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Now that I’ve had a little time to settle into the
“big chair” I’d like to share with you my top priorities for the next
year.
1) Start podcasting the general meetings. Podcasting our meetings will
allow us to reach a broader audience and allow members who aren’t able
to attend meetings to stay informed.
2) Re-establish the Video SIG and return DACS Presents to public access
cable. When I joined DACS in 1993 we had a SIG that video taped the
general meeting, edited the footage and then aired it as a public access
cable show called DACS Presents. Personally, I think we need to bring
back the video SIG and DACS Presents for two reasons… First it will help
us reach a broader audience. Second it adds value for our members. At
one time or another we’ve all missed a meeting that covered topic we
where interested in. Video taping our general meetings will allow us to
build a video library that ensures you can see the presentations you
want when your schedule permits.
3) Add a blog to the DACS website. We’re in the process of redesign our
web site to make it easier for visitors to navigate and hopefully easier
for us to maintain. While I think our current web site is great resource
I’d like to find ways to do more with it.
4) Stabilize our membership and start to grow the organization again. As
I said last month user groups in general are struggling with declining
memberships and trying to find relevance in the world we helped create.
Stabilizing our membership isn’t going to be easy but I do believe we
can do it.
Help Wanted
To make this agenda work DACS needs you. We need members who are willing
to share their time and talents with other members.
Our two most pressing needs are people with experience in video
production and public access cable who can help us rebuilding the video
SIG and bring DACS Presents back to “airwaves”.
Second, we need to find a new Public Relations Coordinator… The PR
coordinator prepares the meeting preview for dacs.doc and distributes
press releases announcing the general meetings and other DACS events the
local media.
If you’re interested in either of these opportunities and would like
discuss them further you can reach me at 203-748-6748 or by e-mail at
jasetaro@mags.net or jasetaro@yahoo.com.
Commentary
Golf is a stupid, stupid game… Last month I confessed to you all that I
would rather be playing golf. This month I can honestly say I’d rather
be writing this column. For a reason known only to the golf gods my game
has gone the way of wound balls and persimmon woods. So after a couple
frustrating outings I decided to sit down and pen this column.
In many ways I’m a traditionalist, I don’t like the idea of change just
for the sake of change. I suppose that’s why I stuck with my old
persimmon driver and wound ball even when everyone around me moved to
titanium drivers and solid core balls. I did change when it became
apparent that the only way I was going to remain competitive was to take
advantage of the new technology.
So what does all this have to do with computers? Simply this, while I
was thinking about how all the technological improvements in golf clubs
and balls has changed the game of golf in the last 20 years it made me
think about how the growth of the internet and explosion of malware has
changed personal computing. It made me to wonder…
Has Windows out lived its usefulness? Maybe… Personal computers are
supposed to be tools that enhance our productivity, communication &
entertainment. Unfortunately with all the viruses and spyware that
plague Windows systems, they are becoming more off hindrance than a
help. I’m not ready to give up my Windows PC but I’ve become convinced
that many typical home or small business users would be better off
migrating to a platform other than Windows. The only question that needs
to be answered is what platform?
Personally, I think the Mac OS is the best alternative to Windows
currently available. The Mac OS is UNIX based, it’s stable, user
friendly, compatible with Windows networks and many of the programs
you’ve used for years like Microsoft Word and Quicken are available in
Mac compatible versions.
Should your next computer be a Mac? Maybe… If you use your computer
primarily for common computing tasks like e-mail and Web browsing; word
processing, spreadsheets and presentations; working with photos or
video; and playing or creating CDs or DVDs you’ll find a Mac is perfect
for you.
That’s it for this month. Your questions and comments are always
welcome. You can reach me at jasetaro@mags.net or jasetaro@yahoo.com.
Cheers;
Jeff Setaro
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Presidential
Ramblings
