(Stickie) The ST Owners Club (STOC) has come of age by Charlie Woods *

[KoTAOW]

Submitted by Adam Koczarski, STOC #265
Original article can be found here:  http://koczarski.com/Motorcycles/STOChistory/STock%20STartup.pdf

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The ST Owners Club (STOC) has come of age by Charlie Woods ( 1993 )

Late in 1993 when Derek Catt and Charlie Woods dreamed up the idea of having an Electronic ST Owners Club, we were attempting to work around the then leading edge of electronic communications, UNIX servers and PINE/ELM mail programs. There were no WEB browsers like Netscape or Mosaic, there were no email programs like Free Agent or WinVN.

Our mail list was just that, a simple email with everyones email address appended to the recipient header. Derek mailed out the STUFF newsletter electronically. Most of the newsletters were excerpts from the months collection of emails Derek received concerning products members of the list had bought or tried that were used or related to the ST1100.

At that time, most of the people on the email list were DoD members (Dennizens of Doom). The DoD is mostly related to the Usenet news group REC.MOTORCYCLES. And so, in true DoD fashion, the STOC was formed, although there is no connection between the DoD and the STOC, or the ST Newsletter published in Houston, Texas.

The application for a STOC number was a simple, funny idea to poke fun at the sport bike side of the ST yet, providing our members their own way of recognizing others that had the same interest in ST1100's by including their STOC number at the bottom of each email they sent.

After Derek's untimely death, Jim Alexander took over the task of compiling the monthly STUFF newsletters and continued until his transfer to another job outside the USA. Derek's father, George Catt then took up the task of publishing the STUFF. All the while, the STOC list of members was growing.

The most significant improvement for the STOC members was the creation of the WEB page by Michael Galassi. The Internet had finally come of age and it was becoming easier for people to retrieve information. Michael did an excellent job of collecting everything that had transpired in the past and designed and maintains the WEB page for us.

Another significant improvement for the STOC members was the creation of a "list processor" where any one member could email his/her questions or comments to the entire list of people on the list with only a single message. We thank Mike Morrison for this improvement.

If you search the Internet using Yahoo for motorcycles, you'll find the STOC WEB page listed... We're famous.

The December 1995 Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) reader survey (page 36) form lists the STOC as one of the choices for current motorcycle organizations of which you may be a member.

I can think of no greater tribute to those who have been involved in the making of the STOC than to see the "organization" recognized in a national motorcycle publication.

I know Derek Catt is smiling down at us for our accomplishment.

See'ya
Charlie Woods #002



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STOC cofounder, Derek Catt, #001 and his 97 year old Great Grandmother, circa 1992.

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More STOC history, newsletters and pictures can be found at this link:  http://koczarski.com/Motorcycles/STOChistory/STOChistory.htm

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Thank You again for your contribution Adam Koczarski, STOC #265