israel Veinman

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Israel

       Date founded:     December, 1990
       Meetings/year:    None yet
       Num. of members:  20
       Avg. attendance:  ?
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none
       Free form text:   This group is intended to be a forum to
           exchange information between Israeli users of Silicon
           Graphics (SGI) computers.


 12. Silicon Graphics Gebruikers Groep.

       Group contact:    Loek Bakker
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      {andre,michiel,luc}@sgihol.sgi.nl

       SGI office:       SGI NL,
                         De Meern, Netherlands

       Date founded:     1991
       Meetings/year:    whenever the sun shines (ie. about 2 times a year).
       Num. of members:  > 100
       Avg. attendance:  ~ 40
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    varies
       Free form text:   Silicon Graphics Gebruikers Groep (thats a
            translation of Silicon Graphics Users Group !) is amazingly
            active group of highly motivated, young, dynamic and intelligent
            users who (dispite their busy daily schedule) take time to
            organize regular meetings. Since SGGG's existance there have
            been two extremely succesful meetings.

            SGGG, or SG^3 for short, also distributes a newletter which
            has all sorts of goodies, such as public domain software,
            addresses for cheap memory and exiting interviews with Dutch SG
            users.  It has been rumored that the quality of the SG^3
            newsletter is comparable to IRIS Universe. Too bad for
            illiterate Dutch readers : the newsletter is in Dutch.

            Finally, SG^3 spends most of its time figuring out what to do
            about SGI NL's outragously high prices. There are rumored
            plans of organizing a peaceful sit in at SGI NL's main office
            sometime this year, to express SG^3 concern about this delicate
            issue.


 13. Silicon Graphics User's Group of Nova Scotia.

       Group contact:    Bill Silvert (Chairman)
                           [e-mail]
                         Vivien Hannon (Chairwoman)
                           [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      None (Sirius Solutions is the local SGI dealer).

       SGI office:       None (see above).
       Date founded:     ?
       Meetings/year:    about 10 (monthly with some exceptions)
       Num. of members:  35
       Avg. attendance:  10
       Membership fee:   none.
       Meeting cover:    none.
       Free form text:   Our meetings are the first Thursday of the month at
            15:00.  Mail to the group can be sent to [e-mail]
            where it will be automatically redistributed.


 14. SGI User's Group (Washington, DC).

       Group contact:    Cynthia Traeger
                         George Mason University
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Denise Miller

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         Bethesda, Maryland

       Date founded:     September, 1989
       Meetings/year:    11 (once monthly)
       Num. of members:  100
       Avg. attendance:  15-45
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none


 15. St. Louis Silicon Graphics User's Group.

       Group contact:    Michael Wellington
                         McDonnell Douglas
                         [phone]

       SGI Liaison:      Andy Ascher
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         12400 Olive Blvd
                         Suite 450
                         St. Louis, MO  63141
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     December, 1990
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  50+
       Avg. attendance:  30+
       Membership fee :  None
       Meeting cover  :  None


 16. South Texas SGI User's Group.

       Group contact:    David M. Senseman, Ph.D.
                         Center for Information Visualization
                         The University of Texas at San Antonio
                         [e-mail]

       SGI Liaison:      Don Williams

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         San Antonio, Texas

       Date founded:     September, 1990
       Meetings/year:    4
       Num. of members:  100+
       Avg. attendance:  90
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none (buffet dinner provided by the Center)


17. The University of Illinois SGI User's Group

       Group contact:    Amy Swanson
                         National Center for Supercomputing Applications
                         University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI Liaison:      Brian Osmond
                         Account Manager, University of Illinois
                         [e-mail]
                         [phone]

       SGI office:       Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana
                         [phone]

                         Silicon Graphics, Inc.
                         1420 Kensington Rd.
                         Suite 334
                         Oak Brook, IL  60521
                         [phone]

       Date founded:     June 26, 1991

       Meetings/year:    about 6
       Num. of members:  100
       Avg. attendance:  40
       Membership fee:   none
       Meeting cover:    none
       Free form text:   The members of the user group are both administrators
            and users, so we try to cover topics of interest to everyone.  The
            group is open to everyone that has an interest in SGI - this
            includes scientists, professors, students and area businesses.
            NCSA has done a lot of development work for SGI, so we are able to
            have some very interesting demos and discussions.  We had a great
            meeting last September '91 where the NCSA Visualization group
            presented an overview and comparison of AVS and Explorer.  We are
            also working with the Chicago and St. Louis SGI offices to set up
            a series of free workshops taught by SGI on subjects of interest
            to SGI users.  In January, we hosted a "Making the Transition to
            IRIX 4.0" workshop, and we are looking forward to several
            workshops this summer.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Template:

   Group name     :
   Group contact  :
   SGI Liaison    :
   SGI office     :
   Date founded   :
   Meetings/year  :
   Num. of members:
   Avg. attendance:
   Membership fee :
   Meeting cover  :
   Free form text :
--
===========================================================================
Randy Carpenter            [e-mail]    $ mkdir matter; cat > matter
Georgia State University   [phone]      ksh: matter: cannot create
Wells Computer Center                          $