Geos Enthusiasts Interest Group of Australia
PO Box 415
North Hobart Tas 7002
Tel: [002] 34 4691
Fax: [002] 312843
Email: pensey@ozemail.com.au
Total support for users of Geoworks products
Thursday, July 18th, 1996
GSMN Hubs, Geiga State Representatives and GeoNet Sysops
Dear Geos Supporter
Total Support
As you will see from the enclosed draft brochure, I am proposing that we 
bring all three forms of support together in a joint promotion. We appear to 
be in for a time of considerable upheaval with the repackaging and renaming 
of Ensemble, the closure of Geowiz BBS, the clearance of stocks of Ensemble 
2.01, a change in South Australian Geiga Representative, and questions marks 
over the future of both the computer magazine columns. I believe therefore 
that a united support package is appropriate at this time.
Clearance Sale
Firstly let me draw attention to the clearance price for Ensemble 2.01. There 
were when I spoke to Ray Firth about 70 copies and I was offered them at $70 
+ post and handling, with the promise that if we pool our orders and buy five 
or more, Ray would give me a price I could not resist.
Unfortunately I don't have the resources available to stock up on them so the 
best price I can offer you at this time is $80 including postage. If you need 
any publicity material, I do have some Ensemble 2.0 colour leaflets I should 
be happy to rush to you. Just let me know how many you think you can use and 
I will divide them up proportionately between those who want them.
Total Support Brochure
Subject to the agreement of all parties, the Total Support brochure will be 
printed in time to be sent out with your next Geiga newsletter. Please let me 
know how many you can use. It will probably be laser-printed on coloured 
stock by Uniprint.
Alternatively, if you have access to a laser or InkJet, I can let you have a 
copy of the master on disk for you to print them off as needed.
The New Republisher
I am told by Ray Firth that this mythical creature has not been in touch 
with, to his knowledge, any of the non-US republishers and distributors. 
These are the people who have spent thousands promoting the product and 
learning the market and they are being ignored?? It does not augur well for 
harmonious relations or the future of our favourite GUI. Lynn Montelauro of 
GSMN (who is also one of the volunteer AOL reps) tells me that the new 
republisher will the guest on an AOL forum early next month. It will be 
interesting to see what he has to say.
Magazine Columns
Arthur Stevens is no longer writing for PC Review and my column, after being 
halved for two months, was dropped from the July issue. Its future is 
uncertain.
GeigaCounteR Magazine
And on a more positive note. From August, GeigaCounteR will become a monthly 
'magazine' called (after much brain-taxing thought! ! ! ! ) GeigaCounteR 
Magazine. The format will be developed from the one accidentally adopted for 
the May June issue.
(The 'Gopher' got talking at the printers and the A3 square got ticked 
instead of the A4.) I have costed the use of a (slightly) heavier cover and 
the use of coloured paper for the cover and will probably opt for the latter. 
I would like to feature member's photos on the cover, so I invite you to send 
in contributions to what Artie dubbed the 'Rogues Gallery', or other suitable 
photos.
I am aiming to increase the number of pages to 24 in the short term and 
perhaps
to as many as 32 in the longer term. The latter will depend on a much higher 
level of contributions being received.
GeoNet Bulletin Boards
Increasingly Geiga and GSMN members are acquiring modems and accessing 
bulletin boards and the Internet. This trend can be expected to continue. I 
therefore request all the GeoNet bulletin boards to submit advertisements or 
details of their services for free publication in GeigaCounteR Magazine.
This will enable newcomers to find their nearest Geos supporting board.
GSMN
For the benefit of those who prefer not to bother with sending disks in, a 
prepaid subscription is now available as detailed in the brochure. Lynn 
Montelauro is setting up an Internet page which will reach the Net surfers, 
but the biggest difficulty is letting isolated people know that they can so 
easily get all the latest files. Hopefully the Total Support approach will 
reach some of them.
Internet
As mentioned in GeigaCounteR, I am working on a Web page for Geiga, GSMN and 
GeoNet.
Unfortunately, it has not progressed much since the mention in the 
newsletter, but I hope to get it up and running shortly.
Contributions
Files suitable for distribution through GSMN, articles and questions for use 
in GeigaCounteR Magazine are always welcome. And, of course, those photos for 
inclusion in the Rogues Gallery!
Regards
Peter Campbell
Geiga Co-ordinator, GSMN Australasian Hub, GeoNet Point.
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