Computer Hysteria: Homebrew
   by Berry F. Phillips

"Homebrew" conjures up images of rot-gut whiskey, stills, moonshiners, revenuers, and computer clubs! The Homebrew Computer Club was legendary, being the first computer user group which provided an environment for the development of the microcomputer industry in the Silicon Valley in California. The computer club had its humble beginnings in a garage in
March 1975 in Menlo Park in Santa Clara County.

The Homebrew members were engineers and computer enthusiasts who discussed the Altair, often regarded as the first personal computer, and other technical topics. In the first year of operation, the Homebrew Computer Club had 750 members dedicated to helping each other learn more about computers, but not for commercial reasons. Several Homebrew members became founders of several microcomputer companies like Bob Marsh and Adam Osborne, as well as Steven Jobs and Steven Womak, the famous Apple founders.

Bill Gates, CEO, Microsoft Corporation summed up the importance of computer clubs. "There will remain in the PC industry for decades a need to pass on certain 'folklore' and 'common law' about technical matters that cannot be transmitted any other way than person-to-person. It is 'information at your finger tips,' in the most personal sense, and user groups are the best forum in which it can occur."

The Oklahoma City, PC Users Group also had a humble beginning with a few computer enthusiasts in a house. Today OKCPCUG is housed in a modern office complex complete with a computer lab, having grown over the years until currently approximately fourteen hundred members. OKCPCUG is affiliated nationally with the Association of PC Computer Users Groups, APCUG, and SeniorNet. Whether you are a beginner or a novice, OKCPCUG invites you to attend our various meetings published in the eMonitor at our Website, www.okcpcug.org.  For more information see our Website or call 405-843-4300. We will leave the light on for you!

 

Berry Phillips is a member of the OKCPCUG and a regular writer for the OKCPCUG website and the eMonitor