UGN InfoManager

Meeting topics sent in by Bill Achuff

Shoot Out, or Dueling Applications
Takes some coordination, but lots of fun. Two (identical) computers are required, and two projection systems. Have two of your pros take the same task and perform it simultaneously. Works great with PageMaker and QuarkXPress ... Illustrator and FreeHand ... Photoshop and Live Picture.

The moderator has to watch what each operator is going, and may ask questions, and point out different techniques. DO NOT ask company reps to do this...they will not want to, but the audience will really love it... picking sides, and casting barbs.

MUG Shots
Have one, or several, members show what they do with their computers. What you are really looking for are activities, not necessarily software proficiency. One member should be given half an hour (minimum) with additional time for Q&A. Two or more (not more than 4) should be given 15-20 minutes each. Have the previous presenter answer questions while the next presenter sets up.

Computers Level the Field
Invite a challenged individual to show the group what they can do with a computer. It really warms the heart to see how omeone who is wheelchair bound can move around the world in cyberspace. If it is a young person that you invite to present, you will probably find the parents will help...and they will be THRILLED, as will the youngster. GET PRESS COVERAGE!

Shareware/Freeware Demo Night
Have the Shareware Librarian talk about what is available in the group's shareware/freeware library and demo some of the better programs. Make it a recognition night. Give the SW Librarian an award. Offer disks at discount. Give a special discount coupon to the library's best customer. Ask people who are using shareware/freeware to vote for their favorite program(s). Send the publisher(s) a list of the top ten. Publish the list in the newsletter.

And this is a REAL winner. Ask members to bring in copies of their cancelled checks showing shareware registrations. The person having the paid the greatest amount of shareware fees gets a check from the group ($25-$50), or a copy of commercial software. Bill will help any group that wants to do a registration recognition night. [A UGA program]

Literary Night
Ask members to bring in their favorite books, or at least an excerpt from their favorite book, and share a tip, or technique with the rest of the group. Great books include Mac and Power Mac Secrets, The Macintosh Bible, Little Mac Book, etc. The publishers will send you books (to raffle) for a program such as this.

Extended Family Night
Great program to fill in when a presenter cancels. Have each member tell the rest of the group something that they enjoy doing when NOT using their Macintosh. Sounds unusual since most meetings are very Mac centric. But the Macintosh, it has been said many times, is a lifestyle choice, not just a computer.

UGA does this at its MacDinners. People form new friendships once they learn more about their fellow members. Folks are now playing golf with one another and fishing, sharing in volunteer activities, shopping for antiques with one another, trading stamps and coins, etc.

We Can Live Together (or Working with the Dark Side)
Many group members work in mixed platform environments, yet that reality is seldom addressed at MUG meetings.

Have a program where all (or most) of the cross platform issues are addressed. Describe and demonstrate programs like SoftWindows, Virtual PC. Talk about PC cards. Talk about sharing files between platforms. Sending files from a Mac to a PC over the Internet (different compression programs and naming conventions, et al). Show how to network a PC and a Mac. And here's the winner. Invite a PC group or another MUG to assist with the demonstration. Finish up with an arm wrestling competition.

Open House
Make an overt effort to invite new folks to a meeting. Display hardware, and run demos, maybe, but have each member who invited a guest introduce the guest to the rest of the group (much less intimidating that having strangers get up and talk about himself, or herself).

Who to invite...the pastor of your church, your child's teacher, your local politician, a reporter, your neighbor, your WIFE or HUSBAND (in most groups only ONE adult member of a family comes to meetings), etc. Cater the meeting...lots of refreshments, standing, talking, greeting, and sharing. Helps boost membership.

Unsung Heros
This can be part of a regular meeting, or a meeting in itself. This can also be done in conjunction with any of the User Group support organizations like the User Group Network.

Honor your unsung heros. Give awards, certificates, prizes, et al, to those who have...done something for the community, helped out in the group (recognize the volunteers), the person who brought the most new members to the group, those that have received recognition in the community but were not recognized for that achievement before the group, etc. Nice if the activity is computer related, but DON'T limit the areas of recognition.

Music Night
Show what the Mac can do with musical peripherals, MIDI, et al. Show how the Mac can be used to play music CDs, to edit music, to dub music into videos, etc. (Washington Apple Pi recently hosted Bob "Dr. Mac" Levitus to demo GarageBand. He created an entire rock song -- complete with accompaniments -- in an hour!

Backups
Although we should all do it, many do not, few do it frequently enough, most do not know the best ways or all the alternatives. Members ask, how, what, and with what? What's the most reliable, easiest, and most economical way to back up; can you have it all? This is a great program to attract vendor support.

Specifically, talk about tape, CD-R, CD-RW, Zip, Jaz, SyQuest (all) MO, et al. Talk about utilities like Retrospect, Data Saver, Norton Utilities, et al. Talk about full backups vs files only. Talk about full backups vs sequential vs rotating. Talk about synchronizing backups (laptop to desktop), and cataloging backup files.

Turn on the Lites
Have a program where the lite versions of applications are compared/contrasted to the full versions, eg, Photoshop Elementws vs Photoshop, Eudora Light vs Eudora Pro. Have users describe the reasons for upgrading, or staying lite.

Wee Willie Webber
(That means something to folks who listened to WFIL in the '60s) Have the group's Webmaster take everyone on a quick tour of the group's Webpage. Get immediate feedback from members. Let WM explain how (and why) he/she did "it". Heap praise on the WM. Combine this presentation with a related program, or something completely unrelated. It's good fill in, and a good follow-up if the site is changed/improved.

Accessorize your Computer
Pimp My Computer! Talk about digital cameras, the PalmPilot, the Message Pad, video cameras, digital tablets, et al. Not recommended as a full meeting program. Can be more tell than show.

More?
Rather than go into detail, now, here is a list of programs that Bill has organized and/or helped present over the years...
1. How to create a comfortable work environment (1-2 hours)
2. Scanning for everyone (1 hour)
3. Choosing monitors (.5 hour)
4. Printer options (1-2 hours)
5. Modem options (1-2 hours with .5 hour updates)
6. Comparison shopping series - Contact managers, databases, word processors, font utilities, utilities (general), etc. (1-2 hours)
7. Tour a member's, or a vendor's workplace. We went to see MacWAREHOUSE in NJ (order taking) and OH (shipping).

Bill Achuff has been an active pundant in the User Group community for more than 15 years. He promotes and hosts the "Mac Dinner" for Mid-Atlantic user groups. He as helped not only start more than a dozen user groups -- but continues to participate and help grow those groups in the Pennsylvania and New Jersey/Deleware region. He's willing to listen and perhaps help your group with future projects!

Remember: The help you get is equal to the help you give.

Others:
* General Meetings Ideas
* Best & Worst Night
* Holiday Night from Rick Curran
* Hardware Night
* Web & Online Night
* Software Night