Meetings are on their usual schedule, and the location is the Grand Lake Neighborhood Center. See below for more details.

Along with the usual general discussion of questions, answers, news, and rumors relating to the latest in the world of Macs, databases, and networking, the following topics and/or demonstrations are scheduled for the BMUG Database & Network SIG meeting on Sat., 16/Aug/2008, at 10:30 ( more on the location and directions below ).

We'll take a look at how to run X11 apps on a Mac ( and why one may want to ) and some more of Leopard Server.


Continuing side note:  We've also been attending some other good SIG/UG meetings lately in the bay area. For those meetings, check out our Google mashup of public UG meeting venues in the greater S. F. Bay Area ( it's still a bit rough, but we'll try to improve it over time as an example work ).

If your browser doesn't support Google maps, see our meeting's Yahoo maps link under the "Location" section below.

More details about other local groups can be found at:
See also these for Apple User Groups, The MUG Center, 4D User Groups, and a list of our links to various resources. For those in the South Bay, you may want to check out the A32/SVMUG or the Silicon Valley Google Technology User Group offerings.

And, need serious Mac help fast? In case you didn't know it, you can now make free on-line reservations for Genius bar support at your local Apple Store ( now over a 3-day window - and if you're a $99/yr. ProCare member, you can do it up to 14-days in advance ). New last year, Apple now offers One to One instruction for $99/yr., and free Personal Shopping help.

We took a look at the recently debuted iPhone App Store ( caution, opens in iTunes ), demo'ed some we've found worthwhile, and checked out a few to see how useful they could be as tools for working on WEB content.

Meeting Place & Time - The meeting should be held at its normal time and place - the Grand Lake Neighborhood Center, Sat., 20/Sept/2008, starting at 10:30.

Meeting Subject TBD - The subject is still to be determined, and, as usual, we're always open to suggestions.

The BMUG Offices in downtown Berkeley have closed and the Database & Network SIG has moved to another location. For more information about the current status of BMUG itself, please check:
Depending on circumstances, the place and time of our future SIG meetings may change and will be announced as part of a particular meeting's notes at the top of this page.

The BMUG Database SIG was originally formed in the mid-'80s to discuss issues and questions related to all PC databases, with a primary emphasis on Macintosh programs, and 4th Dimension ( now 4D ) in particular. However, since network usage has become an integral part of using databases, in the '90s we changed the name to The BMUG Database & Network SIG, and added discussions relating to the setup and use of home and office networks of Macintosh's and PC's as well. Network topics include, but are not limited to, Ethernet Hubs/Switches/Routers, DSL, wireless access, cross-platform file sharing, printing, and any appropriate WEB applications.

Attendance at all meetings is free, though the Center does appreciate, but does not require, a $1 donation per person for the use of the facilities.

Topics Note:  We've worked with the Apple Store San Francisco to hold some special meetings in their "auditorium", usually on a week-night at 18:30, so if you have something really special to demo, and want a quality venue, with easy access, big screen presentation, and plenty of seating, let us know and we can work with you to host it there.

SIG meetings are usually held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, and now start at 10:30. Meetings last until ~13:30, then those that are interested ( and hungry ) retire to one of the many local food emporiums for lunch and more discussion.

Meetings are usually held at the Grand Lake Neighborhood Center, 530 Lake Park Avenue, Oakland, near the corner of Lakeshore Avenue. It's a little over a short block SE of the Grand Lake Theater, which is at the corner of Grand Avenue and Lake Park.

If your browser does not support Google Maps, see this Yahoo map.

Parking Note:  The Saturday Farmer's Market is going again, but parking may still be available across the street under the freeway if you arrive early. Also, see the "Directions... By car:" section, below, for alternative parking.

For those with a GPS unit try:

By car:  From E. I-580 headed towards Hayward, take the Grand Avenue exit, turn left onto Grand at the bottom of the ramp, then the next right onto Lake Park Way. From Hayward, take the Lakeshore Avenue exit off W. I-580, then the GLNC office is on the right just through the light at the bottom of the ramp.
The best parking is free at Lakeview School on Grand between Lake Park and MacArthur Avenues ( the entry driveway is just before the I-580 overpass as you head towards the lake ). Parking may also be available across the street from the meeting in the lot under I-580, cost is $0.25 for 75 min., though it may be congested if the Farmer's Market is very busy.

By transit:  From San Francisco, take AC Transit line NL from the Transbay terminal. Get off at Lakeshore Ave. and Macarthur Blvd. ( cross under the freeway to Lake Park Ave. ). The NL leaves S. F. every 30 min., starting at 06:05, and gets to the Grand Lake in about 35 minutes. Fare is ~$3.00 each way.

From BART or Berkeley buses, transfer to line 57 (MacArthur BART, 40th Street west of Broadway, MacArthur Blvd. east of Broadway). From downtown Oakland, the above NL line goes by 20th & Broadway ~15 min. after leaving San Francisco.

BART Note:  AC Transit Line 12 now runs between MacArthur BART, Lake Merritt, and downtown Oakland BART. Get off at the Grand Lake Theater.

Please see the links in the "Location" section, above, for a map of the meeting location.

Those that are iPod inclined can copy/paste this section into a text file and place it into your Notes folder for viewing on the fly. If you have an iPod photo version you can probably even get the above linked maps onto it for viewing. If you have an iPhone you're really set!

If you need more information about the BMUG Database & Network SIG, if you want to schedule a demonstration, or if you have a suggestion for a discussion topic, please feel free to drop us a note.

Thanks for your time. We hope to see you at a SIG meeting.

glenn bookout
BMUG Database & Network SIG Leader