Main monthly meeting
Presentations
The auditorium is the venue for guest speakers from Apple (here Joe Cox) and other leading Mac industry suppliers, demonstrating the latest hardware and software.
It's also the location of the monthly club meeting at which announcements about club activities are made.
Information desk
Here's where you can have all your questions about AUSOM answered, as well as taking out memberships, renting training CDs, purchasing AUSOM-logo products, and more.
Raffle, CD/DVDs of the month, Update CDs
Tickets in the monthly raffle are sold on meeting days, and you can also pick up the CD/DVD of the month, and the latest Apple Update CD.
FirstClass information
Staff at the information desk can direct you to a Special Interest Group devoted to the AUSOM FirstClass System, an excellent online forum for problem solving, file downloads and general information.
Catering
Lunchtime catering provides hot snacks and hot & cold drinks for meeting attenders — especially important if you've made a start with one of the morning SIGs!
Beginners' one-to-one
This activity is aimed at brand new Mac users who need help with the most basic system and program functions. Experienced members provide patient, detailed assistance and advice to set such new users on the right path.
Main Monthly Meeting
Special Interest Groups
More than 20 class room style presentations are also held throughout the day, by the various Special Interest Groups (SIGs), including:
- Newcomers & Greenhorns SIG
- Mac OS X Basics
- Mac OS X Advanced
- Mac Forum
- Genealogy
- Digital Photography
- Digital Video
- Photoshop
- Garage Band
- Macintosh Programming
- Graphics and DTP
- Finance & Investment
- FileMaker Forum & Techniques
- Microsoft Office
- Introduction to FirstClass
CD exchange and training media
The CD exchange library operates at each meeting, and a large variety of training CDs and DVDs are available for loan to members only.
Information sharing and social
Here is your opportunity to talk with fellow members and the club's resident geeks and gurus, as well as guest presenters.
It's always easier to discuss problems and queries with people you've met in person,and members rate this social contact as one of the key benefits of membership.
Traders tables
From time to time, traders in Macintosh-related goods take tables in the foyer to offer goods and services to members at a discount. Printer inks are currently a favourite line.
Multimedia SIG
This monthly Tuesday evening meeting is a joint presentation of AUSOM and iMUG, Melbourne's other active Mac User Group. Presentations are usually given by professionals in the Mac media space, and/or by trade suppliers to those folks. All aspects of graphics, video, audio and related authoring and publishing activities are covered. Next meeting information here.
Retirees & Others SIG
This daytime monthly meeting was originally established for the enjoyment and instruction of retirees and others who were in a position to take one Wednesday morning a month off work. It gives experienced users a chance to demonstrate their areas of special expertise to an audience which might not have the chance to see such material at the major monthly meeting. The group's program is established largely on the basis of member requests. Next meeting information here.
