Atari 400 User Manual page 231

Users' groups typically hold monthly meetings
where you can socialize and ask questions of
other Atari owners. The more often you come to
meetings, the more you can learn. Before you
know it, new members will be looking to you for
advice as an old hand.
Users' groups have done a great deal to dispel
the myth that computers pull people apart.
These groups bring people together to teach
and help one another. Some users' groups even
teach classes in programming for a small token
fee. You can meet other Atari owners interested
in areas you are curious about in special interest
groups called
SIGs.
SIGs are subgroups of the
users ' groups and they meet informally at
members' homes.
Users' Groups and Public
Domain Software
Users' groups can be a valuable source of non-
copyrighted public domain software. These pro-
grams are typically written by more experienced
users, who then donate them to the users '
group 's club library. While these programs usu-
ally are not as polished as commercial programs,
many of them are quite good. Also, because few
of these programs are protected, many people
who use them will add their own improvements.
When you are more familiar with programming,
you may want to make your own modifications
to make a particular program better fit your
needs.
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