CFOG's PIP, November 1989, Volume 8 No. 4, Whole No. 72, page 31
CFOG Reorganizes
by Benjamin H. Cohen
At a recent meeting of the CFOG Board of Directors a few adjustments were made in the CFOG program. Perhaps most significant were decisions to reduce Sunday afternoon meetings to four a year, to be held in February, May, September, and November and to discontinue the effort to present formal programs at meetings. Sunday meetings will continue to be held at the Skokie Public Library, 5215 West Oakton, Skokie. Dates are subject to the whim of the Library staff.
December Meeting Cancelled
Note that this change means there will be NO Sunday afternoon meeting in December.
This does not mean that there will be no programs: there will simply be no program chairman. If any members have something of interest that they would like to present as a program they can leave a message on the CFOG answering machine and we'll get out appropriate notice. When a program has been set for the meeting it will (normally) be noted in the message on the answering machine, so if you call and there's already a program either you'll be sharing the program time or you'll have to wait until the next meeting.
Disk Libraries
Bob Boswell, our new MS-DOS librarian, and Gerald Pine, our CP/M librarian, have agreed to attend the four quarterly meetings, so you'll still be able to get disks copied at the meeting. In the meantime you'll be able to get disks by mail for $2 per disk.
I'm hoping that before year end both Bob and Gerald will provide us with an up to date library catalog disk. When that has been done we will make that disk -- i.e., one disk with both catalogs on it, in MS-DOS 5.25 inch or CP/M formats -- available by mail for $2. While the catalogs will continue to be updated periodicially, we'll endeavor to keep up with the new software by publishing lists of the new disks in each issue of PIP.
PIP Continues
Yes, the plan is that PIP will continue to appear. Of course, this depends on the number of members who renew their membership for 1990. After all, if our membership gets much smaller I could probably save time by simply calling up each member and telling him or her everything I know!
Like this year, the appearance of our newsletter will be a bit irregular, not necessarily appearing when there is or isn't a meeting, but appearing when the spirit moves the editor. Of course the spirit is more likely to move the editor of some of YOU submit articles that can be published, but by hook or by crook or by exchange newsletter or by modem, we'll find material to publish. By the way, one series that we're thinking of running is a longish one called the "Plain Vanilla Guide to MS-DOS" that has been appearing in Toggle, a user group newsletter from the Seattle-Tacoma area. Are you interested?
New President
We regret to report that Steve Lucius has found it necessary to resign as President. The Board seriously considered telling him that his resignation would not be accepted, but that his authority and responsibility had been removed that he would continue as a figurehead president. On that basis -- that he would not be required to accept any additional duties -- Dave Jacobsohn reluctantly agreed to assume the title (if not the duties or responsibilities) of President. Congratulations, Dave!
Downtown Sig
The fate of the Downtown SIG was not discussed at the Board meeting, but when I postponed the October meeting for a week the result was the same as it had been earlier in the year: members stay away in droves. Therefore, I have arbitrarily decided to effectively discontinue the Downtown SIG. There will, however, be four downtown meetings a year, as get-togethers for the Board and any members who want to attend. These will be scheduled for the second Thursday in March, June, October, and December. The Downtown meetings will continue to be at 55 West Monroe Street, Suite 2400.
Remote Access System
CFOG's Antelope Freeway Remote Access System will continue. We admit that only about 20% of our members use the RCPM. [About the same percentage that come to meetings.] But even those who don't run with the Antelope get benefits from its existence: (a) most of the new software that gets into the disk libraries comes in through Antelope and (b) some portion of the material that appears here comes from the message system on Antelope.
New Sysop Needed -- Maybe
There is one possible fly in the ointment: the Antelope's sysop has given us due warning that with the anticipated completion of his Ph.D. qualifying exams he will be looking for employment. Since that employment may not be in the Chicago area..... we may not have a sysop any more. Therefore, applicants for the position of sysop are solicited. Since it's considered that anyone who might be interested in this position ought to have a modem, you should leave a message for Carson Wilson on the Antelope Freeway Remote Access System [312-764-5162].
The Future of CFOG
Does all this mean that CFOG's about to go away? Well, no, not really. You'll note that we're going to have meetings eight times a year, in February, March, May, June, September, October, November, and December. If you're a CFOG meeting junkie that ought to satisfy your craving. In recent years only a small number of members have been coming to meetings, and those who haven't will still be able to get out of CFOG what they have been getting in the past.
Renewal Notices
You'll be getting a renewal notice soon. Your vote in favor of this reorganization -- in the form of a prompt renewal check mailed to the CFOG post office box -- will ensure that CFOG doesn't go away.