Re: common

Al,

In a message dated 99-02-09 11:39:27 EST, you write:

> >Sorry for such an ignorant question, what days is COMMON in SF.  Since I am
>  >not going I wasn't paying too much attention, however one of my clients
>  >would like to go.
>  
>  Responding publicly, because this is probably important to the list.
>  
>  COMMON is in SF Monday March 8 through Friday March 12.  Note that Sunday
>  March 7 is an Expo day, so many attendees like to fly in on Saturday night
>  (lower airfare).  

Possibly lower airfare, but this will probably be my _LAST_ west coast COMMON.
For not much more, I could have gone to the Australasia conference , met more
new people, visited a new country that my wife and I have always wanted to
see, and not spent a whole heck of a lot more time in the air (let alone not
connect through Chi-town in the Winter).  SF is costing more than _twice_ what
NO did _last_ Spring, and most of that is the new registration fee and
airfare.  I am _NOT_ happy about the registration fee increase, _especially_
with the purported "discount" via the web site being based against a fee that
is so much higher than last year and a virtually _decimated_ guest program.

In fact, this may be my last Common ever, my fees given over to locally
presented seminars and the AS/400 Technical Conference for continuing
education.  Yes, I _could_ put together a course and take the perks offered
presenters, but who wants to perpetuate a system that makes even well-paid
independents reconsider their membership because of high fees and a constantly
decreasing level of service?  No guest program, pay for drinks at CUDS while
still getting chips (no dip) as food, lousy airfare and hotel discounts, an
increasingly incompetent housing bureau, sporadic CD presentation, and
selective enforcement of the "Code of Ethics" have been the hallmarks of
recent conferences.  Is this just _MY_ perception, or does anyone else feel
the same way?

>  Also note that Friday is a very lite day with only three hours of sessions
>  scheduled.  COMMON has developed a (very stupid) tradition of making
>  Fridays lite, and as a result, I am no longer willing to do Friday
sessions.

AMEN!  This speaks to my above gripe about "value provided".  The fee keeps
going up, but I remember when you griped because you had a two o'clock flight
on Friday and were going to miss something.  Today, 2/3's of the available
Friday courses are scheduled during the closing session.  Touring is good, but
do it on your own time.  Common seems to be providing too much of the latter
of late...

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"The only stupid question is the one you were too proud to ask." -- ME
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