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.