Xref: utzoo comp.org.decus:402 comp.os.vms:18047 comp.sys.dec:1869 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!ctp From: ctp@cs.utexas.edu (Clyde T. Poole) Newsgroups: comp.org.decus,comp.os.vms,comp.sys.dec Subject: DECUS Questions Answered (last update 26 Sep 89) Message-ID: <6942@cs.utexas.edu> Date: 26 Sep 89 21:59:38 GMT Followup-To: poster Distribution: na Organization: Univ. of Texas at Austin Lines: 161 *****Last modified 26-Sep-1989***** There are a few basic questions that get asked from time to time that indicate that people don't know much about DECUS and how to use its services. Monthly I post a list of answers to DECUS related questions that may be of interest to the net. If you have something to add or a correction to this posting, please let me know. ----- Some basic answers to DECUS questions: 1) What does DECUS stand for and how do you pronounce it? Digital Equipment Computer Users Society The pronunciation is open for discussion. My belief is that the correct way is DEE-CUS as opposed to DECK-US. 2) How can I contact DECUS? DECUS is made up of several "chapters." People wishing to join DECUS may do so based upon their place of residence. U.S. residents join the U.S. Chapter: DECUS U.S. Chapter 219 Boston Post Road, BP02 Marlboro, Massachusetts 01752-1850 +1-508-480-3259 The U.S. Chapter currently has over 51,000 members. Canadian residents join DECUS Canada: DECUS Canada 15th Floor 505 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5G 2H2 +1-416-597-3437 DECUS can not, at present, be contacted electronically. 3) What services does DECUS provide its members? DECUS offers many services to its members. Some of the more notable are: a) The DECUS U.S. Chapter Symposia, held twice each year. The next few Symposia will be: Anaheim, CA, November 6-10, 1989 New Orleans, LA, May 7-11, 1990 Las Vegas, NV, December 10-14, 1990 Atlanta, GA, May 6-10, 1991 If you can not attend, proceedings are available for these meetings (usually $15 per meeting). For more information on the U.S. Chapter Symposia, call +1-508-480-3302. Other chapters of DECUS also hold symposia. DECUS Canada holds an annual symposium. Their next symposium is scheduled for Toronto, January 20-26, 1990. Contact DECUS Canada for more information. b) The DECUS Program Library, a VERY large collection of software for almost every computer DEC has ever made, which is available for essentially the cost of reproduction and distribution. The current issue of the library catalog is the 1989/1990 edition. The catalog is available free of charge to DECUS members. More information can be obtained by calling +1-508-480-3635. Information on preparing a submission for the library can be obtained by calling +1-508-480-3514. c) The DECUS U.S. Chapter Newsletter, a monthly collection of the Special Interest Group Newsletters which is available on a yearly subscription basis ($35 annually). Subscription information is available by calling +1-508-480-3301. d) Regional Conferences, local users groups from time to time host DECUS mini-symposia focused on some subset of Digital products. An example of a regional conference is the Minnesota VAX Local Users' Group Regional Conference being held in Minneapolis, MN at the Holiday Inn Downtown, Sept. 28 and 29, 1989. For more information on this conference call John Vilandre at +1-612-624-1934. e) DECUSCOPE, a quarterly information publication sent free to all DECUS U.S. Chapter members. f) DECUS Merit Scholarship Program, a Merit Scholarship has been established to be awarded annually to a DECUS member or member's child. The DECUS member must have had membership in DECUS for at least three (3) years as of January 1 of the award year in order to be considered. For more information contact Ms. Paula Morin, +1-508-480-3255. g) DECUServe, a teleconferencing system using VAX Notes. It is available to all U.S. Chapter DECUS members for a $60 per year subscription charge. Subscribers also pay their own long distance telephone charges. It is the intent of this system to allow members of DECUS to interact with each other concerning technical topics, on a day-to-day basis. A subscription form is available in the January 1988 issue of DECUSCOPE. h) Seminars, a program of seminars on topics of interest to DECUS members, presented at various times and locations around the U.S. and immediately preceding symposia. Call Diane Spirio at +1-508-480-3307 for more information. 4) What is a SIG and a UIG? SIGs are Special Interest Groups. There are many SIGs in DECUS. Some are: Artificial Intelligence, Business Applications, DAARC, Data Management, DATATRIEVE/4GL, EDUSIG, Graphics, Hardware, Micro, Languages and Tools, MUMPS, Networks, Office Automation, Personal Computer, RSTS, RSX/IAS, RT, Site Management & Training, UNISIG (UNIX, ULTRIX), and VAX Systems. UIGs are User Interest Groups. These are really either new SIGs in the making or old SIGs going out of business. They provide the same kinds of services that SIGs provide but are short of volunteer leadership. Currently the only UIG is Electronic Publishing. SIGs and UIGs sponsor sessions at symposia, publish newsletters and in other ways provide services to DECUS members interested in particular subsets of problems and applications of DEC computers and software. 5) What is a LUG? A LUG is a Local Users Group. There are many LUGs throughout the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world (the current count is 158 in the U.S. alone). LUGs usually are associated with one or more SIGs. For example many LUGs deal with the problems of VAX systems only. To find a LUG near you, call +1-508-480-3289. 6) How much does it cost to join DECUS and where can I get a membership form? Membership in DECUS is open to anyone and is FREE. Membership forms may be obtained from the DECUS office, LUGs and the back of the Combined Newsletters. To check your membership status or to notify DECUS of a change of address call +1-508-480-3418. ----- DATATRIEVE, DECUS, DECUServe, DECUSCOPE, IAS, RSTS, RSX, RT, ULTRIX, VAX and VTX are all trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp. UNIX is a trademark of A.T. & T. Company MUMPS is a registered trademark of Massachusetts General Hospital ----- Clyde T. Poole - Technical Coordinator, Facilities and Equipment (in real life) DECUS U. S. Chapter, Communications Committee Chairman and Member of the Management Council (in my spare time) Univ. of Texas at Austin ARPA/CSnet/NSFnet: ctp@cs.utexas.edu Dept. of Computer Sciences UUCP: {uunet,harvard}!cs.utexas.edu!ctp Taylor Hall 2.124 BITNET: ctp@UTADNX SPAN: UTSPAN::UTADNX::ctp Austin, TX 78712-1188 DECUServe: POOLE VOICE: +1-512-471-9551