Sharing My Story

Two major developments arose in my encounter with
micro-computers and dtp. First was becoming involved
with a local MUG or MacIntosh Users Group. This was
the San Gabriel Valley MacIntosh Users group. The MUG
provided both a general monthly meeting and several SIGs
(Special Interest Groups). The SIGs covered areas such as
Computer graphics, Excel, Filemaker Pro and several
other areas. The SIGs usually met monthly and provided
information, answered questions and training in
these specialized areas.

At first I thought these MUG groups were rather odd,
almost cultic in their devotion to computer technology.
I could understand the need for strong dedication to a
specific subject in school in order to master it but the
leaders of the MUGs were devoted to this on a purely
volunteer basis. Computer geeks are a very unique breed.
I attended many of their general meetings as well as
some of the SIGs. I found it overall fairly helpful in trying
to keep up with the constantly changing world of micro computers.

Perhaps a minor downside of the user groups is that most
of the presenters in the main meetings were software or
hardware marketing representatives who were often more
interested in selling their products that helping the users.
One needed to discern whether the products that were
promoted were vital your your use and goals in computing.

I also subscribed to magazines like MacUser, MacWorld and
MacAddict over the years in an effort to keep abreast of the
world of the MacIntosh. Not being overly mechanically or
technologically-minded this continuing education process
was far more labor (mostly mental) than pleasure.

In 1987 just after the arrival of the MacIntosh II in the NCF
office a long submerged interest resurfaced. In 1959 my
parents purchased a large burgundy color cover volume
called The Ensigns in America--better known as the
Ensign Book. Earlier my father had provided information
on his family to the compilers of this tome. I much later
learned that this was a second and greatly expanded and
revised edition of the original that came out in 1939. It cost
$10 which was a massive amount in those days for a
single book. It was a good investment. I recall many times
as a young child looking through that book and realizing
that all of these people were related to me. The genealogy
bug bit me but it was a very slow infection. Most people
consider investigating family history in their senior years.

However, I decided that I wanted to make some sort of
contribution to the family history. Using the new computer
technology that was available at work I began researching
the various family lines and developing family tree charts
showing the connections to my parents. Using the computer
in this way not only gave me more practice in computer skills
but also helped to clarify my family heritage. Each year for
about five year I sent out copies of my family history research
and diagrams to as many relatives who I thought might be
interested in them.