We are cautiously resuming events in 2021-H2 while monitoring covid & the weather situation, trying to find the right balance with safety for our community. We are using more caution than what are the minimum mandated requirements as we care about our members and strive to nurture a vibrant & helpful (local & non-local) community!

As part of the many NEW launches for 2021-H2 (gist below), attendees have the choice of in-person or online, and we are opening up our MULTIPLE technology-focus-user-groups + computing-&-business-focus-groups beyond Houston. It has taken us over a decade to get here and we are taking it slow and steady … so lets continue to look out for each other & grow together … and have more Showcase: Success Stories!

0) new tier of offerings: Lighthouse — to focus on non-techies & techies navigating precarious & perplexing digital waters

• Simple_Safety™ … for non-techies & techies … Pro-Privacy & FREE tools for staying safer online

• Simpler_AI±Quantum™ … those who are trying to get their head around AI & more

• Showcase: Success Stories … to recognize those who otherwise may go unrecognized

• tidbit for non-techies: starting at zero is a tribute to our C programming roots … so is the use of {curly braces} … (techies, enjoy the easter eggs :-)

1) new tier of offerings: Computing & Business Focus Groups — to focus on function (e.g., adoption, startup, grow existing business) … in addition to our Technology Focus User Groups

• Hybrid_that_AI™ … All about Businesses leveraging AI (ethically, responsibly, & other criteria) with strictly restricted events

• Hybrid_that_Business™ … All about Businesses leveraging Computing & the Business of Computing (startups & existing businesses) with strictly restricted events

• Hybrid_that_Cloud™ … All about Businesses leveraging Cloud, (multi & hybrid) Cloud Adoption, High-Availability & HP Clusters, Cloud Productivity, etc.

• Hybrid_that_Data™ … All about Businesses leveraging Data, Data Security, Data Privacy/GDPR, Data Science, Databases, etc.

2) new HybridCloudGroup.org™ Private-Time … 1:1 time for consult/whatever, be it business or individual

• folks can request 1:1 Private-Time with leadership and/or other members, for consult at no-charge during registration of in-person events

• folks can request for 1:1 Private-Time outside the no-charge dates

3) new HybridCloudGroup.org™ Membership-Program

• grandfathering the no-charge/FREE for local & international membership (anyone can apply, not all are confirmed)

• a lot more details on the Membership Application page

4) some new Member-only Benefits … to help members grow … e.g., grow their personal brand & generate revenue for themselves

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ platform : our offerings & expertise that members can leverage to generate revenue for themselves :-)

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ outreach : expand our outreach now via our members (e.g., beyond the 1:1 direct assistance that exploded in Mar-2020/covid)

• HybridCloudGroup.org™/HCCUG.org™ bump : GDG Houston (not GDG Cloud Houston) had failed twice before Valentino accepted Google's request to run the new GDG "Cloud" Houston. Looking into ways to give a similar bump to our members, so they can grow :-)

• HybridCloudGroup.org™/HCCUG.org™ funding : we have been funding upfront & in-full all events & now meetup.com of the official/recognized Google Cloud User Group for Houston, GDG Cloud Houston, as Google's GDG Team had budget constraints, and this group is being run by our members. Similarly, we are open to help select members grow/startup/accelerate, etc.

DISCLOSURE: Houston Google Cloud User Group (a.k.a GDG Cloud Houston) is an example of our effort to support our members' efforts (click here for more info)

5) new HybridCloudGroup.org™ Digital Assets & nomenclature …

• new site logo and other logos (e.g., recognition badges/logos for members) with digital use rights, e.g., for use on linkedin & elsewhere

• shift to HybridCloudGroup.org™ nomenclature from HCCUG.org™, given the slew of offerings & programs, plus the clarity in the name

6) some new Event & Segments … in addition to our Exclusive (restricted, strict security), Special (collaborations), and Christmas events

launched NEW event multi-segment format (2021-H1) that are quite different from user-group type meetings, especially since we cater to our multiple Computing & Business Focus Groups ~AND~ multiple Technology Focus User Groups

• new multiple-segment event (not meeting) format, as our events are quite different from regular user-group type meetings

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Private-Time — dedicated time-slots to reserve in advance 1:1 Private-Time for no-charge consult

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Social-Time — relax, network & connect ~~~ folks are welcome to come in earlier :-)

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Focus-Time — multiple segments, varies by event ~~~ hard start, as we have folks online

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Showcase — the little-things with life-changing impact, e.g., showcase non-techie who entered the tech world via us

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Discussion — a collaborative conversation about something, e.g., FREE 30 days of Machine Learning event happening in 2021-Aug

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Labs — bring your laptop & walk-throughs, e.g., use Zane Moreign's Simple_Safety™ Digital_Privacy_&_Survival_Kit™

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Workshops — by members for members, to support individual members' efforts to grow their brand …

• HybridCloudGroup.org™ Conference — followed by the HybridCloudFest™ after-event (details to be announced at that time :-)

7) new HybridCloudGroup.org™ Focus-Space … dedicated space within this site, for each focus area (Computing & Business Focus Groups, and Technology Focus User Groups)

• so each group can focus on their respective technology/function/use/adoption

8) new HybridCloudGroup.org™ Phone App, social media, and more … (being gradually phased in)

• reviving Facebook as most non-techies are on it, and are the most in-need of PRO-PRIVACY (this is a community effort, we have to reach out)

• all social media is for 1 way communication only (our announcements), comments/ questions/etc. will not be answered on their respective sites

• www.HCCUG.org/contact-us is the ONLY way to reach us