The Softalk Apple Project is pleased to announce that Joe Liberto has joined the project community to lead the Softalk East SIG (Special Interest Group).

"We got our Apple II in late 1983," Joe recalled, "I remember the first issue that came had a cover about how the Mac was made." Each succeeding Softalk issue helped Joe develop a deeper and broader interest in technology and its application to social issues and community building. Joe is currently Technology Ministry Coordinator at St. Joseph Parish in Cockeysville, Maryland.

"We're delighted that Joe will be leading the new Softalk East SIG," said Jim Salmons, STAP Research Director and fellow Softalk East SIG member, "About the time Joe was a wee sprout being inspired by Softalk to direct his life toward a career in technology, I had been through two Apple-based start-ups in Baltimore and was heading to the West Coast by way of my Softrek adventure. We both love Baltimore, and by extension the mid-Atlantic region and East Coast. So we talked it over and decided to start a regional SIG."

"Once the digital issues of the magazine start going up," explained Joe, "We'll be looking for and highlighting content about people, companies, and events that were located on the East Coast. As Friends of Softalk from other regions get involved and start their own SIGS, we'll start to get an interesting picture of what was going on where. With today's graphical mapping capabilities it will be really fascinating when we can take a geospatial dive into the Softalk archive!"

Regional SIGs will be the natural groups to do 'Where is he/she/it/whatever Now?' stories with local regional members being literal boots on the ground to investigate whatever happened to the people, companies, and products, and so on covered by Softalk. "First up, I'm hoping Joe will chase down Ed Zaron, Jim and Maggie Black from my MUSE days," Jim wish-listed, "It would be interesting to find out how their lives have turned out these 30-odd years later. I think there are all kinds of opportunities for such reconnection as we explore and extend the content legacy of Softalk magazine."