 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group President's Annual Report Stan Johnstone stanj@melbpc.org.au |
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1997 - What a year!
Over the past few years there has been a certain degree of concern whenever the year 1997 was mentioned. This would be the year when our lease would run out at Albert Road, and we would have to make a major decision regarding future premises, and whether we would buy or rent.
As it turned out, the solution was made easy for us. The owners wanted to sell the premises and would not consider a lease, and the asking price was too high for the premises as they were. We engaged a valuer who considered it was not suitable as an investment, besides long-term property investment is not what Melb PC is all about.
Financial matters
For the third successive year we had a healthy surplus, as you will have seen in the Financial Report published in October's PC Update. We do not raise funds just to put away on cash deposit; our task is to raise funds for the benefit of Melb PC members and to use in our activities.
With the knowledge that something would have to be done in 1997, and the forward planning which provided those surpluses in previous years, we were ready for those changes. At the same time, over the past few years there have been times when bold financial decisions effecting the future direction of Melb PC have been made. Those decisions could only have been made knowing we had the wherewithal to fund them without drawing unnecessarily on our reserves, and enabled our positive growth.
During the last few months we have been using some of this accumulated money for what it was intended for - the development and future of Melb PC and its members' activities.
Dorcas Street offices
A lot of planning and work went into finding suitable new premises, into the planning and design, and then into the refurbishment of our new offices. And we haven't stopped yet!
We have gained a street front exposure to the public that we previously lacked. Already this exposure has attracted new members, and it has provided an attractive centre which has encouraged many members to just drop in and see what we are all about.
Facilities have been improved, and already there are plans for additional equipment and increased accessibility to features. The problem of office security which was a major concern in Albert Road has now been overcome. It has become a more attractive office to work in, and we hope it will be a more attractive place for you to visit to attend SIGs, training courses, and the like.
We also had the opportunity to install cabling for networking the whole building for all our current activities, and hopefully some of the future ones. George Skarbek's expertise was most appreciated in this part of the exercise. While a lot of this networking is still to be carried out, at least we have the cables in place to install and modify systems quickly and with a high degree of flexibility.
Internet
Perhaps one of the main benefits of the timing of the move was to be able to adopt and incorporate the latest emerging equipment and technology. This was particularly apparent with the Internet, with the installation of ISDN lines to provide 56 kbps accessibility for our members.
We were fortunate that just at the time we were ready for it, along came this new technology that is not only faster than that previously available, but also considerably cheaper. Unfortunately technology does not stand still, and in twelve months time better and faster equipment will no doubt be available. At that time we will be in the position to adopt it.
For most of this year we have held back on installing new lines and equipment because of the move that was imminent, and as a consequence we held back on promoting our Internet service and encouraging additional users. Now that these restrictions have been overcome, we can now actively promote the service again with the knowledge that it can expand readily at any time to meet the growing demand.
However, Internet traffic charges are steadily increasing, and so is our traffic volume. New features on the constantly evolving browser software mean that users can now access heavy volume material like ActiveMovie, Iphone and similar. Using FTP to download files is a constant load as software files continue to grow in size. Members are buying the faster modems now available on the market, and it may be necessary to create a new basis of charging schemes for Internet access relating in some way to the users' differing speeds. At present we are monitoring this very closely.
Our use of peering with other providers has enabled us to minimise our traffic costs, and we are looking at the possibility of mirroring some software sites in the near future. There are many ways to improve services, just as there are many ways to minimise costs, and like most things there has to be a compromise. We will continue to provide the best service possible to our members.
Bulletin board service (BBS)
Based on a detailed study of available options commenced in 1996, the BBS team recommended changes to our operating system at the beginning of this year. This was mentioned in my annual report last year, and unfortunately this still has not been implemented.
Throughout the world BBSs are closing down, and the Melb PC BBS has been continued as a convenient service to our members. It is a wonderful resource, and a quicker and cheaper alternative to other means of obtaining files and material from other sources.
Nevertheless there has been a steady decrease in the use of the BBS throughout the year, and due to this decreasing interest it would be unwise to consider to expand it any further in its present form.
In the New Year we hope to introduce an additional service-a kind of "Beginner's Internet"-that will have some of the features commonly found on the Internet but at a much lower cost. As we already have most of the equipment, it should be possible to set this system up at a minimal expense. It is anticipated that we will be able to offer e-mail facilities and the obtaining of files by FTP methods from selected sites.
