Re: Local Groups
Re: Local Groups
- Subject: Re: Local Groups
- From: Johan Yokay <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 17:23:21 -0700
On 9/24/02 8:56 AM, "Claude Mathis" <email@hidden> wrote:
>
> 1. Online UG support people in rural and suburban areas - It may be nice in
>
> SD where a 10 min. drive could get you to your meeting, but in suburban and
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> rural areas it can be a 45 min or longer drive to the closest UG.
>
>
San Diego happens to be the largest city in the United States in
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terms of square miles. Many members do not come to every meeting and
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some have never attended.
If they don't come to the meetings then the are obviously loosing out... How
can your meetings be a "benefit" to a group unless a member can use that
benefit. In an online group, you remove physical barriers that prevent
people from coming to your activities.
>
>
> 2. UG Provide More Useful Help - If a member needs help using a rare
>
> graphical programming interface ProGraph, I can refer him to another member
>
> of ours. If a member needs help finding if he can use his current Airport
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> card in France we have someone to help him. Usually no question is outside
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> the limits of our user group where at a local level with only 50 people,
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> they are somewhat limited in their knowledge to what's common.
>
>
We have over 500 members and have the same ability to "refer" people.
>
Most User Groups have an online forum (BBS) as we do, that is open to
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the public so we don't have to rely on only our members ability to
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know the answers to problems.
I'm betting that the diversity in the demographics of your group won't be as
large as an online only group. We've solved problems to some off the wall
issues and been able to do it in several different languages.
>
>
> I've been to Community groups that have a help session and its verbal help.
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> So members go to the meeting and try to remember what they were told to do.
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> Wouldn't it be easier just to get help from a video tutorial or website link
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> right when you get home?
>
>
Our Special Interest Groups offer hands on tutoring.
How often? Probably not 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Its actually quite
possible to reach another member for assistance at about any given time due
to the different time zones around the world. Plus, non-assisted content is
always available.
>
>
> 3. Costs are lower with Online UG
>
>
I agree. We do charge $36 per, but by the time you deduct the
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MacFixIt Pro subscription and free annual BBQ our members receive
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they are only paying about $2 for their membership.
We offer our own discounts and promotions which means we would actually be
paying members to join our group at times.
>
>
> 4. Ease of Guest Speakers/Presentations - Its seems very easy for me to
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> arrange guest speakers/presentations with any company that I want where with
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> a physical group you have to wait for the person to come on tour to your
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> location which can come at an incontinent time. We're usually able to
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> schedule pres. Near upcoming product announcements.
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>
With a group as large as ours, that doesn't seem to be a problem.
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There's also something to be said for a face to face demo where you
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can ask questions of the presenter. Something that can not be had
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using a video tutor. Plus, many new members do not know how to get
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online and find the information they need. We show them.
We host chats where you can ask questions to the presenter live.
I agree, if a person does not know how to get online, then they will have
trouble finding an online only group. Fortunately, getting online has been
easier than ever before.
>
> I see online-only groups as
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> the future of User Groups since they provide an easy way that busy people
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> can access information.
>
>
It sounds like what you are describing is the Internet and you don't
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need to belong to a group to access it. It's obvious that our members
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see something different in what we have to offer than what you
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perceive.
>
You could go to the library and read every book there - it may not be a big
issue for you. But if you're looking to interact with a community of people,
you might turn to a book club. Sure the internet's out there - but it lacks
the inclusive community that an online UG provides while browsing the web
for Mac stuff.
Another important thing that an online UG provides besides community
integration is trust. The internet can be a scary place out there and
finding which sites to trust can be an issue. But when you have an online UG
on your side, they can help guide you to trustworthy places on the web.
>
> With the enhancements of the web with Java, more
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> graphics, broadband etc..., its becoming closer and closer to actually
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> touching and feeling the person.
>
>
"Java, graphics, broadband" = Personal interaction? Not for some of us. ;-)
>
>
So far, you haven't listed anything that a physical group can not and
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does not deliver. There are a great many online news and referral
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services out there. We refer members to them all the time.
>
>
Perhaps our group has been lucky in that it has grown over the years,
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when others have folded. Many members have told us that they stay in
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the group for the sense of community, not for just the information
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they receive. Many of us look forward to that "meeting after the
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meeting" where we share a meal and swap stories. Our members have the
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added bonus of recognizing a smiling face and sharing an evening with
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friends that can not be replaced by the exchange of electronic data.
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(as virtually real as some may think that is).
Unfortunately, you've only seen my side as an online UG advocator. I
recognize there are very important advantages to a community group and that
everything that there are a lot of important things that you can't do on the
web.
Its also important to note, although it seems like you have a great group
available in San Diego - there are many situations/places where that9s not
the case and something is needed to fill in for people who don't live in a
place with a large user group such as yours.
My hope to everyone, is that we realize that there ARE advantages to both
groups and the best result comes when they synergize and work together. It
is possible to get the best of both worlds.
Johan Yokay
President
AIMUG
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