This article appeared in the Asbury Park Press, October 13, 1982
Of interest is the "layman's" approach in the article to the strange new world of home computers.
Also the equipment in the forground of the photo is the development prototype of the Grayhound line of video games.
County club concentrates on computers
By ELEANOR OSULLIVAN - Press Staff Writer
Robert Holland (left) of Dover Township, a member of the Computer Club of Ocean County,
shows computer hardware in his basement to club vice president Walter Gabriel of Toms River.
There's a whole little world out
there that many of us know nothing
about.
Its the world of micro-computers, a
growing extracurricular interest for many
people who think computers are fun and
challenging.
Gerry Wagner and Walter Gabriel of
Toms River are so devoted to the pursuit
of knowing more about computers that
they formed the Computer Club of Ocean
County.
The club had its first meeting in August at the Dover Township Municipal
Building. It has a roster of 25 members,
with at least six more expected to join
shortly, Gabriel said. Meetings are held
once a month on a Friday.
The clubs purpose, said Gabriel, is to
promote the use of micro-computer technology and to disseminate information
about the technology. Its a nonprofit
club, open to anyone interested in electronic computers.
WE HAVE three elementary school
students in the club, as well as a materals engineer, a chemist whos a member
of the Asbury Park Board of Education,
an assistant analyst for AT&T and a
metallurgist, Gabriel said.
Gabriel was the head of computer
programming at the Naval Air Engineering Center, Lakehurst, and is now retired.
Like 21 other members, Gabriel has a home computer, complete with printer.
One of our members has a basement
full of computer equipment. Some of the
members heard about the formation of
the club through newspaper ads, word-of-mouth and mailings, but others heard
about it through an electronic bulletin
board. Thats a home computer you can
dial into by telephone line and ask to print
out messages.
At the two meetings the club has held
so far, members have exchanged computer experiences and expertise. When
Gabriels home computer broke down, he
called another member who was able to
locate the problem and repair the machine.
WE WANT our meetings to have
diversity. Members give five minute profiles of themselves and describe what
they do with microcomputers. Were having a husband and wife team talk at our
next meeting. He runs his own computer
company and shes a senior member of
the computer staff at AT&T.
New developments in the computer
field are discussed and periodicals are
circulated.
Weve discovered that there are
many magazines available about the
field. Radio Shack alone publishes six
magazines about their computer products.
At the end of each meeting, coffee is
served and members compare notes
about computers. Gabriel said membership dues are $9 per year, or $5 for those
who join after January.
Membership dues pay for a quarterly
newsletter, postage and coffee costs.
Dover Township does not charge the club
a fee for use of the meeting room.
WERE NOT a commercial club by
any means, but we do plan to have seminars and workshops in the future. I dont
think you measure a club by the quantity
of activities but the quality of the exchanges.
Because of the diversified backgrounds of our members, we feel we have
a good mix of people who have solid
information to impart. Wed like to increase our membership. I understand the
room can hold 60 comfortably.
Wagner is president of the club;
Gabriel is its vice president. More information is available from its secretary,
Marino Michetti, 1036 Beach Ave., Beachwood, N.J. 08722.