Mac users in the Shenandoah Valley Mac users in the Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Mac User Group was established in November of 1984. Being located some 129 miles from the nearest metropolotin area, in the "backwoods" of Virginia, a number of enthusiasts of this new-fangled little box knew they would have to fend for themselves.
A regional Apple dealer, who had been strong in the sales and support of the Apple II product line in the educational arena, became the group's headquarters. We were launched... and we were having FUN!
Shortly thereafter, Apple established their "AppleLink" online service, and SMUG became the first "SMUG" with official Apple registration number 155. Members who were already active in both Compuserve's "MAUG" Apple User Group Forum, and GEnie's "APPUG" User Group Forum, then helped launch DELPHI's USER GROUP PROGRAM in 1986.
Two years later, officer Fred Showker got a call from Apple with a request to help establish a User Group Forum on the next online project undertaken by Apple called "AppleLinkPE" which was the "personal edition" of AppleLink. Most of you already know that the rest is history... ALPE because eWorld, failed and was sold to Quantum Computer Systems, in Vienna, Virginia. A year later, Quantum changed the name to "America Online" ...including an already well-established User Group Forum headed by Jerry Kline (of Arizona Mac Users Group) and Fred Showker of SMUG!
Today, AOL's User Group Forum has now been replaced with The User Group Network with Fred Showker currently a founder and leader. Fred has also served on Apple's "Macintosh University" and presented at every Macworld Expo until 2005. He also delivered the first "Desktop Publishing" presentation at Apple's "Apple World" in 1987 and helped Adobe introduce their new "Photoshop" in his "Great Graphic Tips" presentation in 1990. He has served on Apple's User Group Advisory Board from 2000 through 2005. He was a founding member of Apple's "UG University" as well as the UG Academy.
SMUG has been responsible for "seeding" other regional groups, including Charlottesville Virginia's "Charm" and the Winchester "Apple Valley" user group. We've also been a valuable force in the general user group community at large. In 1987, we were represented at Apple's APPLE WORLD.
Members of SMUG have participated in NAUG, NAUGC, and NAUGSAWs since the beginning. In 1988, we all got food poisoning together at the Texas meeting! In 1989, it was the SMUG PD library (one of the largest in the country at that time) which seeded the NAUGC PD/CD with graphics and fonts. At this time, PD/CDs were rairly rare, and this collection went on to seed many other public domain CD productions for user groups all over the world. In 1990, SMUG member Fred Showker, in concert with Don Rittner's popular "Mac User Group News Service" joined with Don, to originate the name "NAUGSAW" and the universal "Hand-with-Mouse" logo.
In 1989, the SMUG newsletter was awarded third place in the MacGuide Desktop Publishing awards for Newsletters, and in 1997 was recognized by David Pogue (New York Times) as one of the best Mac publications in the industry.
SMUG continues to provide a valuable service to Mac users in a 5-county area including Harrisonburg and Rockingham County of Virginia, Staunton and Augusta County, Waynesboro, New Market, Shenandoah County, Luray, and even parts of Franklin, and Pendlton County West Virginia.
We're in the Shenandoah Valley, Harrisonburg, right along INTERSTATE 81, about 129 miles from Richmond VA, via I-64/I-81, about 90 minutes from the Washington D.C. Beltway via I-66/I-81, just 68 miles South of Winchester, VA, and 90 miles North of Roanoke, VA. so if you're traveling through, look us up!
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BlueRidgeMac, the Apple computer retailer and service business based in Woodville, is reaching out to a larger market, with plans to open a second store in Harrisonburg, Virginia, scheduled for May 12 in the new location in the Town Center at 182 Neff Avenue in Harrisonburg. Information will be sent to all SMUG members. See: BlueRidgeMac.com/
Review Mac Books: Want to review any of the latest Macintosh books? Just Ask!. 540-433-8402
Thank You.
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