 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Ash Nallawalla ash@melbpc.org.au |
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PC Update team
Having found a new Assistant Editor last month, we have now lost her. The position will be left vacant for a while. It is also disappointing that some subeditors have either not logged on the BBS or have lost interest in helping. While the remaining team members have picked up the slack, this won't go on forever. If they cannot help, they should resign from the team or tell me if they need some assistance. I suspect that some are intimidated by the tales of the time we spend on the magazine. All lies! Even if true, the whole idea of involving more people is to lessen the individual workload.
More changes
New style guides for authors and PC Update team members have been uploaded to file areas 60 and 61 respectively. Please make it a point to follow those guidelines if you are writing for us or are involved in its production.
Article submissions should go to the office address on disk or as files on the BBS in file area "PCUP," and not to Gary Taig or Peter Smith directly. That will not speed up the process.
I don't believe in abusing volunteer labour and one more change I have made is to reject applications for free ads if they come to us on paper (fax or post). Advertisements keyed into messages on the BBS will also have a very slim chance of success: give us a file on the BBS or on disk. Although Murray Nelson has kindly keyed them in for us for a long time, I expect sellers to afford the price of a disk or the time to upload a file. As incorrect phone numbers have been published in the past, there is a practical angle too.
Cheap, practically free
I knew you would read this. Micrografx is bundling three great products into a "Designer Power Pack" for a special user group price of $195, compared to the RRP of $245. This is about $1395 below the original price of the combined products:
Micrografx Designer 4.1TE, Micrografx Picture Publisher 5.0, and
Kai's Power Tools 1.0. Note that this product is only available on CD-ROM. You need to quote your membership number and phone (02) 939 6433. Offer expires on 30 June.
We need advertising
Please help our cause and tell advertisers that you saw their ads in PC
Update. That might be stating the obvious, but it might just make the difference between a 48-page issue and a bigger one. Even if you don't buy something, it helps us all when you mention PC Update, for it means that someone is reading the ads.
June meeting
The June meeting features the Internet and anything else Stan Johnstone and
Ray Beatty can find for us. I need four or five users to join Richard Solly and me on the stage to speak briefly about something they do with the Internet. Not necessarily technical, but something that satisfies your interests and professional activities. No, the Penthouse and Playboy home pages would not be a suitable topic of discussion! Please send me an e-mail soon.
Internet news
We are rapidly approaching our target of 1000 subscribers, so if you miss out then you could be waiting a while before we expand again. The application form is in the March issue of this magazine, and if you don't have it, then phone the office for another form. It is great value for $90 a year for 90 minutes a day, with no further charges. You would pay less, for the actual fee has been pro rated until March next year, so that all subscribers have to renew on the same date. This is mainly to prepare for volume charging, which has got to hit us one day.
The majority of subscribers went for a SLIP/PPP account, and a handful went for Shell. I can count UUCP accounts on one hand. Most SLIP users have loved the SLIPKIT software, which has had most people up and running within five minutes. A few have failed totally or partially, mainly for failing to read the instructions, but some had genuine problems. The Communications SIG will hold another "Desperate and SLIPless" evening, so make sure you go to that one if you cannot get SLIP to work automatically.
I call on experienced users to help others by responding to BBS messages. I also ask people requiring assistance to read old messages because most of their concerns have been addressed before. The BBS is the main support vehicle. Always say what software and hardware you are using, as this shortens the process for you.
Happy surfing!
Reprinted from the May 1995 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
