Chuck Joiner, editor of the Macintosh User Group (MUG) Center Web site, announced on Monday the launch of a new blog that promises “writings, ramblings, proclamations and prognostications from the front lines of the Apple community.” His first entry focuses on taking “The Art of Traveling With Your Mac” — a session held during last month’s Macworld Expo — and turning it into a MUG Meeting topic.
In other news, the Apple Sales Web site, which is accessible to representatives from Apple-recognized user groups, has been updated with new materials designed to help MUG leaders present Apple’s latest hardware and software to their members. One of those new products, the iWork ’05 suite, will be supported by The AppleWorks User Group, which will incorporate information about Pages and Keynote 2 in future issues of its AppleWorks Journal publication. The group will also ensure that its library of AppleWorks word processing templates are compatible with Pages.
Apple’s other recent major software announcement, iLife ’05, has ties to Winona State University’s Student Mac User Group, which has announced its fourth annual Make a Movie Contest. Prizes will be awarded in three categories — Most Original Concept, Most Innovative Use of Technology and Best Storyline — and projects are due Feb. 21, with a screening of all the entries planned for March 1.
Finally, Joiner has updated The MUG Center with his latest survey question: “What is your group’s annual budget?” His last query asked respondents to rate the MUG events at last month’s Macworld Expo. The Adobe User Group Breakfast was rated “Excellent” by 99 percent of them, followed by the User Group Booth’s 49 percent “Excellent” rating. You can view all the results at The MUG Center.
This week’s user group meetings start on Feb. 1 with the User Group Leader Chat at the World Without Borders Web site. Meanwhile, Fresno MUG, AppleJAC, Palm Beach MUG and XMUG review Macworld Expo highlights, with XMUG also welcoming LaCie’s Jerry McLean. The same day, Applequerque MUG looks at Final Cut Pro, Omaha MUG presents “Art for Non-Picassos,” LOGIC explains how to build and test a basic Web site and Danbury Area Computer Society covers cellular wireless uses beyond voice and pictures.
On Feb. 2, MacValley MUG brings in ProVUE Development’s Jim Rea to present Panorama; The Rest of Us looks at Quark XPress 6.5; San Diego MUG reviews iLife ’05 and iWork; MacCruzers and North Pittsburgh MUG review Macworld Expo; Computer Society of Cape Cod presents “Using HOBO Loggers;” Club Mac of Hampton covers “iKey 2 and Steve W’s OS X Utility Pack;” and Strait MUG demos Grammarian Pro X and Adobe InDesign.
On Feb. 3, Bux-Mont MUG welcomes Apple’s Dave Marra for a chat and Silicon Mountain MUG looks at iWork. On Feb. 5, Australia’s AUSOM brings in Apple Australia’s Joe Cox; Apple Corps of Dallas presents “Video & the Mac;” a ProVUE Development representative visits Orange Apple Computer Club; Seattle Xcoders and dBUG team up for “An Introduction to Mac OS X and Cocoa Programming Workshop;” and MacMavericks examines “Docs to Go.”
Macintosh User Groups interested in seeing their events, or other prominent news, 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.