ALTHOUGH its plans to highlight a range of vendor's Microsoft-related products may not have materialised, the Hong Kong Microsoft Users Group (HKMUG) still wants to take advantage of this week's expo with its own pavilion. According to Anthony Au, the chairman of HKMUG, the group plans to use the event to highlight its emerging network, to provide an opportunity for existing members to use it, and for potential new members to take a look at what HKMUG has to offer. 'What we will be having is a display of our users' group network, and showing what our various activities have been over the past few months,' Mr Au said. 'The focal point will be our own network.' At present, the HKMUG network provides electronic-mail facilities so that members can communicate amongst themselves as well as offering Internet connectivity for mail to and from the rapidly-growing world-wide network of computer systems. Opportunities will be provided during the expo for users to try the system. 'We will have a telephone line in the pavilion, and members will be able to use it,' Mr Au said, adding that many members had not yet decided to take advantage of the network. In addition, HKMUG plans to set up a conference room and to hold meetings of some of its special interest users groups. Particularly, Mr Au expects that the FoxPro and Windows special interest groups will meet during the show. The HKMUG is also considering planning a mock test for members who will be taking the examination for Microsoft Certified Professional certification. As members will be sitting the formal examination later this year, there will be a Saturday-afternoon users conference to discuss the examination. Even though the Microsoft Users Group pavilion is admittedly aimed at existing members, Mr Au still said that efforts will be made to reach non-members. '[The pavilion] is mainly for members, but any time we have any activities, they are also for new members,' he said. 'The Users Group will show its own tools and [display] membership information.'
