Notes from the chair

["Robert G. Brown" <bob@xxxxxxx>]

As the year wraps up, a few notes about upcoming (and ongoing) events we all
can keep in mind:

Elections - There is now a Nominations Committee waiting for nominations and
            anyone stepping forward to fill a voluntary position. The Nomi-
            nation process, position descriptions, and contact information
            is posted on our website:
               http://klug.armintl.com/organize

            Please visit, read, and consider participating. As more people
            step forward, we'll be able to provide better services for every-
            one.

            Remember, EVERY position allows everyone to serve. If you cannot 
            do the whole job, step up and do part of it, and find others who
            can help... or, help those who are already in place.

New Webmaster -  Jack Littrell has volunteered to become our new Webmaster,
            and has been handling some routine duties for just over a week.
            Jack has a lot of initiaitve, and we'd like to build a group
            to support the web site, with Jack as leader. If you would like
            to get some experience writing HTML and maintaining one of THE
            BEST Linux-related web sites in Michigan, please write to Jack
            at JackL@postmark.net

We'll have more volunteer annoucements in January, so stay tuned, and keep
stepping forward! Linux, and KLUG, is based on PARTICPATION.

New Meeting Place -  We are now confirmed to meet at Boogies, a "Cyber-Cafe"
            just west of downtown Kalamazoo. Right now, the meeting time 
            remains the same, Tuesday evening, 6 PM.

            NOTE: Our first meeting at Boogies will be on January 5th, 1998.
            Until then we are STILL meeting at P&U.

            To find out more about our new meeting place, visit:
              http://www.boogies.com

            We have discussed out needs with the owner, and we'll be doing a
            few things to make the place more ammenable, including looking 
            over the LAN there, with an eye toward improving and stabilizing
            it.  More about this in January. People interested in helping,
            please contact Adam Williams or Bruce Smith.

New Survey - The results of Survey number 2 are in, but the meeting day/time 
            question looks too close to call. Our next survey, which wiull be 
            ready very soon, will have more about this, featuring the most
            voted-for times. Also, we're collecting a bit more information
            to help fill out the technical program for 1999. We will be 
            running this until mid January, then looking at results. The
            new meeting time will be announced shortly after.

Altogether, we end the year on a very upbeat and optimistic note. Linux is
growing fast and being recognized by the core organizations of the computer
industry, estimates show over 200% growth this year, and the release of a
FREE Wordperfect 8.0 on Thursday dowloaded by over 85 THOUSAND users in under
24 hours!

This makes Linux work for each of us, in the workplace, in career paths, and 
in other ways, too.  This growth will effect KLUG in many ways over the next
year, it has this year already.  We have some great ideas for the coming year,
such as video production, stepped-up publicity, achieving non-profit status,
obtaining our own domain, increased sponsorship, and more.  Let's work together
in the coming year to make these goals real. We know we can.

                                                      Merry Christmas,
                                                      Happy Chanukah,
                                                      A holy Ramadan,
                                                      ..and a GREAT New Year!
                                                        ---> RGB <---