Chuck Joiner’s Macintosh User Group (MUG) Center Web site acts as a clearinghouse for MUG activities, which means every week he posts a hodge-podge of news from groups around the world. This week he leads off with his latest User Group Report, in which ApplePickers’ Bob McLaughlin talks about his group’s second annual film festival and the serendipity that led to selecting a judge who loves user groups; Apple Campus Group Advisory Board’s Evan Chaney covers activities in the planning stages at schools around the United States; and Macintosh Users East’s Jim Foster discusses his creation of a database of Canadian MUGs. The User Group Report is available in streaming QuickTime or as a downloadable MP3 file.
Last week, Joiner announced the start of a regular survey at the MUG Center, and this week he delivers the first results. In response to the question “What is your group’s dues structure?”, 44 percent of the 158 groups who participated said that they charge between US$11 and $30 annually. A survey response page covers all the results, and Joiner has now posted his next question: “How does your group raise money?” You can visit the MUG Center to respond; the results will be posted next week.
Upcoming MUG meetings include TidBITS publisher Adam Engst’s visit to MUG ONE and a .Mac overview at AppleQuerque MUG on Oct. 5. In addition, the “Focus on Apple User Groups” chat will be held on the World Without Borders Web site the same day. On Oct. 6, Strait MUG will cover FileMaker 7, Apple Network Managers Assoc. will present “Networking FileMaker,” The Rest of Us will host “A Conte Concert with Russ Conte and the Apple Apps” and Santa Fe MUG will introduce “Photoshop with Robert Barnes.”
On Oct. 7, Silicon Mountain MUG will give the floor to a Final Cut Pro demonstration, LOGIC will present “Starry Night,” MUGPort will offer an overview of Apple’s Keynote software and Northwest Apple Pickers will ask “What’s Up with Linux?”. On Oct. 8, ApplePickers has a visit from Apple’s MUG-hopping Dave Marra planned, Atlantic City Area MUG will go “Group Safari Surfing,” Long Island MUG will start up GarageBand and Brigham Young University MUG will explain “Web Design Made Easy.”
On Oct. 9, New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology will host the first eXpo Conference for Macintosh Computer Users and Kiwi MUGs will be on hand to help, Florida Association of Computer User Groups will hold their Fall Conference, South Australian Apple Users Club will let members buy, sell and swap used equipment, ApplePickers will break out the red carpet for their second annual film festival, Charlotte Mac Workshop will listen to iTunes and The NorthWest of Us will bring in MacSpeech and Apple representatives to demonstrate iListen and the new iMac G5.
Finally, Oct. 10 will see Thailand MUG go over “Keychain & AppleJack” and Oct. 11 be a day for fun as Oxford MUG presents an overview of gaming hardware and software. Looking ahead, North Jersey MUG will bring in Daniel East to present “Public Notice: (and they do!) Small business stand-out promotion methods” on Oct. 14. North Jersey MUG is part of the Mid-Atlantic Apple MUG Team, which announced on Monday that Frank Petrie has stepped down as its Technology/Products Specialist, to be replaced by Dennis Sellers in the role of Technologies Director. East is president of the group.
Check each MUG’s Web site for meeting times, locations and entry fees, if applicable.
Macintosh User Groups interested in seeing their events listed on MacCentral are welcome to send us their news. We post roundups of MUG events and gatherings each week.
If you’re wondering what user group events are happening in your area, visit the MUG Center’s online calendar. Apple also hosts a user group site where you can look for a MUG near you or find out how to start your own group.