About Us
Who we are
Capitol Macintosh (CapMac) is an official Macintosh User Group (MUG), founded in 1993 in Austin, Texas. We are a diverse group of people who use Apple products and meet to provide community service, education, and opportunities to like-minded individuals. The 501(c)(3) non-profit group is governed by an elected board of directors.
Our primary goal is to educate our members and anyone else who seeks to use their Apple products effectively. We offer monthly meetings, a website, Vimeo tutorials, product reviews, and special events.
Our Membership
Our membership currently numbers around 125 and includes members from Texas, from other states, as well as from other countries.
We are a well-diversified if slightly older bunch, including students, professionals and the visually impaired. Among our members are recognized authors and publishers in the Mac World.
You will likely find someone at our meetings who shares similar interests and ideas.
Our Outreach Activities have included:
Working with the Austin Independent School District (AISD) to teach low-income parents how to use Apple computers that were donated by the district for their home use.
Working with Pflugerville Independent School District to provide support and presentation opportunities to students learning to be filmmakers using Apple hardware.
Occasionally providing a computer to a student in need.
Sponsoring special events to allow expert presentations to our membership and our community.
Serving as the foundation of the GeoGo Project - a project to provide blind individuals the ability to find their way to locations of their choice, using latitude and longitude references.
Providing semi-annual auctions to allow our members to purchase used computers at discounted prices. (The computers come from companies upgrading their computers.)
Sponsoring a membership fee-waiver program for members or potential members who are out of work enabling them to continue or begin their membership in CapMac.
CapMac Volunteer Opportunities
Everything CapMac does is done by member volunteers. Volunteers keep the club operating, we help each other, and we help others in the community. Our volunteers help members of the community through various activities such as running the CapMac User Group , representing CapMac to other organizations, providing technology classes, hosting special events, aiding other members or non-members learn how to use their Apple products, or by giving technology items to those who cannot afford to purchase the items.
This past year almost half of our CapMac members have volunteered to help others. Being a CapMac member is a great way to increase you knowledge of Apple devices and to help others.
A Bit of History
In 2018 CapMac is celebrating our 30th year. It started as a small group of Mac enthusiasts who met on the University of Texas campus. For many years after its inception, the group continued to meet on the campus through the auspices of a tenured professor who sponsored our meetings.
In late 2008, the group meetings moved to a large restaurant / bar that had a large meeting room with plenty of parking and excellent features.
When the group began, electronic bulletin boards and printed newsletters were the preferred method of communications. Now the group deals with the internet, websites, video training, blogs, and Skype presentations from leaders in the Mac world.
Meet Our 2024 Board
Nathan Lott, VicePresident
Elementary Music Teacher for 7 years
Substitute teacher for 16 years
Longtime Apple fan
Former president of San Antonio MacApple Users
CapMac member since 2013
Email: vicepresident@capmac.org.
Tom J Weaver - Treasurer
Tom has been a computer programmer/ analyst/ user for over 40 years.
He has served several tenures as both treasurer and membership chairman, and is an ardent supporter of CapMac.
For several years he led a Special Interest Group for those interested in office tools (such as Word or Pages).
Email: treasurer@capmac.org
Bill O'Barr, Secretary
Bill holds a B.S. in Education.
He has years of experience working with data processing and network management.
In his retirement, he devotes his time to tutoring kids in math.
He is a devoted member of CapMac and frequently shares his knowledge with other members.
Jim Wynn, Director-at-Large
Jim has many years of experience providing technical support to local television stations.
He is a very diligent "keeper of the technology" for CapMac and provides all the technology needed for each meeting or event.
Cokie Craig, Director-at-Large
Margaret (Cokie) Craig was born in Caliente Nevada and lived in Las Vegas Nevada. That’s when she moved to Texas to be with her best friend, life partner, and husband Tommy Craig. She started working at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired as a substitute In the residential area. Then was hired as a full-time employee in the residential department teaching blind students daily living, cooking, and independent living skills. She became a CapMac member in 2014 after she retired. She learned about Apple computers in high school. When she moved to Texas, Tommy had a Apple II computer and they spent many hours putting code into this computer. Then they moved up to an Apple IIIGS. They coded a lot of fun games. Throughout the years they upgraded to the latest Apple products they could get their hands on.
Tom Morris, Director-at-Large
Tom Morris came to Austin to go to UT in 1960, graduated with a BSEE in 1963, and, except for four years in the army and a year working in Richardson, stayed in Austin.
His work was in television technology at KLRN/KLRU and as Telecommunications Superintendent in UT Utilities. Tom retired from UT in 2002, but continued as Consulting Engineer to KMFA until 2019. He qualified for his Professional Engineer license in 1982.
His association with Macs began in 1984, when he got one on his desk at UT, and we’re still here.
Our Friends in the Community
We'd like to give a shout-out to a few other organizations in the local Austin community that we or our members are affiliated with:
KOOP Radio (https://koop.org/) 91.7FM Austin’s Community Radio Station get involved like CapMac
E4 Youth (e4youth.org)- Working with teens and young adults to develop communication skills for today's world.
AustinFreeNet (austinfree.net) - Providing internet access and training to under-served populations.
Knowbility (knowbility.org) - Offering accessibility information technology training and consulting services to businesses, educational entities, government, and non-profit organization