APCUG Reports
July-September 2006

Seniors Helping Seniors (SHS)
and UGHUG (User Groups Helping User Groups)
Paul Paulson, Rancho Bernardo Community Computer Club
San Diego, California
Region 11

During their meetings (every Saturday for SCG; last Thursday of each month for RBCCC) members give help to each other and get help from each other. Each meeting usually includes one or more formal presentations by members as well as a Q&A session in which questions by members are answered by other members. In addition, some members volunteer to be on call for individual help by phone or email.

A higher level of service, UGHUG, occurred June 28 when Fred Wassserman of the SCG gave a presentation at the RBCCC. After Fred explained and demonstrated How To Clean The Computer Registry, a floppy disk containing his notes and additional information was provided free to everyone present.

Another example of this higher level of service occurred earlier when Robert Parker of the RBCCC gave a presentation at the SCG meeting on June 16. After Bob explained and demonstated how to use OpenOffice.org, a CD containing the full OpenOffice Operating Program was provided free to those who wanted to try it on their home computer.

There are many other local examples of this higher level of service:

• This was Fred’s third appearance at RBCCC.

• Hank Drayton appeared twice as a guest speaker at RBCCC. Hank donates copies of his lessons to the library where members can get a free copy.

• Fred Hiatt also gave a presentation at RBCCC

In years past, marketing departments of software publishers and hardware manufacturers would send professional guest speakers with free samples to computer groups, hoping to reach potential customers. But when more competition caused a drop in prices for hardware and software, marketing budgets for free speakers and free samples also dropped.

Now, education programs of local computer user groups need more help from volunteer speakers. Good volunteer speakers are in short supply so neighboring computer user groups share what they have.

The annual high point for Computer Groups Helping Computer Groups occurred in San Diego July 13-15 at the Southwest Computer User Group Conference organized by Judy Taylour and Patricia Hill and their colleagues. Go to the webpage http://www.swugconf.org for examples of high-level public service by computer user groups.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please contact Paul at ppaulson@san.rr.com