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Newsletter
Count on your fingers the number of times you have been told:
"and with your membership, you will receive our monthly bulletin." It comes to
you in the mail and goes limp in your hands. "BORING."
Cincinnati Download comes to you and starts working for you on Page 1. Your eye catches
the new General Meeting subject: Example: Microsoft Windows 2000 at the November 8th, 1999
meeting. When will MS Win 2000 hit the streets? Who knows? They say when the bugs are
worked out. But you as a Cincinnati PC User Member will have had an advance look at the
new program long before the general public sees it.
On Page 1 also is a handy index so that you can spot the articles
that most interest you in this month's Cincinnati Download. Members of the group
will bet you that you will read the 16 page newsletter cover to cover.
Page 2 (inside front cover) will fool you. It looks like a lot of names and phone numbers.
Even some e-mail addresses. But here is the heart of the PC Users function: "Users
helping Users."
On the left side are all the names of officers and board members and their personal phone
numbers. On the right side of the page are the names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses
of Cincinnati Download's
volunteer editorial staff.
And below the staff is a treasure of help. The Help Line offers the names and phone
numbers of users who have volunteered to answer questions from members. Too many
subject to list here, but here are a few examples: Word Perfect, Word, Windows,
Visio, PageMaker and more. In addition, you are given phone numbers and the time slots in
which the advisor is available for questions.
If you have recently tried to contact a major software or hardware vendor, you will
understand what a real blessing our volunteer help line is: a real and knowledgeable
person to talk to who will try to help you reach a solution to your problem.
Members have found the Help Line a wonderful service and are careful not to abuse the
privilege.
Page 3 is a preview of the current meeting. The November issue had a full page with
"gobs" of information and instructions.
Page 4 is entitled the President's Platform. Ideas, facts and previews are generously
dispensed by the president. Like all of our info pages, you will read it in plain and
understandable English.
Page 5 is unusual. You get to read about the previous month's Board Meeting. How
many organizations give you the background of the running of the group?
Page 6 covers the presentation of the past general meeting. Facts, ideas and photos
present you with a good idea of how the presentation went. Sometimes we all miss an
important meeting, but thanks to this recap, you can get the gist of the evening.
On Page 7 you are presented with two monthly calendars of events. The current month and
the following month are shown with all meetings and SIGs listed for each month.
Page 8 offers SIG Reports. When you are interested in Special Interest
Groups, you can read about the previous meeting of the SIGs such as: Internet, Office
Products, Game Player, Word Perfect, Word, Windows, and Hardware which is donated so that
good computers can be
furnished to handicapped and needy individuals. A full listing and meeting
information is yours on Page 10 of this issue of Download. The remaining pages of Download
are reviews made by individuals who take new software, work with it on their own
computers and report to the group on the impressions and experiences they have had. Nice
to get an unbiased view before you buy software.
The inside back cover tells you more about the Cincinnati PC Users Group. A map showing
the location of the General Meeting held at the Cincinnati State
College Evendale Training Center
is offered, as well as written directions from the Interstates.
The back cover will have your address on it when you join CPCUG for only $35.00 a year.
This low fee allows you, your spouse, and children 18 and under residing at the
same address to attend and participate in any and all activities.
By Harvey Zwerin
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Cincinnati PC User Group