Re: AUGD: User Group Organizational Issues Opener
Re: AUGD: User Group Organizational Issues Opener
- Subject: Re: AUGD: User Group Organizational Issues Opener
- From: Paul Richards <email@hidden>
- Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 21:38:02 -0400
On Aug 7, 2006, at 9:03 PM, Allen Emory wrote:
There are 3 campus based (not open to the public) AUG's here.
Their status can change from year to year.
Yes, school based organizations can be a challenge. I had some good
communication with one near here for one year, then the next there
was no more contact.
Good luck in trying to get these groups together, I think if you
plan it out, it can work. But if it isn't something you work out in
advance, I think you risk division in the group. Of course anyone
can attend a Triangle MUG, when PC questions come up there is the
groan and eye rolling. I think PC users would feel a little left
out at our group, welcome but left out. Truth be told, I'm not
really excited to trying to encourage PC users into the group. We
have way too much to cover as it is, trying to include PC support
might be a bit overwhelming.
That may depend on your approach. One of the ground rules we set at
the beginning of our "coalition" discussions with the other groups is
that we weren't looking to merge or take over in any fashion. We were
set on maintaining our distinct identities. Instead the goal was to
explore ways that we could work together to present a unified user
group presence in the community, better arrange meeting
presentations, share ideas for volunteer success and membership
growth, etc.
We are finding that the hardware platform is less important in many
ways than it was. I just returned from a meeting of our PC users
group which presented on Web 2.0. We have had presentations on each
of the major three operating systems for the other groups. Phishing
and other Internet crime matters also are cross-platform issues.
Office and Photoshop and many other major apps are virtually the same
on either platform. There are plenty of possibilities.
I mentioned before that we have a joint membership plan that we
started recently. The idea was to encourage people who have an
interest in both platforms to also participate in both UGs. Our group
and the PC group each have regular annual fees of $30. For $50, you
can buy into both of the groups. (We also joke that the $50 buys you
membership in all _three_ groups, since the Linux group does not
charge dues.) We have people who have taken advantage of this to
cross in both directions. The number is not great, but the idea is
significant. It has also done a lot to bring the memberships into
greater acceptance of each other.
Paul Richards, Ambassador
Syracuse Macintosh Users Group
Syracuse, NY, USA
http://www.iSMUG.com
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