AWUGU Meeting Report about AUG Websites:
by Tom Piper, Coordinator
This Apple World User Group University online gathering of Apple user group leaders was held at 5:00pm CDST, on September 19, 2022, via Zoom. We had 34 participants for the topic of “AUG Websites: Dan and Others” (see attached JPG image and PDF attendance list). The 73-minute video (most of Dan’s presentation not recorded due to use of personal information) can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/JAuP-ADsHvM (unlisted on YouTube).
This session opened with my welcome, plus a quick review of the meeting protocols. Doug Smith, Chair of the Apple User Group Advisory Board (AUGAB) provided backup support during the call.
The first segment was a very interesting presentation from Dan Wassink (Dan’s Tutorials) describing how he had designed full-featured websites using WordPress specifically for Apple user groups (attached is a spreadsheet he developed showing different costs for membership sites). Many questions and comments followed.
The next segment was a detailed presentation by Bob Wood (Tucson Macintosh Users Group, bob@thinkbob.com) who also requested links to websites for other user groups to add to their current list. Then Chuck Palmer (The Villages Apple Users Group) and Ann McKay (Apple Charlestown User Group) provided brief descriptions of their websites. More questions and comments followed describing tools and services others also used.
Additional questions were asked, comments made, experiences shared and suggestions offered by user group leaders with the following excellent links providing further information:
- Steve Welsh: https://omug.usergroupresources.com
- Dale Stephan: https://mbsmug.usergroupresources.com
- George Brooks: https://www.ecamm.com
- Lawrence Decker: https://emug.usergroupresources.com
- George Brooks: https://www.elgato.com/en/stream-deck
- David Jaschke: HAAUG uses Square credit card processing: https://squareup.com/us/en
- Russ Conte: Chicago AUG uses www.machighway.com hosting
- Hope Tillman: Charlestown AUG uses www.siteground.com for hosting
- Susan Jensen: www.ausom.net.au
- Tom Piper: appleJAC UG uses TypePad: www.applejac.org
- Ann MacKay: CHUG uses WordPress.com: https://charlestownappleusers.wordpress.com
- Geof Gonter: www.NVMUG.com
- George Brooks: https://www.thevillages.com
- Chuck Palmer: forum/google groups alternative: https://groups.io
- John Purvis: CapMac https://www.capmac.org
- Betty Larsen: http://mbsmug.usergroupresources.com
- Bob Hoey: www.AppleCider.org
- John Clark: https://www.bcmacs.org
- Charles DeVore: www.pmug.org
- Carol Fortlage: www.tvaug.org
We are very pleased with this ninth meeting of 2022. Files related to this meeting (including chat, closed caption, agendas, reports and videos) are available on our AWUGU shared folder: https://www.icloud.com/iclouddrive/0kF7XwYI98VG0fqvL86PJm02g#AWUGU. AWUGU 2025 Predictions and Product Reviews may also be viewed here (more submissions are invited).
A discussion about future topics mentioned best new upgrade presentations, need for more basic and simpler topics for members, new OS teaching methods, current meeting topics too techie, and teaching non-nerdy people. This yielded the topic of “Teaching Non-Nerdy Members” scheduled for October 17, 2022, at 5:00pm Central Daylight Saving Time (all current AWUGU registrants will receive an invitation to all future meetings).
To become a participant, any interested Apple User Group leader must first register with the AWUGU Coordinator by emailing their name, location, and user group name and web link to macquest@mac.com. Registration must be received by October 15 in order to receive a Zoom Meeting invitation (a download of the free Zoom app in advance is also necessary, and an update will be important for existing users).