Special interest groups (SIGs)
Although new SIGs have started during the year, it is now more than two years since we had a SIG co-ordinator who worked well with all the SIGs. During the year I enjoyed visiting all the groups who invited me, including two of the regional SIGs.
A few months ago I invited Joe Henry to fill a casual vacancy on the Committee, and he has since agreed to work with and undertake the proper co-ordination of the SIGs. Joe has been a Melb PC member for eleven years and has been a member of SIGs both in the city, and now as a member of the Bendigo SIG while living in Castlemaine.
None of these jobs can be done alone, but with better facilities and equipment, with better communication, co-ordination and interface with the Committee, we should be able to look forward to significant growth in this important activity. This will benefit both the local and regional SIGs, and all of Melb PC.
Unfortunately we are still waiting on one piece of equipment which will enable members to "attend" SIG meetings at Dorcas Street by means of a special camera accessed through the Internet. By providing two SIG rooms we hope that both can be used at the same time, and so overcome the problem of suitable venues. A number of other pieces of equipment and installations are planned for the two SIG rooms during the coming year.
Training
During 1996 the training equipment was upgraded. Now with the move to Dorcas Street we have the opportunity to expand further and improve our facilities in this area.
Lynn Pollock has been working throughout this year with the training team, seeking out new courses and where necessary finding suitably qualified trainers to conduct these new courses. A direct network link to the Internet is available now, which enables fast Internet access courses.
The continued support of Microsoft including the donation of software licences for their products used in training has been most appreciated.
Our changing face
I believe I am right in claiming I have spoken to and written to more members, and have been in more member's homes or had them as visitors in my own home than any previous President. With due modesty I believe I can claim to know more about our members in general terms than those whose contact is usually through only one avenue of interest.
In the early days of Melb PC the equipment we were using was pretty basic compared with today. There was little commercial software available, and although most of our members at the time had some programming experience, there was a great need to exchange knowledge and experience with others, and to try to work with the software available - which in most cases was shareware.
Today our new member has probably just purchased a fast and powerful computer often with one of the major commercial software packages already installed. The machine probably came with a modem so they are ready to connect to the wide world immediately. Although our younger members have a greater tendency to understand all this intuitively, for most members it is a baffling exercise just to know where to begin.
Melb PC's role continues to be one of assisting members in using their computers effectively. Although today's products tend to make computers easier to use, it is often the starting-off point that is the biggest hurdle for new users. It is essential that we realise that times are changing, and how difficult it can be for a new user.
Only by knowing our members can we attempt to provide the benefits and facilities they want, and I am glad that I have been able to follow through on nearly all suggestions or requests that have been made.
Visitors and visitees
This new program developed out of an idea suggested to me by one of our members. As I mentioned above, our role has not changed, but the hardware and software have changed so dramatically that the type of services we provide have also needed to be studied and upgraded.
Seeing the need for such a program I started the ball rolling, and was very grateful when Ian Felsenthal then took up the task. Ian has similar experience with the University of the Third Age, and it is now very rewarding to receive mail expressing the gratitude of members who have been the recipients of help, and from those whose reward was in the giving of assistance.
Orientation days
These monthly sessions were started early in the year to help introduce members to all the benefits that Melb PC has to offer. Originally I thought that most who attended would be new members, but I was pleasantly surprised that most had been members for some time but had never been invited along to an activity. Most had never visited the office, had never seen the training or SIG rooms, or didn't even know that there was a library to borrow books.
Now that we are in the new Dorcas Street offices I hope that more members will find the facilities on offer even more attractive and inviting. The other benefit from this is that the members have the opportunity to make their suggestions known to myself or a member of the Committee about additional features they would like to see added to our range of activities.
And of course, they all like to see the "flashing lights" - the equipment that is at the other end of the phone line from their computer. If you have never been to the office, do take the opportunity to visit on one of these days.
Seminar days
During the past two years we have held a Seminar Day on a Saturday at the Camberwell Centre. Unfortunately, while in the midst of the move this year, I did not have the time, nor anyone available to pass it to at the time when planning and preparation for the event should have been done.
