The Ireland On-Line Users' Group is a loosely organised group of interested people who meet about once per month in various locations around the country. General user meetings of Ireland On-Line subscribers are organised. Some of the members are responsible for this web site. Membership of the group is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

It is formed to further the interests of users of Ireland On-Line Services.

Its main functions...

• To bring a user's understanding before the techies who run a service provider operation. There is always going to be a tension between the perceptions of those who are involved in the mechanics of getting the product out and those who use the product.
• To educate the user in the practical problems that are encountered by Ireland On Line in providing the service, like sending huge volumes through little pipes, or dealing with a monopoly telephone company.

AIMS

The aims of the Users' Group and Ireland On Line should always be the same: Satisfying the user. If this goes awry, then both have failed.

The Users' Group hopes to satisfy the two functions above in several ways:

• By organising regular meetings of Ireland On-Line users to inform them of new developments and provide user feedback to Ireland On-Line.
• By using this Web Site as a notice board and contact point for Ireland On-Line users.
• By providing a newsgroup to allow the exchange and interaction to occur that is the very life blood of such an organisation. Without the input of users, the Users' Group could hardly be worthy of the name.
• By maintaining close links with Staff and Management of Ireland On-Line to ascertain their thinking with regard to new techniques or developments and to keep them appraised of the general feelings, wishes, hopes and desires (internet-wise) of the user.

The Users' Group is a conduit for our ideas. Ideally, it is an effective way for us to communicate with Ireland On-Line as a group and it is also a useful sounding board for Ireland On Line to float new ideas.

It is also a sounding board for you, the individual Ireland On-Line user, to sound off your own ideas or complaints about problems which must occur in a fast growing service in a technology with which few of us have had that much experience.