SHARPENTIERS / France |
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The French SHARP-User-Club SHARPENTIERS | |||||||||||||||
"The french Sharp user club doesn't more exist since 1986. I was the president from 1982 to 1986. It was very popular with pocket and MZ computer users ( more than 10 000 members ). The club published a fanzine called 'Revue des Sharpentiers' ( Sharp users mag. ) of about 80 pages every two months The club was integrated into the SBM company (Sharp Burotype Machines). At the time, this company sold all of the Sharp computer systems ( not video and audio appliances ) in France. Progressively, the club was widely used by the marketing dept. to promote sharp systems near the dealers network and education authorities ( for pocket systems ). Between 10 and 20 permanent and volountary members wrote articles for the magazine. During about three years, the club was a true autonomous company inside SBM. We earned loads of money by selling magazines, software and special peripherals. At the first semester of 1986, SBM manager decided to close the club. I globally agreed with this decision. Due to the computing evolution, we were sure that there were no real future for such a users club. But, as the club was an independant association, all the major members
forced SBM to give them all the computers and money which belonged to
the club. SBM gave them. The guys spent the money, took the computers
for their own use, released the last 12 pages issue of the magazine
then the club died. In the meantime I became marketing manager for all
the Sharp computer product then left the company 1 year later." |