[RE: .Mac $$]
[RE: .Mac $$]
- Subject: [RE: .Mac $$]
- From: email@hidden
- Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 21:15:43 -0400
>
Good Point Rick. Though there are probably more than just a dozen of us
>
scrambling right now... how about those MUGs with no budgets, or even
>
lower
>
member dues (ours will take five members to sign us up for this first
>
year).
>
Many of our user groups get by with the help of members who volunteer
>
their
>
time, talent, know-how and equipment to keep then running--for free of
>
course. Free stuff is invaluable to us.
>
>
Others to feel the loss -- then you have school teachers using Macs who
>
love the ability to transfer all the work that they complete at home in
>
the evenings so effortlessly once they
>
get to school the next day just by accessing their iDisk. or placing
>
their
>
homework or the week's overview online for students and parents.
>
>
Follow that to any other smallish organizations with barely enough
>
budget to
>
keep them just being able to have a meeting location or that have to
>
expend
>
their small finances just keeping them running through out the year for
>
whatever
>
equipment they may need to use. Whoa...
>
>
Several other organizations I'm involved with have had to go through the
>
same
>
experiences lately, pay to use websites and email, some will not be able
>
to
>
offer this easier access. From a worldly perspective, things are not as
>
simple
>
anymore.
>
>
It really is not that surprising in light of other recent internet sites
>
who
>
used to be free, but due to increased cost and revenue loss, began
>
charging for
>
its content, i.e. MacFixit, Yahoo, etc. The main stream bubble has
>
burst and
>
it would eventually mean that Apple would also join the bunch.
>
Unfavorable to
>
us users, but a business is a business, isn't it.
>
>
The UG mentality is different in that, user group people, aren't here
>
for the
>
monies the groups make or what comes to them materially for the most
>
part.
>
It is a benefit for sure, but we are in it for the value we see in
>
socializing,
>
sharing what we've learned, showing others what we find is so awesome
>
with some
>
piece of software or hardware, then helping someone feel just as
>
empowered as we
>
feel in using our Macs! While we may use some of the same business
>
practices as a "real" business, we are still homely, humble groups of
>
people sharing the love of Macs and nothing more.
>
>
Sometimes these differences of perception don't see the same direction
>
ahead to
>
the finish line...what we need to do is to sometimes traverse the
>
unpopular
>
roads to get back on track and if needed, show the bigger wheels up
>
above that
>
there is a better way to make it a win-win for everyone.
>
>
One lonely cog in the machinery, with the help of others, can make for a
>
>
smoother running machine or they may become squeaky enough that a
>
redesign is
>
the only way to make the machine worth so much more to the user and its
>
maker.
>
>
Sometimes that 50% is to our gain, at other times its to our detriment.
>
>
But I say this kindly, we user groups are a strong, hardy bunch that
>
WILL make it work even if we have to change a few things here and
>
there. Going through the harder times, makes the upswing that much
>
sweeter.
>
>
And while it may seem that I'm pulling for Apple on this decision...I've
>
already emailed Mr. Jobs stating my dissatisfaction on this. My comment
>
-- "what were you guys thinking?!!!"
>
>
JMHO
>
>
Macbeth
>
NCMUG of OH!
>
>
email@hidden wrote:
>
>
> One other thing we have to remember, there are at least a dozen MUGs
>
that
>
> have their web postcard/page/sites on mac.com. They are there most
>
likely
>
> because they are small and can't afford web hosting let alone a domain
>
name.
>
> For them it was easy to put up a notice "were here, come to meetings
>
on
>
> Tuesday, at Joe's house". No need to know HTML, no webmaster required.
>
>
> Everyone knows where you are. They may not be able to budget for a $50
>
(2 new
>
> members dues) yearly expense.
>
>
>
> Rick
>
> _______________________________________________
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