Re: AUGD: No .Mac for Australian MUGs
Re: AUGD: No .Mac for Australian MUGs
- Subject: Re: AUGD: No .Mac for Australian MUGs
- From: Nicholas Pyers <email@hidden>
- Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2006 11:37:57 +1000
On 15/04/2006, Greg Sharp wrote:
Specifically what are Oceania
MUG Groups entitled to and what exactly do we miss out on and why?
I believe the US user groups get regular monthly mailings from
Apple, access to promotional materials, access to Apple resources
like Apple Stores, staff, Store demos, etc. Of course, being at the
bottom of the globe Australia doesn't have a significant Apple
corporate presence so these resources are not available to us for
geographical (it's physically impossible) and financial reasons
(it's costs more than it does in the US).
I would imagine that most European user groups have similar
resources available to them as the US user groups because they're
located on the same continent, and have an Apple corporate presence
on the continent.
Of course this is just my undestanding of the situation, and I'm
happy for others to correct me.
Dale Gillard
Coffs Harbour Apple Macintosh Users Group
My experience is that Australian Mac User Groups get most, if not
all, the benefits US groups get. This wasn't the case just few years
ago, but now my experience suggests that we get the same as the rest
of the world.
We can get regular mailouts from Apple in the form of the Apple
Mailbox, a series of CDs and DVDs that contain many useful things
including Sales Presentations (I've used many of these to present to
AUSOM and CVMU, two MUGs here in Victoria, Australia), Training
Course material, and demo/review software - To gain access to this,
you have get a member to become an Apple Ambassador for your group
and then they sign up for the Apple Sales Web (ASW) and then you can
order this stuff for a very reasonable fee - I think the Mailboxes
are only US$7.50 each.
We can order a review copy of certain applications like the latest
retail OS, iLife and iWork for just US$5 each (one copy per MUG).
Other applications are often included on the Mailbox DVDs or for
download via the ASW - like Mac OS X Server is available on the
Mailboxes and Apple Remote Desktop 3 which was just released is
available as a free download from the ASW for FREE for MUGs to demo/
review.
As to US MUGs developing relationships with the Apple Stores, that is
apparently on a store by store basis and very depend on the
individual manager of the store. Here in Australia we don't have
Apple owned stored (yet) but there are plenty of Apple Centres (Apple
branded resellers) and independent resellers, many of whom have
developed relationships with their local MUGs (well probably the
other way round ;) I know I've held MUG meetings in a AppleCentre
before and there are other MUGs (Greg's included) that meet in a
resellers store - it is all a matter of developing a personal
relation with the managers of the stores and showing them benefits of
been associated with your MUG (basically the dealers are after extra
foot traffic through the door, and hopefully this translates into
sales for them). Or many dealers will sponsor a MUG. I personally
just had access to a 17" iMac Core Duo for nearly three weeks so I
could give a couple of presentations - "Thirty Apple Years - A
Celebration... Through Their Advertisements" and "Intel - Wait or
Upgrade Now?" and I know of many MUGs who have dealers sponsor their
monthly fund raising raffles.
<http://www.nicholaspyers.com/thirtyappleyears/>
<http://www.nicholaspyers.com/presentations/20060412-intel/>
As to getting Apple staff along, I know the two MUGs here in
Melbourne Australia get Apple staff along at least once or twice a
year, if not more often but then we have a regional Apple office here
in Melbourne. Regional areas, like Coffs Harbour, where Dale is
based are a few hours drive from the closet Apple office (Sydney) so
it isn't very practical to get Apple staff out there :(
Apple does have a corporate presence in Australia - a very large (and
"new") set of offices in the Hilton Building in Sydney (where the
2004 Olympics where held) and a office in St Kilda Road, Melbourne
(where the Commonwealth Games were just held last month). They also
have a small office in Perth, Western Australia (on the opposite side
of the country/continent)
And, one MUG even used to meet in Apple's own offices here in
Melbourne, before the office relocated to smaller premises.
However, other opportunities exist for smaller groups. I know a few
groups here in Australia and overseas who are utilising iChat AV to
get other people involved that distance and other factors normally
would preclude. And this is apparently quite successful - if well
planed and tested before the meeting - don't leave it for the last
minute.
Also, call up upon non-apple resources - I now offer presentations to
any MUG in Australia and these can be based on material obtained from
the ASW or my own unique content. In fact, I find that many people
prefer non-Apple presenters - because they can get a broader
opinion. Although I must say, I've dealt with many presenters from
Apple (and other large corporations) and find that they do present
very well.
<http://www.nicholaspyers.com/presentations/>
Any MUG, including Australian groups, can apply (via the appropriate
link in the ASW) for Apple branded merchandise for use in raffles,
prize draws etc - I speak from experience here - I have ordered stuff
FREE OF CHARGE from Apple User Group Relations in the US and had it
shipped here to Australia 3 or 4 times now AT NO COST!
The resources are there - if you know how to access them - starting
with the ASW. If your group doesn't have access to the ASW, then
contact your Regional Liaison and they'll help you get the ball rolling
Also check out places like The MUG Center and The Apple User Group
Advisory Board
<http://www.mugcenter.com/>
<http://www.apple.com/usergroups/contact/ugab/>
They often have many resources/offers that apply to groups in and out
of the US.
For Australian specific resources and assistance, checkout my own
site and AUSMUG
<http://www.nicholaspyers.com/usergroups/>
<http://australian.macusersgroup.org/>
Also make sure you stay in contact with your regional liaison - don't
wait for them to contact you - feel free to email them with your
queries, issues etc - they are there to help and I know Graeme
Moffat, the RL for Oceania (which includes Australia, New Zealand and
many of the Pacific Island nations) has helped myself and many others
out with problems and queries.
There are also many within the UGAB that have assisted me and others
with many things.
--
Nicholas Pyers, Macintosh User Group Resources
email: email@hidden
web: http://www.nicholaspyers.com/usergroups
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