I hope that next year will see us again having a presentation like those of the past, and at this stage it would appear that "Windows 98 Explained" would be an ideal topic timed shortly after its release.
PC Update
Our excellent magazine continues to be popular with the members, and as you know it is made available to both the Adelaide and Perth User Groups at the "roll-on" printing cost only. This is an example of "User Groups helping User Groups" instead of our local thought of "Users helping Users".
This is the second year of Carol Daniel's editorship. She has continued to develop the style of material that enables us all to use our equipment in a more enjoyable and efficient manner. Ash Nallawalla continues in the background handling the reviews, and finally Peter Smith, who somehow makes it all fit together and gets it to the printer on time.
Possibly the best news I can give you at this time is that this will be the last issue of PC Update delivered by Streetfile! It has continued to distress us every time we receive a call about a non-delivery - at least on these occasions we may be able to do something to rectify the matter. Of greater concern is the possible number of non-deliveries that we don't hear about, and probably lose members as a result. With the expiry of Streetfile's contract, it is almost certain that future deliveries will come to you through Australia Post.
Shareware
The Webster family has continued their excellent work during this year. New problems emerge for them as programs continue to increase in size and copying onto diskettes becomes an ongoing problem.
Under consideration at the moment is the possibility of producing a CD-ROM with software including the Internet Kits, Melb PC rules and other information, and some of the old "standards" in share-ware and freeware for all Melb PC members.
However this should not conflict with the work continually being produced by the shareware team who continue to bring us the latest and the best so soon after being released. Because of the quantity problems in producing CD-ROMs economically, it is essential that the ongoing work of shareware on diskettes continues. This is a service of special benefit to our regional members and to those who have no other means of accessing this valuable material.
New Committee
As reported by the returning officer there will not be the necessity for elections this year. There was only one nomination received for each of the executive positions, and only five nominations for the ordinary committee - in effect the new Committee is the same as the outgoing one with three members not re-nominating.
I would like to think that this is a measure of your confidence in our performance in the past year, and I certainly look forward to serving a second term as President. Morris Tobias will continue to provide his support as Vice-President, Bill Ford will transfer from Secretary to Treasurer, and Gary Taig who is a Life Member and past Secretary will return to that role again.
With its large financial turnover, Melb PC is too large to be handled by anyone who does not have senior financial qualifications and experience. By providing sound advice, the Treasurer is probably the most important position on the Committee ensuring the continued positive development of Melb PC. We enjoyed the experience and advice of Bruce Elliott for several years, and I have every confidence that Bill Ford will carry us through the coming years in a similar manner.
We regret that Gloria Simos, Jean D'Andrea and Yahya Abdal-Aziz have decided not to continue on the Committee. Some of the others who are continuing to serve were co-opted during the year for their special skills, and we welcome the return of Ash Nallawalla. I am sure they will work together as a united team in the New Year.
At the same time it is disappointing that there were not more members prepared to make their contribution to Melb PC in the form of making available their skills and experience in a committee environment.
Litigation
Last month I advised members of the writ served on us from the UK resulting from an alleged posting to an Internet newsgroup. There is little more I can add at this time, except to advise that we have responded and will be defending this case.
We acted promptly in accordance with the rules of Melb PC, and with the Internet agreement form which all users must sign as acceptance of their responsibilities.
Unfortunately litigation of all types will probably be an increasing problem in the future. At all times I have ensured that all committee decisions are made with the thorough consideration of any possible exposure that could eventuate from their decisions.
Volunteers
I cannot finish an annual report without making some mention of the volunteers who assist Melb PC in so many ways. In the office, the Internet and BBS teams, swap meets, SIGs, monthly meetings, and of course the Committee members. Without all of you Melb PC could not exist. On behalf of all members and staff of Melb PC I would like to thank you all for the wonderful effort you have contributed during the year.
Your contributions have not been possible without the support of your families, and thanks must go to them also for their tolerance and inconvenience caused by your dedicated work for others.
Towards next year
I look forward to serving you again as President. Now that the re-location of the offices is now almost complete, I hope I may be able to spend more time and represent you more widely in Melb PC activities.
Finishing on a personal note to my wife, I promise that our house will be painted in the coming year. I promise!
My sincere best wishes to you all.
Reprinted from the December 1997 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
