Graeme Moffatt Apple Regional Liaison: Oceania October 2003

Hello,

Time for an update as to what's been happening around our part of the world as far as Mac User Groups are concerned.

I have recently received a letter as secretary of my own group from another group in New Zealand. They acknowledged our invitation to their members to participate in our recent MovieFest competition but noted that unfortunately by the time they got the notice, it was too late to advise their members. Stated was the reason that it can take up to five weeks to pass information to their members by way of their monthly magazine.

I find this difficult to accept in today's world, as in the days of sailing ships, it took less time than this to get news between New Zealand and Australia. We are now in the 21st century and have many electronic communication technologies at our fingertips yet some groups are still relying on snail mail as their primary means of communication between their executive and members.

My group sent a questionnaire to its members a couple of years ago and found that around two thirds of the members had access to the internet and were able to receive email. At an informal survey at a recent meeting, this number was closer to 90%. Consequently, our group is now in the process of phasing out its paper magazine and is replacing it with updated information on our web site. This can be updated at a moments notice and provides a much better delivery than a magazine ever can.

Many groups see web sites as only a means of generating new members and place enough information there for prospective members to glean a little about what their group is about. This is fine but is totally under-utilising the capabilities of web pages. They can also be used to inform members and pass on useful and up to the date information. In the case of the MovieFest, we announced it to our members immediately following the committee meeting that authorised its undertaking. This was a full three weeks before the next paper magazine was due to be posted out yet we were still able to advise our members of what was coming up. This was backed up with an email message sent to the announcement list we maintain.

It is encouraging to see other groups making great strides in utilising internet technologies and I would like to congratulate both the Palmerston North Mac Users Group in New Zealand for the introduction of their web site and the Apple Users' Society of Melbourne (AUSOM) on the launch of their new awesome looking website.. Both these sites have a clean and well structured style and I invite you all to take a look at them.

Now on to a different topic. I am currently having discussions with Apple Australia over the role of user groups in the overall scheme of things and the help that they could offer groups. They are showing a keenness to assist us however it is important to note that this is a two way street. Merely holding monthly meetings and encouraging friends to use and buy Macs does not constitute a great deal to offer Apple in return for freebee software and the likes.

Apple Computer is a large organisation and can exist quite successfully without us and by and large already does. If we wish to ask them for help, we must be prepared to offer them something tangible in return. We need to collectively give some thought as to ways we can assist Apple to promote its brand in a way that brings benefits to us all.

My group recently sought some sponsorship from the New Zealand Apple dealership and were donated two eMac computers along with a copy of Final Cut Express. This did not come without a cost to ourselves. We entered into a partnership arrangement whereby we provided them with publicity in the form of television advertising and other media publicity concerned with the MovieFest competition.

There is a good possibility that we could all get assistance with some software, however there will be stringent conditions as to its use. This is something we must take seriously as any violation of the terms will undoubtedly mean the cancellation of the assistance to us all. If anyone can think of a way they feel we can assist Apple to promote their brand and help user groups to maintain and grow their membership base, please let me know and I will pass it on.

I recently received an email from Frank Wade of the South Australian Apple Users Club and I feel this is worthy of passing on to you all. Thanks Frank for passing this on, we need to hear more of the benefits that can come about from belonging to a Mac user group.