

     On Wednesday, October 22, 1986, Mike Mantino hosted a formal
conference in the CP/M RoundTable with guest speakers, Ron Forsythe and
Jack Brown.

     Mr. Forsythe is President of the international users group known as
F.O.G. (First Osborne Group), and Mr. Brown is FOG's technical support
manager.

     They were available to answer both general and technical questions
regarding the group, and also machine-specific topics.  This message
summarizes information from that conference pertaining to this
international computer users group.

     In a nutshell, FOG is an international computer users group.  We
began as a few Osborne owners, and now offer support for owners of just
about every CP/M and MS-DOS computer made.  As well as an extensive
public domain library, we publish two monthly newsletters.

     Unlike many user groups, we have a full time staff who produce our
publications, offer technical support help to our members, and
coordinate the day to day business of our 16000 members.

     FOG dues are $25 per year, $24 if paying by cash or check.  For
that you receive access to our library through your local group or
RCP/M, and you choice of FOGHORN or FOGLIGHT newsletters.

     FOGHORN is our grand-daddy.  It is our CP/M publication.  FOGLIGHT
has been in production for a year now, and is our MS-DOS publication.
We try not to mix the two, so each members gets support that's geared
toward his or her own computer interests.  Back copies of FOGHORN are
available, back to Vol I, Number I.  We also have "The BEST OF" volumes
available.  FOG supported Osborne only for our first few months.  But
even those issues have valuable information of using CP/M application
programs etc.

     Jack has compiled our library reorganization.  Most of the FOG
programs are of interest to all FOG members.  A majority of them come
from FOG members who have something of interest and either upload it to
one of our RCP/M systems or mail it directly to us.  Some of these
programs are also put onto non-FOG systems for distribution to all, and
some are restricted to distribution through FOG by their authors.

     We normally send out all small disk orders by first class mail,
large orders are sent by UPS.  Our disk prices include shipping, etc.
It usually takes about a week from receipt of order to shipping, depends
on workload here!

     FOG provides local support through a network of hundreds of local
groups we call Affiliated Member Organizations.  AMO's are local groups,
most of which were already in existence but without any national or
international recognition.  When a group becomes a FOG AMO, they receive
a $6 annual rebate for each member.  The members receive a newsletter
each month.  The local group also receives a copy of the FOG library on
a disk exchange basis.  Officers of the local groups receive regular
mailings with meeting suggestions etc.  We also supply tech support.
There are approximately 300 local FOG groups.  Local groups are not
restricted, except that we ask you allow any FOG member access to your
library.  Many members visit local FOG meetings while traveling.

     If you join the National FOG, you are not automatically a member of
the local group, since some local groups have extra charges, but we do
let them know you are in their area, and you can contact them.

     Fog has just signed two user groups that are C-128 specific.  I
strongly urge C-128 owners to visit groups that are not specific to the
C-128.  Most of those folks have been using CP/M Plus longer than C-128
owners, just 'cause there machines have been around longer.

     I've been talking to one FOG member putting together a multi-format
program that does lots of formats on the C-128 that allows quick disk
formatting in various formats.

     FOG doesn't sell commercial software, but we have quite a few
vendors who advertise in our magazine.  WS, MM, Mbasic, Cbasic are all
available for $55 from one vendor!

     To those of you who are not FOG members, drop us a line at P.O. Box
3474 Daly City, CA 94015, and we will mail you out information on
membership and the C-128 special that you've heard others talking about.

