Re: [Interlug] LUGs: Get calendar magnets, Advance Programs, and more

True,

        I feel that Common missed the opportunity, and if they don't wake up
soon, we will be seeing another Chapter 7 filing.  The best way a new vision
will be a change in the board, but even that has not seemed to make much of
a difference over the past few years.

        In fact read Charlie's "Personal Message" on the web site in the
election material. He is asking people to vote for him by saying "Serving as
President of COMMON for the past two years is one of my most important
qualifications".  Where personally I feel that this is a great reason NOT to
vote for him, but rather one of the non-incumbents would be a better choice.
I say this based on a couple of things;

        1.) As Immediate Past president Charlie remains on the Board rather
elected or not for at least a year, and possibly two.  So adding a fresh
mind to the process does not mean that we loose his.

        2.) Charlie's, success as president is questionable, at least for a
few more days/weeks. As the 2001 financial reports the only full year under
his direction, have yet to be published even though it is now mid-August.
An some reports I have seen in the trade have implied a not so pretty
picture.

        3.) In talking to some current, or more directly immed past
volunteers, very little if anything seems to be changing.  An there is an
even deeper lack of communication from HQ and the board then ever in the
past.

        4,) If our goals are stability and financial viability why are so
many people doing some much traveling on COMMON's dime.  The board minutes
for example indicate that both Charlie & Bob B. have been going over seas to
the international meetings, is this really good financial decision
making....

        On marketing, HQ at this point in the process should be priming the
pump with material for Spring & Fall 2003 not Denver, so that as many of our
LUG members work on their next years fiscal budgets that information is
fresh in their minds.  As an example I was back in Nashville last week at
another conference, in the main lobby where COMMON had the Cyber cafe, they
had the registration and a dozen booths, including one for each of the
cities (Staffed by the equivalent of LUG members) where the conference will
be for the next four years, with prizes and give always and other attention
geters.

        Am I down on COMMON, you bet !  Am I down on IBM, you bet ! Too many
of my good friends do not have work right now because they chose the AS/400
as they area of expertise.  An I blame most of it on poor marketing and name
recognition of the product line, not the capabilities of the platform or the
many IBM Specialist who have been laid off in the name of stock value.

        JMS...
====================
Jeffrey M. Silberberg
CompuDesigns, Inc.
Atlanta, Ga. 30350-5640


----- Original Message -----
From: <Portal39@aol.com>
To: "Jeff Silberberg" <jsilberberg@mindspring.com>
Cc: "interlug" <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2002 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [Interlug] LUGs: Get calendar magnets, Advance Programs, and
more


> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
>
> Jeff
>  It  shows- your not happy  with common.
> this a value  or  administrative statement on marketing operations
> many  user groups  don't meet in the summer most meet in September
>
> Attendance is falling off everyplace. look at your own user group and
others
> around you.
>  Complain about lack of marketing from IBM and common but we  help  drown
it
> too with all the negative  marketing we do collectively.
>
> Jeff Silberberg wrote:
>
>
> Hey Pete,
>
>         I have a more basic question, who is she. I don't find here name
> here before today, and I don't remember hearing it in Nashville ?  An no
one
> seems to have introduced her to the crowd ??  Although, maybe my hearing
> aide was just not turned up enough..
>
>         Additionally, this is unfortunately another example of to little
to
> late from HQ in my opinion. I think the majority of us schedule our
meetings
> on the same day of the week every month during the 2nd or 3rd week.
> Therefore, any opportunity to market for Common has been missed for
August,
> and will be after the conference in October. So we have one and only one
> opportunity to get the word out where it will do any good.  Hope not much
> was spent here special for this purpose.
>
>         Sorry to be so negative, but it's been awhile since I have seen
much
> to be positive about when it comes to Common's marketing, and
unfortunately
> this showed in Nashville's numbers.
>
>         Latter,
>         JMS...
>
> PS: Andrew I never use magnets on the Ice Chest just a big nail :-)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Pete Massiello" <pmassiello@os-solutions.com>
> To: <interlug@midrange.com>
> Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 6:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [Interlug] LUGs: Get calendar magnets, Advance Programs, and
> more
>
>
> > Andrew,
> >
> >     Perhaps we need to put out a word of caution with the magnets that
> > says if you plan on holding a disk to a Fridge door with this magnet,
> > then upon receipt of the magnet, please put it back in the envelope and
> > return it to sender, because you must be too technically challenged to
> > operate a magnet.
> >
> >     I would bet these are the same people that use the Mouse attached to
> > the PC as foot pedals or the CD drive in the PC as a cup holder.
> >
> >     Hope all is well, stop annoying Jennifer she is trying to do some
> > good things for the LUGs.
> >
> >         Pete
> >
> >
> >
> > Andrew Borts wrote:
> >
> > >DON'T DO IT - I USED ONE OF THESE MAGNETS TO HOLD A DISK TO MY FRIDGE
DOOR
> > >IN THE OFFICE , AND IT RUINED IT!!!!
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: interlug-admin@midrange.com [<A
HREF="mailto:interlug-admin@midrange.com";>mailto:interlug-admin@midrange.com
</A>]On
> > >Behalf Of Jennifer_Alten@common.org
> > >Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 5:03 PM
> > >To: Interlug@midrange.com
> > >Subject: [Interlug] LUGs: Get calendar magnets, Advance Programs, and
more
> > >
> > >
> > >COMMON believes in working together with the LUGs through co-marketing,
> and
> > >here
> > >are several ways we can help each other:
> > >
> > >2003 COMMON CALENDAR MAGNETS:  Order these free giveaways for your Fall
> LUG
> > >meetings.  Calendar magnets should be available the week of September
> 16th,
> > >and LUG membership in COMMON is required.  To receive them, e-mail
> > >jennifer_alten@common.org and give your Name, Local Users Group, Street
> > >address,
> > >E-mail address, Phone, Date of the meeting, and Quantity desired.
> > >
> > >40-PAGE ADVANCE PROGRAMS FOR COMMON
> > >
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