The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group
2000 APCUG Annual Conference
George Skarbek, Dave Botherway and John Swale

For many years Melbourne PC User Group has been a member of the worldwide Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG). The annual meeting is held in Las Vegas in November each year and runs in conjunction with the largest computer show in the USA, Comdex.
 
There were approximately 350 members from user groups worldwide, with the large majority being from USA. The format consists of series of conferences and presentations by vendors.
 
Following is a summary of some of the conference presentations and discussions. 

Recycling Computers

This was an excellent and valuable session given by the organiser of the Phoenix Project, which developed as an offshoot of a local user group. Your committee is considering the possibility in becoming involved in Recycling computers.
 
This year in the USA it is expected ten million computers will become redundant as corporations move to Windows 2000 and upgrade hardware. Some landfills will not accept computers and many are not accepting monitors. Yet there are many underprivileged schools and families that have a real need for a computer.
 
There are many aspects to this complex matter. Below are the main points offered by an organisation that has been doing this work for about eight years and has recycled over 4,000 computers.

  • Start small
  • Ensure that you have the resources in the form of volunteers, space, computers and software. Software is very important.
  • As you grow, advertise to increase community awareness and corporate awareness in order to receive computers. Seniors groups should be also considered
  • Establish connections with organisations to determine who gets the PCs
  • In the future have plans for an increase in growth. Would you be able to accept hundreds of computers delivered by a semi-trailer to your premises?
Practical points discussed were:
  • A good source of volunteers to test and build the computers are students studying computer networking.
  • A 72-hour burn-in (running testing software) reduced the return rate from 10% to 3%
  • Don't just give the computers away. If the recipient receives it for nothing, they will not value it. However, do not accept money. This can cause much additional work in accounting etc. Ask the recipients to donate some time, such as coming to collect the computers, or, if many computers are involved ask them to supply meals for a week for the volunteers who assemble the computers.
A follow-on session detailed the Ohio Technology Access Project (OTAP), where the Dayton PC User Group works with the local Department of Education and the National Cristina Foundation to recycle PCs for "disadvantaged" groups. Their work began in 1995, and so far, they have redistributed just over 2000 PCs.
 
The presentation included copies of all the key letters, forms and procedures they use, plus guidelines for equipment refurbishment. Copies have been brought back to Melbourne, and are available to any members keen to explore such a community opportunity.
 
For more USA information, key URLs are: http://www.otap.org and http://www.cristina.org 

Software Implications
 
The main problem in recycling the computers is software. Microsoft does not allow the operating system to be transferred with the computer, nor any other software. The Phoenix Project is using a free DOS system developed in Europe and word processor, spreadsheet and other software that looks like Windows but runs under DOS.
 
They have put together an incredible CD-ROM containing just about every CD-ROM driver available to make them work under DOS. Similarly for modem drivers. They have free extensive software for testing all aspects of the hardware and automated burn-in software. On that CD-ROM is their extensive manual for the steps in setting up '486 computers, Pentium with 32 MB RAM etc. and other very comprehensive manuals in PDF format. There is a manual that covers over 6300 types of hard disk, a 540 page manual giving full details on motherboards, their jumper settings and lots more, a 460 page manual called The BIOS companion with tutorials. Plus a lot more.
 
There would have been many thousands of man-hours put into this CD. They offered one per user group but they said if we give it away you would not value it so they charged one dollar. Making lunches was not practical.
 
If Melb PC starts on the recycling project, this session will have been invaluable as will the CD-ROM. 

Managing and Dealing with Difficult People

This is a problem encountered by many user groups. Dealing with volunteers makes it much harder than with employees as some of these difficult volunteers will have skills that are valuable to the organisation.
 
In the presentation, and during the discussion it was stressed that constant problems will wear out the good members and they just walk away. This represents a significant loss to any organisation.
 
Some of the more common behaviours were listed and advice was given on how to best cope with these situations.
 
Main problems covered were,
  • promising to do lots and not delivering,
  • monopolisation of discussions,
  • unpredictable and explosive behaviour, and
  • constant negative comments
T here was a good set of notes given out which also contained reference to other textbooks. Much of the advice was of a general nature such as "Never criticise in anger or during a stressful situation" but there were some other good points that may not have been considered by SIG or committee members. One such point was that a difficult person might leave without training anyone to take over and then rejoice in the idea that the group is left suffering.
 
One telling comment was "Vague criticism is the bane of all User Groups. Comments about how money is being spent or that things are not quite right seems to be a recreational pastime". It is important for any decision maker to sort out legitimate complaints from general background grumbling.
 
