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u
UNITED COMMODORE
USERS GROUP ASSOCIATION
Here are some Questions and
Answers about the United Commodore
Users Group Association (UCUGA).
Gaelyn Gasson askes:
<< if a User Group joins UGUGA, does
that mean it's newsletter MUST become
part of the Digest, or can the group
continue to publish it's own
newsletter? >>
Rolf Miller answers:
If a User Group joins UGUGA ($25
per year, $35 overseas), the group
will receive one issue of the
Commodore Digest each month. The group
MAY utilize the Digest as their local
newsletter by copying and distributing
it.
Or, because the cost of copying and
mailing is about the same as the cost
of indiviual membership ($15 per year,
$25 overseas), the group MAY choose
(as some have) to use the Digest as
their local newsletter by enrolling
their members in UCUGA to receive the
Digest directly.
Or, the group MAY (as several
intend to do), utilize material from
the Digest for their own newsletter.
Gaelyne:
<< In the situation above, would there
be any advantage at all for the
joining UCUGA? >>
Rolf:
The spectrum of Commodore use today
is quite broad, with "power" GEOS
users running the Wave, laser
printing, etc., on one end and "stock"
users on the other end making the most
of their machines in today's computer
world.
In times past, User Groups for the
most part could boast a membership
representing both ends of the
spectrum. As a result, all members had
the benefit of information pertaining
to most, if not all, aspects of
Commodore use. Furthermore, the
newsletters of that day reflected this
and, as the result of newsletter
exchanges which in effect created a
brotherhood of User Groups, members in
the whole community profited.
Today, unfortunately, this is no
longer the case. As membership
declines, groups lose their breadth,
which in turn fosters more decline.
And as User Groups fall by the
wayside, those remaining become
isolated.
The goal of United Commodore User
Groups Association (UCUGA) is to
reconstitute the brotherhood of User
Groups to the benefit of all members
of the community. UCUGA intends to
accomplish this by publishing a
newsletter (the Commodore Digest)
which presents "fresh" material in
every issue to enhance all aspects of
Commodore use. In addition, since many
User Groups today no longer produce
newsletters, member groups are given
space in the Digest for reporting
local activities to facilitate using
the Digest as a local newsletter.
The advantage to joining UCUGA,
therefore, whether a member group
chooses to use the Digest as their
local newsletter or to supplement
their own, is the synergy which comes
from like-minded enthusiasts combining
forces.
Gaelyne:
<< Some rumours/grumbles I've heard is
that UCUGA is in direct competition
with other User Groups that are
struggling now as it is. How do you
respond to this? >>
Rolf:
UCUGA is not a User Group. UCUGA
doesn't function as aUser Group. It
rather is an association of User
Groups. Its sole purpose is to
reconnect User Groups into a community
for the benefit of all users. It is
believed the key to this the
publication of information meaningful
to all users.
If I might be so bold, the
competition decimating what's left of
User Groups today is the lack of
information telling members how they
can currently utilize their Commodore
64/128 in a useful way, regardless of
which end of the spectrum their use
resides.
The remainder of the questions and
comments pertain to Dale's discretion
as Publishing Editor of the Digest.
(See UCUGA 2)
Gaelyne Gasson and husband Ron run
the VideoCam and C= Homestead web
sites.
Rolf Miller is the Managing Editor
of Commodore Digest / UCUGA