Hi,
Welcome to fall, and for many groups, the start of a new year. I hope your summer has been the best, and that this newsletter finds you and your group doing great! My apologies for running so late with this newsletter (It's still September, right ?) I've been on overdrive for awhile, and attempting to find "normal" :)
There's a lot happening around the region, and, as usual, the bulletin for September is below. A big thank-you for all of you who've put me on your mailing list, or are sending me your newsletters! I really enjoy hearing what's coming up, even if it is just a regular meeting.
And, as a gentle, friendly reminder - please make sure that your information in the Apple locator is updated - I don't want to have you drop into a black hole. The most critical time is when there's a change in officers or officer contact info. You can get to the locator here: http://www.apple.com/usergroups/find/ (just click on Edit on the right side).
Until October... enjoy the changing colors & beautiful fall weather, and stay cozily warm around the Mac Fire!
Cheers!
Chris Kiltz
NW Regional Liaison
Apple User Group Program
"Catch the MUG BUG, get involved!"
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MacCamp - October 15 - 17
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MacCamp is a weekend retreat for User Group members that includes classes, recreation, networking, and social activities. This fall, if you're a musician, you'll find yourself at home in the Music Cabin, otherwise, you can learn how to put LP's on CD, all about Advanced Color Management, Filemaker Databases, back by popular demand - Final Cut Express & Maintaining Your Own OSX System.
The full details on the upcoming weekend are at PMUG's site - register soon, there's less than a month left before the registration deadline.
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MUG Happenings
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With summer vacation over, it's back to the "classroom" for many groups. Here's what's happening around the region...
Mac Apple Club of Spokane, WA
A big thank-you to MACS for letting me be a part of their last meeting (9/20). Thanks to iChat A/V, I was able to share on some resources for MUGs and MUGs in the big picture (how MUGs fit into Apple as a company). They also presented the new iMac G5, and Tiger rumors.
South Puget Sound MUG, WA
The South Puget Sound Macintosh Users Group met on September 14. Their presentation dealt with matters that should be considered BEFORE buying a new Mac. It was based on the tenth in a series of "Take Control" eBooks published by Adam Engst, publisher of the excellent, free weekly newsletter TIDBITS.
Black Butte MUG, OR
BBMUG started their year back up with an Airport Express presentation, along with a mini tour of the "helpful Mac website of the month" on September 16. Madeleine (their ambassador), shared this tip of the week... enjoy & pass it on...
"My OSX tip of the week: How Big Is the Trash?
One OS 9 feature missing from OS X is the ability to easily see how many files are in the Trash, as well as the total amount of disk space they use. But this information is useful when you want to perform a quick safety check. If your Trash contains 38.6GB of data, you probably want to verify that you didn't accidentally drag your iTunes Library into the Trash.
An easy way to get this information in OS X is to open the Trash by clicking on its Dock icon, type 1-A to select everything in it, and then type 1-I to open the Get Info window. The Get Info window will reveal the number, type, and size of the items in your Trash. If the file count and size match what you expect, then go ahead and empty the Trash. If they don't, maybe you should dig in the Trash for some buried treasure."
Ashland MUG, OR
AshMUG started back into their year on Sept 14 with a presentation on how to create a multi-media family history presentation using iTunes, Photoshop, QuickTime & Final Cut Pro (iMovie works too...). They've added the nifty feature of being able to provide a webcast of their meetings, so you can join in... Find out more at their website: http://www.ashmug.com
Big Sky MUG, MT
BSMUG met Sept 2, and enjoyed the highlights of the Macworld Expo in Paris - and the unveiling of the new G5 iMac
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Important News
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Q4 2004 Mailbox (This came out in the Aug 10 QuickBytes) The Q4 2004 Mailbox is now available & shipping for user group ambassadors to order on Apple Sales Web. This rendition contains the latest sales materials, presentations, tools and promotions as well as videos from WWDC 2004. Order one for your group today.
Apple Sales Web
http://sales.apple.com
Part Number: L305098A-US
Is Your Website Working?
I tend to browse & see what everyone's got going on, and I end up with quite a few "not founds..." - Since a functioning website is important for the Apple locator (how people find you), your locator listing could be put on hold if your site is down.
Are you tapping into one of the best MUG resources online? Besides the resources that Apple provides with ASTO & ASW, are you taking advantage of a free online resource? Run out of meeting topics, need newsletter content, content for MUG cds, want to be able to take in the knowledge shared at UGU & UGLC, wonder what's happening in the MUG world? Get your MUG meetings on the event calendar, stay abreast of the latest resources for leaders - content is added daily, so you've always got something fresh to enjoy.
The MUG Center is your one stop resource for literally tons of information. If you systematically browse the left bar, you will be there for hours, lost in mountains of information that is guaranteed to help your MUG fires burn hotter.
http://www.mugcenter.com/
