ACE was founded in 1993 by a number of Mac-fans and at this
time counts about 75 members. Aim of ACE is the exchange of
ideas and experiences in the field of (Macintosh) hard- and
software. This exchange can happen during the club gatherings,
but of course also between individual club members that have
met at the club.
For who?
Obviously for users of Apple Macintosh computers, both beginners
and real pro's. Or for those considering the purchase of a
Mac, or another Apple product like an iPhone, iPad or even an AppleTV. But also for anyone for example interested in the conversion
of files from the Mac-platform to other platforms and vice-versa.
As you may know, it is also possible to run DOS-, Windows-
and Linux-applications on a Mac by using emulation software.
Many Mac-users sometimes feel "alone". In a computer
world dominated by Windows, people tend to forget that there
are many thousands of happy and keen Mac-users in the Netherlands,
and many millions more in the rest of the world. A computer
club like Apple Club Eindhoven can be a very good way to come
into contact with fellow Mac-users in your direct and less
direct environment.
What kind of people are member of ACE?
At ACE you can meet all kinds of users: from seasoned graphic
designers to teachers, pensioners and young gamers. Because
of the user-friendliness of the Mac, ACE has a larger share
of female members than "normal" computer clubs.
Most of the members consider their Mac as an instrument to
"get things done" and not something that forces
them to fiddle with IRQ-settings or a soldering iron. Mac
users are also more productive than users of other computer
platforms like Windows - several independent research reports
testify to this. This is caused by the near-perfect consistency
of operating system and hardware, both designed by one company
- Apple.
Are there also beginners member of ACE?
Yes, of course. The importance of the computer in society
has never been greater, and therefore there are more and more
beginners, struggling with queries like: "is the text
now really on my hard disk, won't I lose it?" and "what
does al that computer lingo mean..." And: "what
should I do when my computer crashes?" Or even still:
"which computer should I buy?" Some of the members
have only just entered the "wonderful world of the computer".
The more experienced members of ACE do remember their first
experiences and are able and willing to give advice and explanation
to beginners.
What are the activities of ACE?
ACE meets 11 times a year in community centre 't Slot, Kastelenplein
167 in Eindhoven.
Every now and then, an excursion is organised to a company
that uses Macs, or we have a sales rep do a product demo.
But most of the time, we exchange experiences in an informal
meeting. The chairman sees to it that anyone can say what
is on his mind. There is also the opportunity to offer (legal)
hard- and software for sale. Also via this web site!
It is of course not allowed to copy commercial software during
the club gatherings. Sometimes we organise a small beginners
course. The club also has a small library from which
books, magazines and training CD-ROM's can be borrowed. And the club owns equipment which can be rented or borrowed by the members: a slide scanner, a A-D converter, a bar code scanner, an external hard disk and a USB record player.
What is being discussed at the meetings?
You will probably understand that this can be very varied.
Recent topics are: how do I get on the Internet, what good
is the Internet for me - everyone talks about it, but what
does it bring me?, should I buy this or that peripheral and
why, what do we think about the recently introduced Apple
models? Should I buy now or wait a few weeks? Should I switch
to the newest version of Mac OS X? And of course you can bring up all kinds
of little and big problems and questions. Others often have
found a solution for your problem a long time ago!
How do I join ACE?
Just come and have a look. Should you decide to join, the
membership fee is € 12,50 per year. You can pay this
amount via IBAN nr. NL57 INGB 0007 2994 08, account name:
P.A. Cornelis - inz Appel-