He may not be as well-known as Jef Raskin or Steve Wozniak, but Guy Kawasaki’s name is still prominent in the history of Apple Computer and the Macintosh. In honor of that, Macintosh User Group (MUG) Center Web site editor Chuck Joiner recently let his readers know that MUG members can pick up Kawasaki’s latest book, “The Art of the Start,” together with a SanDisk 128MB Cruzer USB flash drive for US$34.95. You can find all the details at The MUG Center, which acts as a clearinghouse for user group news.
In other MUG news, Adobe has set Jan. 13, 2005 as the date for its annual User Group & Professional Association Breakfast at Macworld Conference & Expo San Francisco. Company representatives Terry White and Dave Helmly will be on hand to present the latest Adobe products. Joiner also notes that you can hear Arizona MUG president Alex Podressoff during the Oct. 1 edition of The Mac Night Owl, an Internet radio show with archives available online, and that last week’s survey question revealed that 98 percent of the respondents raise funds for their MUGs with regular dues. You can view the rest of the most popular fund-raising tactics and respond to this week’s question — “How does your group publicize meetings?” — at The MUG Center.
When we covered upcoming MUG meetings last week, Portland MUG’s Oct. 11 get-together wasn’t yet listed on The MUG Center’s events calendar. It’s there now, with a note that Microsoft’s Mira Patel and Matthew Centurion will stop by to talk about Office 2004 for the Mac. On Oct. 12, Apple’s John Allen will visit central Fla.’s Mount Dora MUG, Apple’s Dave Marra will present to Princeton MUG, Apple Australia’s Joe Cox will drop in on Apple Users Society of Melbourne and Tulsa Users of Macintosh Society will hold a celebration in honor of its 20th year in existence. The Tulsa group was founded the same year the Macintosh computer was released.
Oct. 13 will see Virginia’s Club Mac of Hampton present Project Timer Pro, Indiana’s Serious MUG offer an iPhoto organization tutorial, Bellingham, Wash.’s Whatcom MUG serve up “Stump the Wiz,” Joiner’s Penn.-based Hershey Apple Core show off Office 2004 and Boston MUG witness a Web browser shoot-out. On Oct. 14, Calif.-headquartered East Bay MUG will showcase database software developer 4D, Laguna Woods, Calif.’s Leisure World MUG will welcome Prosoft Engineering’s Gordon Bell and Wash. state’s Port Townsend Seriously Laid Back User Group will have a low-key talk about studio lighting for photographers.
East Bay MUG’s Web site seemed to be experiencing an error that prevented it from loading as MacCentral posted this article.
Heading into the weekend, Portland MUG will hold MacCamp on Oct. 15, 16 and 17 while Apple Corps of Dallas will bring in Stone Design’s Andrew Stone for an overview of the company’s graphic art software on Oct. 16. On Oct. 17, Queensland, Australia’s Apple-Q and Downers Grove, Ill.’s DuPage Apple User Group will both celebrate 25 years in business.
Mac users living in England should note that Oxford MUG’s presentation on gaming hardware and software, which was originally scheduled for Oct. 11, will now be held on Oct. 18. Finally, well-known tech columnist Andy Ihnatko will stop by New Jersey MUG on Oct. 19 to help another MUG celebrate 20 years of user group happenings. Joined by author Sharon Z. Aker, the two will cover all things Apple- and Mac-related.
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.