Archive-name: computer-groups/convergence
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 11 Jun 1998
Version: 2.30
URL: http://www.convergence.org/info/faq.html

     Convergence International, the non-Wintel user group, FAQ v2.30

  This FAQ contains information and answers to common questions about
 the non-Wintel computer user group Convergence International. The
 latest version of this FAQ is also available on the web in HTML format
 at http://www.convergence.org/info/faq.html

------------------------------

Subject: 1. Contents.

   1. Contents.
   2. What is Convergence International?
   3. Why was Convergence International created?
   4. What do you mean by "non-Wintel"?
   5. Which platforms do you support?
   6. How do I join Convergence International?
   7. What can I do to help Convergence International?
   8. What is the non-Wintel news service?
   9. What is CIhoo?
  10. What newsgroups are available for topics relating to Convergence?
  11. Contact details and credits.

------------------------------

Subject: 2. What is Convergence International?

  Convergence International is a user group for users of all non-Wintel
 computers (see section 4 for a definition of non-Wintel). Convergence
 brings together users of many different alternative and minority
 computers, organises projects, and produces information to increase
 public awareness of these platforms.

------------------------------

Subject: 3. Why was Convergence International created?

   We believe that if a time comes when one single platform is the only
 one in use the computer industry will suffer. Without competition there
 is stagnation, and no one platform can hope to be best suited to
 _every_ task. While there are alternatives development is spurred on
 by competition, and people are free to choose the platform which best
 suits their needs.

  Unfortunately we are coming increasingly close to a single platform
 dominating the computing world, Microsoft Windows running on an Intel
 CPU. More and more people are simply unaware that there are any viable
 alternatives, and so use the so called industry standard platform.

  And so we formed Convergence, to provide information to re-educate
 people and show that there is more to computing than a single operating
 system and a single processor, and to support users of alternative
 platforms.

------------------------------

Subject: 4. What do you mean by "non-Wintel"?

  When we say "non-Wintel" we mean all computer platforms other than
 Microsoft Windows running on an Intel-type processor. This includes:
 Acorn, Amiga, Apple, ARM, A\Box, Be, Network Computers, PowerPC, Psion,
 and all types of Unix.

  We would rather not use the phrase "non-Wintel" to describe what we
 support, but short of listing all the platforms we _do_ support every
 time we currently say "non-Wintel", it's the only option.

------------------------------

Subject: 5. Which platforms do you support?

  We support all non-Wintel platforms, including: Acorn, Amiga, Apple,
 ARM, A\Box, Be, Network Computers, PowerPC, Psion, and all types of
 Unix. However at the moment we are concentrating on Acorn, Amiga, and
 Apple, because most members use these platforms, and we are short of
 volunteers to help with information about other platforms.

------------------------------

Subject: 6. How do I join Convergence International?

  It's very easy to join Convergence and it is totally FREE. Simply go
 to http://www.convergence.org/support/join.html and fill in the form,
 or e-mail us at join@convergence.org and tell us your name, e-mail
 address, and what computers you use.

  As a member you will receive a regular newsletter containing news
 relating to Convergence International and non-Wintel platforms, as
 well as priority access to future developments such as the non-Wintel
 search engine.

------------------------------

Subject: 7. What can I do to help Convergence International?

  We are always looking for volunteers to help with various projects.
 Once you have joined you can do as much or as little to help as you
 want or have time for, anything from simply displaying our logo on your
 web pages or our name in your sig, to running a project, to managing
 a section of the web site. Further details of how to help Convergence
 are available at http://www.convergence.org/support/helpus.html

------------------------------

Subject: 8. What is the non-Wintel news service?

  Convergence provide a non-Wintel news service which gives summaries
 of important events for the various platforms we support. We search
 the Internet for news items that are of interest, and provide a
 summary with links to other sites for more detailed information. There
 are also weekly comments by members in the Member's Opinion section.

  There are individual news pages for the following platforms: Acorn,
 Amiga, Apple, ARM, Be, Network Computers (NCs), Psion, and a section
 for miscellaneous news which is relevant to Convergence.

  Also the news summary page gives a brief rundown of the current
 important news for all the supported platforms. Convergence places
 the most relevant items there for quick reference, and the page is
 updated nearly every day - for the latest non-Wintel news check it
 often! It is also possible to register to receive an e-mail when a
 news page is updated.

  The non-Wintel news service from Convergence is totally FREE - it is
 part of our voluntary mission to make people aware of the advantages
 of non-Wintel platforms and to help users of such platforms.

  The non-Wintel news service is at http://www.convergence.org/news/

------------------------------

Subject: 9. What is CIhoo?

  CIhoo (pronounced See-Who) is the Convergence International non-Wintel
 search engine, a system comprising a hierarchy of non-Wintel related
 web site data and a cgi programme for finding entries.

  We are currently collecting links and reviewing non-Wintel web sites
 to create a database of quality non-Wintel links with independent
 descriptions. To beta test CIhoo go to http://search.convergence.org/

------------------------------

Subject: 10. What newsgroups are available for topics relating to
             Convergence?

  We found that there was nowhere where users of different non-Wintel
 platforms could come together to discuss issues relating to Convergence
 International, for example intercompatibility between these platforms
 and users working together. Existing newsgroups were platform specific
 and often didn't allow discussions of other platforms, so we created
 the newsgroup alt.comp.convergence as a neutral ground where users of
 all non-Wintel computers could discuss issues relating to Convergence
 International and our projects.

  If alt.comp.convergence isn't available on your local news server
 ask them to carry it. If all else fails alt.comp.convergence is
 available on the web at sites like http://www.dejanews.com/ and
 http://www.feedme.org/

  Note: as with all alt.* newsgroups alt.comp.convergence can receive
 inappropriate mass postings which have nothing to do with the topic
 of the newsgroups (ie "spam"). As soon as the new mod.* hierarchy is
 available we will create a moderated newsgroup for Convergence topics.

------------------------------

Subject: 11. Contact details and credits.

  If you have have any unanswered questions or suggestions for additions
 to the FAQ please contact me by e-mail at js@convergence.org. Further
 information about Convergence can be found on our web site at the URL
 below.

 E-mail : enquiries@convergence.org
 Web    : http://www.convergence.org/

 Written and maintained by James Sears .
 Copyright 1997, 1998, by Convergence International.

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