Houston Area League of PC Users, Inc.
4543 Post Oak Place Drive, Suite 200
Houston, TX 77027-3103
(713) 993-3300 — Fax (713) 993-3333
If you own, use, or are thinking of buying a personal computer, you’ll gain valuable knowledge from the learning experiences available through HAL-PC!
HAL-PC is a network of thousands of families who help each other learn more about personal computers. HAL-PC is a non-profit corporation formed to facilitate learning in all areas and disciplines through individuals teaching each other and the community ways to obtain maximum benefits from personal computing. HAL-PC was founded in 1982 with about 20 members, some of whom migrated from CP/M machines.
From the start and continuing today, the basic philosophy is the same: helping each other use computers more effectively and become more productive in their application.
HAL-PC grew at about the same rate as the PC market and we now are the world’s largest PC user group. Our large, permanent facilities offer some 70+ SIGs, two instructional labs, a 26-line BBS, in-office access to the internet where users can download software and surf the web, membership in Texins Credit Union. Also, free e-mail through the BBS, monthly general meetings with major software vendors and sometimes smaller specialty vendors; HALNet, a members-only internet system, and an outstanding monthly magazine. We also offer free workshops on how to use the BBS and internet, and a very large help “committee” of volunteers who have made themselves available to assist fellow members in more than eighty-five software programs, including Win 95, Win 3.1, and DOS.
Our monthly meetings are held in one of two places, both of which can accommodate more than 1700 members/guests. General meetings are open to the public; however, the drawings at the conclusion of the meeting are members-only. Guests may attend a SIG meeting once as a courtesy.
Approximately 95% of the members have modem capability and this is expected to increase as members understand how to configure and use them.
And some special SIGs such as the Build or Buy SIG assist members both in understanding what to ask for if they want a custom system, or they can order the components and, under supervision, assemble their own systems.
We feel that this in particular fosters confidence in the owner and a stronger understanding of computers.
Dues in HAL-PC are $50 annually. Dues in HALNet are $10 per month, plus tax plus a onetime, nonrefundable setup fee of $45. Membership is available to individuals only, no organizations can join, although they can pay for individual employees to join.
E-mail me at webmaster@hal-pc.org with any comments you have and tell me what you want to see here.