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User Group Network / UG Network / UG Help Files / UG Favorite Meetings / Online Meeting Programs
 Favorite Meeting Programs
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Meeting topics sent in by Bill Achuff,
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Shoot Out, or Dueling Applications
- Takes some coordination, but lots of fun. Two (identical) computers are required,
and two projection systems. Have two of your pros take the same task and perform
it simultaneously. Works great with PageMaker and QuarkXPress ... Illustrator and
FreeHand ... Photoshop and Live Picture. The moderator has to watch what each operator
is going, and may ask questions, and point out different techniques. DO NOT ask company
reps to do this...they will not want to, but the audience will really love it...picking
sides, and casting barbs.
- MUG Shots
- Have one, or several, members show what they do with their computers. What you
are really looking for are activities, not necessarily software proficiency. One
member should be given half an hour (minimum) with additional time for Q&A. Two
or more (not more than 4) should be given 15-20 minutes each. Have the previous presenter
answer questions while the next presenter sets up.
- Computers Level the Field
- Invite a challenged individual to show the group what they can do with a computer.
It really warms the heart to see how omeone who is wheelchair bound can move around
the world in cyberspace. If it is a young person that you invite to present, you
will probably find the parents will help...and they will be THRILLED, as will the
youngster. GET PRESS COVERAGE!
- Shareware/Freeware Demo Night
- Have the Shareware Librarian talk about what is available in the group's shareware/freeware
library and demo some of the better programs. Make it a recognition night. Give the
SW Librarian an award. Offer disks at discount. Give a special discount coupon to
the library's best customer. Ask people who are using shareware/freeware to vote
for their favorite program(s). Send the publisher(s) a list of the top ten. Publish
the list in the newsletter. And this is a REAL winner. [A UGA program] Ask members
to bring in copies of their cancelled checks showing shareware registrations. The
person having the paid the greatest amount of shareware fees gets a check from the
group ($25-$50), or a copy of commercial software. Bill will help any group that
wants to do a registration recognition night.
- Literary Night
- Ask members to bring in their favorite books, or at least an excerpt from their
favorite book, and share a tip, or technique with the rest of the group. Great books
include Mac and Power Mac Secrets, The Macintosh Bible, Little Mac Book, etc. The
publishers will send you books (to raffle) for a program such as this.
- Extended Family Night
- Great program to fill in when a presenter cancels. Have each member tell the
rest of the group something that they enjoy doing when NOT using their Macintosh.
Sounds unusual since most meetings are very Mac centric. But the Macintosh, it has
been said many times, is a lifestyle choice, not just a computer. UGA does this at
its MacDinners. People form new friendships once they learn more about their fellow
members. Folks are now playing golf with one another and fishing, sharing in volunteer
activities, shopping for antiques with one another, trading stamps and coins, etc.
- We Can Live Together (or Working with the Dark Side)
- Many group members work in mixed platform environments, yet that reality is seldom
addressed at MUG (or PCUG) meetings. Have a program where all (or most) of the cross
platform issues are addressed. Describe and demonstrate programs like SoftWindows,
Virtual PC. Talk about PC cards. Talk about sharing files between platforms. Sending
files from a Mac to a PC over the Internet (different compression programs and naming
conventions, et al). Show how to network a PC and a Mac. And here's the winner. Invite
a PCUG (or MUG) to assist with the demonstration. Finish up with an arm wrestling
competition.
- Open House
- Make an overt effort to invite new folks to a meeting. Display hardware, and
run demos, maybe, but have each member who invited a guest introduce the guest to
the rest of the group (much less intimidating that having strangers get up and talk
about himself, or herself). Who to invite...the pastor of your church, your child's
teacher, your local politician, a reporter, your neighbor, your WIFE or HUSBAND (in
most groups only ONE adult member of a family comes to meetings), etc. Cater the
meeting...lots of refreshments, standing, talking, greeting, and sharing. Helps boost
membership.
- Unsung Heros
- This can be part of a regular meeting, or a meeting in itself. This can also
be done in conjunction with User
Group Academy. Honor your unsung heros. Give awards, certificates, prizes, et
al, to those who have...done something for the community, helped out in the group
(recognize the volunteers), the person who brought the most new members to the group,
those that have received recognition in the community but were not recognized for
that achievement before the group, etc. Nice if the activity is computer related,
but DON'T limit the areas of recognition.
- Music Night
- Show what the Mac can do with musical peripherals, MIDI, et al. Show how the
Mac can be used to play music CDs, to edit music, to dub music into videos, etc.
Backups - Although we should all do it, many do not, few do it frequently enough,
most do not know the best ways or all the alternatives. Members ask, how, what, and
with what? What's the most reliable, easiest, and most economical way to back up;
can you have it all? This is a great program to attract vendor support.
___ Specifically, talk about tape, CD-R, CD-RW, Zip,
Jaz, SyQuest (all) MO, et al. Talk about utilities like Retrospect, Data Saver, Norton
Utilities, et al. Talk about full backups vs files only. Talk about full backups
vs sequential vs rotating. Talk about synchronizing backups (laptop to desktop),
and cataloging backup files.
- Turn on the Lites
- Have a program where the lite versions of applications are compared/contrasted
to the full versions, eg, Photoshop LT vs Photoshop, Eudora Light vs Eudora Pro.
Have users describe the reasons for upgrading, or staying lite.
Wee Willie Webber - (That means something to folks who listened to WFIL in the '60s)
Have the group's Webmaster take everyone on a quick tour of the group's Webpage.
Get immediate feedback from members. Let WM explain how (and why) he/she did "it".
Heap praise on the WM. Combine this presentation with a related program, or something
completely unrelated. It's good fill in, and a good follow-up if the site is changed/improved.
- Accessorize your Computer
- (You'll love this topic, Fred) Talk about digital cameras, the PalmPilot, the
Message Pad, video cameras, digital tablets, et al. Not recommended as a full meeting
program. Can be more tell than show.
- More?
- Rather than go into detail, now, here is a list of programs that Bill has organized
and/or helped present over the years...
- How to create a comfortable work environment (1-2 hours)
- Scanning for everyone (1 hour)
- Choosing monitors (.5 hour)
- Printer options (1-2 hours)
- Modem options (1-2 hours with .5 hour updates)
- Comparison shopping series - Contact managers, databases, word processors, font
utilities, utilities (general), etc. (1-2 hours)
- Tour a member's, or a vendor's workplace. We went to see MacWAREHOUSE in NJ (order
taking) and OH (shipping).
Bill Achuff has been an active pundant
in the User Group community for more than 15 years. He promotes and hosts the "Mac
Dinner" for Mid-Atlantic user groups. He as helped not only start more than
a dozen user groups -- but continues to participate and help grow those groups in
the Pennsylvania and New Jersey/Deleware region.
He's willing to listen and perhaps help your group with future projects!
Remember: The help you get is equal to the help you give.
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