The Palm Beach Macintosh User Group

PBMUG Prez Brian Bahe has asked me to write about the decline of computer user groups and the PBMUG in particular.

As I wrote in a previous blog, relating the history of the PBMUG as I knew it, we have been suffering from continually decreasing membership rolls. I think there are a number of reasons for this.

The continuing adventures (click here) of Larry and PBMUG president Brian Bahe--who coincidentally met up in beautiful Annapolis, MD. Brian promises to have some pictures for a future blog or an update to this one...

[Updated July 5, 2008]

First, the big question of the day is "what is a podcast". The short answer is that a podcast is a broadcast that is played back at a time and date more convenient to the listener. It's kind of like recording a radio show off the air so you can listen to it later, but with more organization, and many, many more channels (and radio programs) to listen to. These podcasts can be on any topic you can (or maybe can't) imagine, from politics, to technology, to sports, to music, and even... yes... even to sex (put your iPod in a plain brown wrapper...).

Last week, I got a call from PBMUG El Jefe Brian Bahe, who received an invitation from one of his clients to attend a gathering of old car people. Knowing I was a car nut (well, maybe just a nut), he invited me to accompany him. I had no idea what the deal was, and I don't think he did, either, as he really isn't a "car guy."

First, in the interests of privacy, a few names will be changed to protect my innocence, wallet and/or freedom. I first joined the PBMUG somewhere around 1985 or 1986. The president was an interesting fellow who somehow felt he was "president for life". I will say he was a real Mac cheerleader and I believe that he meant well... We were meeting in a classroom in an older part of Palm Beach Atlantic College (now University). There were maybe 25-35 folks at any given meeting. Mac Pluses were all the rage, and the SE was just around the corner.