 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Carol Daniels cad@melbpc.org.au |
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When I first joined the PC Update team I barely knew Ash Nallawalla and Peter Smith. I knew their work, PC Update was already a valued part of my Melb PC membership. The intensity of putting out a monthly magazine meant that we couldn't stay strangers for long. We're all friends now (of course Ash and Peter had already known each other for quite some time) and we have a good time working together. So I'm sorry to report that due to other commitments Ash has reluctantly resigned as Managing Editor of PC Update.
He is, I'm happy to report, remaining part of the PC Update team, as Reviews Editor. So we will continue to benefit from his dedication and expertise.
Ash has been a fantastic Managing Editor, and before that Editor. For me, he's also been a mentor. It would have been impossible for me to take on the editorship without Ash's guidance. He, quite wisely, introduced me to the demands of the role in steps, in order to prevent me from running, with my hands thrown up in to the air, screaming, "I give up, there's too much too do!" He gave me good advice when I asked for it and respected my abilities and judgement.
Every member of Melb PC benefits from the long hours and hard work Ash puts into PC Update (and virtually every other aspect of the group's operation). I want to take this opportunity to thank him publicly for the help he has given me.
I'll still be working with Ash, on PC Update and as a member of the APCUG Board of User Group Advisors or as it is more commonly called, the BoDA. Ash has been active in APCUG for many years. He has served on the BoDA himself and he is currently serving on the APCUG Board of Directors, as Vice-President. I have recently been selected to fill a vacancy in the BoDA, and not surprisingly I've been assigned to work with Jerry Stevens of the Personal Computer Club of Toronto in Region 8 (that's all of the world that's not the USA).
Melb PC is well represented in APCUG activities, our own Richard Solly is a member of the APCUG Internet Subcommittee and (along with Ash) an APCUG System Administrator. Richard has also been instrumental in the setup of APCUG's new Wildcat BBS. I've been using it for APCUG business and PC Update work too. It's easy to use and very versatile. I can hardly wait for our own BBS to make the switch to Wildcat later this year.
Magazine delivery (or not)
Last month Stan wrote in his CPU about late (and sometimes non) delivery of PC Update. Although the PC Update team cares if you don't get your magazine - or you don't get it on time - we can't do anything about it. But the Melb PC office can! If you don't receive your copy by the Friday prior to the monthly meeting (which is always on the first Wednesday of the month) do call the office (03) 9699 6222. They will arrange to have a copy sent to you immediately. If you post a message on the BBS in PC Update Discussion or on the Internet, in melbpc.pcupdate, it will get you sympathy, but it won't get you your copy of the magazine.
Tips and tricks
Another thing Stan wrote about in his CPU column last month was how much our members appreciate tips and tricks. George Skarbek was first out of the blocks, you can read George's tips this month. Will you be next? Everyone has some little trick that makes computing easier, faster or more fun. Have you streamlined a tedious task with a macro or found a hidden shortcut to a useful function? If so, share your knowledge with your fellow members.
Submissions
Yes, it's my regular reminder that we need submissions for PC Update. Upload your submissions (plain ASCII text only, no Word or WordPerfect files please) to the BBS (file area PCUP). Check upcoming themes in the front of each issue and download the style guidelines from the BBS before you start writing. All reviews are commissioned by the Reviews Editor, Ash Nallawalla, and all review material is sourced by him.
We print only original material or material for which we have explicit, verifiable permission to reprint, from the original author. Please do not submit material copied from newsgroups, web sites or other Internet resources, or other magazines, unless you have verifiable permission from the original author.
April meeting
This month our special guest will be Gene Barlow of PowerQuest. Gene is a fantastic presenter and PartitionMagic (reviewed in this issue by Stan Johnstone) makes tasks - once only attempted only by the brave or foolhardy with heaps of time to spare - amazingly simple and trouble free...as if by magic!
Following the great success of our February meeting, where members turned out in record numbers to purchase CyberMedia's First Aid Deluxe (at a very attractive price) the committee has decided to look for similar opportunities.
Reprinted from the April 1997 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