The full notes can be made available to any SIG leader who would like to have a copy. 

Main Meetings
 
The main monthly meeting attendance in most User Groups is generally declining faster than the memberships. Melb PC is one of the small number of groups that has not declined in membership over the years. Some US groups are down to 1/3 of their size of about three years ago, but typically the decline is by about 1/3. The groups that are increasing are those in retirement villages, or those with a very large majority of seniors.
 
However in many cases the majority of SIGs (Special Interest Groups) have growing attendances. This is an indication that computing is now covering a wide range of interests and users are wanting information about topics of specific interest to them rather then general information.
 
Saturday night SIGs with food, such as pizzas are popular in some groups that have tried this format. This is tending towards more social groups with a computing theme. Please e-mail the committee at committee@melbpc.org.au if you have any suggestions or comments that you would like to share on this topic.
 
Q&A is very popular at almost all SIGs and most user groups have these sessions. Melb PC will continue to run Q&A sessions. 

Attracting New Blood and Keeping Your Existing Membership
 
Many of the USA groups have dwindling memberships. This session explored ways that others have used to arrest this decline. In particular, some ideas that developed included:
  • Building SIGS and membership through existing Hobby groups. For example, a QUILTS SIG (Quilters Using Latest Technology for Sewing) tapping into existing Quilters groups, to forming a joint SIG.
  • Collectibles Groups - such as Antiques, where imaging and Web page activity can be used to promote their interests, and eBay type activities.
  • Bird Watching Groups - where mailing lists can be used to advise special sightings, excursions etc.
  • SIGs within retirement villages, where the village management often provide extra PC facilities as part of village enhancement.
  • Having brainstorming sessions, with someone 10 years older and someone 10 years younger - to ensure they cover the generation gap.
  • Work with retailers.
  • Have guest tickets for the monthly meeting to allow them to participate in prizes.
  • Involve new members straight away as volunteers to hold their interest, and to have them bring in new members. Remember they like to get something free when they join.
  • Market to your guest speakers and vendors to encourage them to present to the group. Emphasise "what the user group can do for you". Allow them to sell their products at meetings. Let them invite their local customers. Be a good host - look after them as they arrive and when they pack up. Follow up with thank you letters. Simple courtesys often overlooked.
  • Have simple tri-fold brochures or pads to give to prospective members.
  • Be active in the local newspapers and radio and TV computer talk shows.
  • Don't forget to market to your current members.
  • Look for offsets - eg. donation of venues for free advertising in the magazine or free training.
O verall, these sessions invited attendees to consider totally new approaches and this has particular relevance to Melb PC as we strive to broaden our membership appeal. 

Vendor Alliances
 
As vendor resources for presentations are becoming increasingly scarce, this session discussed ways to maximise supplier opportunities. By having separate clubs or SIGs arranging meetings at adjacent times where vendors needing to travel to these groups could maximise their travel opportunities.
 
For many years Melb PC was able to attract major overseas speakers and personalities in its own right. Currently we are looking at having a top quality USA speaker come to Australia, and while here, have sharing sessions at the Melbourne, Sydney and possibly Brisbane user groups.
 
Another successful idea being used by a Florida PC group is that they have established an alliance with a particular PC shop. Members visit that store in their group T-shirts providing PC advice not only to customers, but also store staff. The store provides sponsorship funds to the club while the club benefits from increased opportunities to offer membership to computer purchasers.
 
As many USA groups are too scattered and small to justify Vendor travel (akin to areas such as Bendigo, Ballarat etc), a number of vendors have prepared "out-of-the-box" presentations that are available via the APCUG Web site. As well as being useful to the outlying groups, they provide valuable "fill in" material, for when last minute speaker cancellations occur. 

Other Topics

Other more specialised topics were:
  • How to create a shareware CD with the problems APCUG encountered and various solutions. We have passed those notes to the appropriate persons.
  • How the user group can raise funds just by having members use search engines, which most already do, or visit some other sites. The money is not huge, about 1 to 3 cents per visit and the Internet team may implement this option. It will not have any impact whatsoever on your Internet performance or privacy.
  • Editorial discussion for editors and producers of club magazines. There were discussions on layout, type faces, problems of getting submissions on time, as well as general topics.
  • Cyber Crime. This session ranged from fraud and money laundering to child pornography and the dangers to children in some chat rooms.
  • Database. This looked at the various forms of membership databases used by different sized user groups and the uses to which they are put. The general problem is keeping the data current especially e-mail addresses which may be used for distribution of notices, renewal invoices or the magazine. Privacy issues were discussed.
Reprinted from the February 2001 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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