The Crystal Ball
Those of us near the cutting edge of computer technology are expected to know which way the winds will blow in the near future. What will fulfill our hopes and occupy our time 10 years from now? Unfortunately, most of us really don't know where things are going right now.

Microsoft lost an anti-trust suit but does not seem likely to be punished very strongly by the legal system. On the other hand, there is a furor raging in certain corners of the Internet over features built into Windows XP, and many long-time Windows users are defecting from the new product.

I meet more users considering Linux than I ever have, and many of them are determined to try it out despite the technical difficulties. Apple has been pitching its deservedly praised operating system, OS X, to PC users, but of course, the system does not run on IBM-compatible computers.

What are the chances that Microsoft Windows will be dethroned as the world's most popular operation system? To make a difference, what's needed is something that is as easy to use, as easy to install and troubleshoot as Windows, and that can run the same applications. That's a pretty tall order, and it's why Microsoft regards Windows as its franchise.

I'd have to say the odds are slim that Windows will be dethroned any time soon, but it's clear there are more people who would like an alternative than there have been in the past. And where there's a market, the American system is pretty good at trying to meet its needs.

The near future could be more interesting than it's been for some time in the computer industry.

Christmas Party
One of the nice benefits of being a volunteer for the user group is the annual Christmas party. One of the officers, either elected or appointed, throws a pot-luck party for all the volunteers each year. Attendees bring inexpensive gifts for a humorous gift exchange/gift trade.

This year our President, Milt Hull, and his new bride, Leslie, are generously offering their new home as the locale for the party. Volunteers are invited. Please contact one of the officers for details.

IMPORTANT NOTICE
On or about Oct. 19, someone broke into our P.O. box. It is possible that some checks sent by our members to pay for their membership were stolen. We have no way of knowing who might have sent checks around that time, and we need your help. If you renewed your membership in October and have not received your membership card, please contact Membership Director Diana DeMuth. Similarly, if you sent in a new membership or know anyone who did, check to see that the membership card was received.

You should also watch your checks to make sure that any check sent to SPCUG was properly endorsed by the group, and does not contain a handwritten endorsement. If you have any suspicions, please contact the Membership Director.

Volunteers Needed
As most of you are aware, the user group is always in need of volunteers. Sacra Blue in particular needs two types of volunteers at present. We receive many newsletters from other user groups having given us permission to reprint their articles in our pages. Although we generally have better material from our own members, there are times when we wish to use articles that have appeared elsewhere. When we cannot obtain an electronic copy, we need to scan it or to type it into a computer.

We need volunteers to handle this task. We can provide the material—the articles from other user group newsletters. But we need some of you with time to handle the input. If you have some free time available, please contact me or Ken Hopkins.

In addition to typists or scanners, we need a reporter or two. We tape our general meetings, so we have audio tapes available. We would like some volunteers who are willing and able to write up a report on a speaker using the audio tape. Anyone who can handle this task will not only provide some relief to a hard-working volunteer, Gordon Taylor, but will also help us save the cost of transcribing the meetings, which could then go into more prizes for members or reducing membership dues.