Re: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away?

The Thursday closing session (CUDS 2 as you called it)  was very good. 
Paul Tuohy gave an excellent presentation as entertainment, the food was 
good and plentiful and the booze was free thanks to some unknown (to me 
anyway) benefactor.

It was also very well attended for an ending event.  As I recall from my 
previous COMMONs many years ago, it was always a problem to get anyone to 
come to the ending session.  I hope the BOD takes note of this and does 
similar ending sessions in the future.

Thank you,
Ronald L. Zimmerman
I.T. Applications Manager
Swiss Valley Farms, Co.      http://www.swissvalley.com
"The Good for You Company"
Email: Ron-Zimmerman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



pnelson@xxxxxxxxxx 
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09/24/2005 05:49 PM
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Re: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away?







One other thing is that this session was technically a violation of the
true code of ethics no matter what the board members say. It was a vendor
sponsored event scheduled against regular Common education sessions. The
thought of filing a JAC complaint against the president crossed my mind,
but then I remembered what I had written prior to Orlando.

By the way, how was CUDS 2 on Thursday night?

--

Paul Nelson
Arbor Solutions, Inc.
708-670-6978  Cell
pnelson@xxxxxxxxxx

-----midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: -----

To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Larry Bolhuis <lbolhuis@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 09/24/2005 02:20PM
Subject: Re: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away?

Trev et. al.

>
> a) I did not sense that there was a scam.

    I did. I asked them one question in the expo "Tell me straight up
that this car is being given away at this conference, yes or no."  They
began their answer with, "well..." I walked away and never came back.

> b) 99% of the people who showed up really believed that a $90,000 car
> was to be given away

    I don't believe that 99% number but it clearly wasn't zero either. A
LOT of people I talked to DID think it was actually being given away.

>
> The issue was, and is, plain and simple - there were still EDUCATION
> events going on. The lack of support for the education (the main
> reason for the conference) was appalling - from the vendor and from
> the attendees. When it was found that there was a conflict, the vendor
> was not willing to support the conference which was providing them the
> facility by modifying the time for the drawing. Not only scamming the
> attendees, but not willing to support the event.

    I agree with this 101%. They slammed COMMON, it's goals, it's
purpose, and it's people.  Their inflexibility exacerbated the problem.
The attendees DO deserve some blame but the Vendor gets the lions share
for causeing the entire stir in the first place.

>
> How easy was it to suck the attendees out of going to a conference
> event? Of course, it is obvious that COMMON's top speakers can not
> compete with the prospect of a $90,000 vehicle - er, and martinis. The
> very very sad part was that it was a complete farce.

    I heard about the martini's and I LOVE a top shelf martini. However
I walked right throught the crowd as You were trying to convince people
they were idiots. I had no intention of patronizing this vendor or their
event. Even IF someone had won the car they would STILL be an idiot.
Here is a near useless car that would have cost the winner the price of
a decent set of wheels just for taxes and insurance. And then you gotta
give it back in a year.  (Side note: Would I like to drive one? H***
Yes! Own one, no intrest at all)

>
> I was under pressure from the attendees at my (competing) session to
> finish early. I managed to present my entire session and still get one
> of the original ten people scammed into the event on time.

    I attended one of the other sessions (I already got a life :o)  I
wrote on the session evaluation this exact quote (It's in Planion if you
care to look) "This was hands down THE most valuable session I have
attended in the past 10 conferences."   Sorry all the idiots had to miss
it.

  - Larry
    COMMON Attendee, Speaker, SME, CET
    Not an Idiot.

>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Wenzloff"
> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 9:04 AM
> Subject: RE: COMMON Update... - the Porsche give-away?
>
>
>> After the drawing and non-give away, the crowd quickly started to
>> disperse.  But by then all the other scheduled events were over.   The
>> free booze continued to flow for another hour.   Quadrant let anyone go
>> on stage to punch in a 5 digit number.   I tried several times but the
>> odds are just way too great to hit.
>>
>> Later I drank with the CEO.   He seemed genuinely giddy at the big turn
>> out for the party.   I did not sense that there was a scam.  However 
99%
>> of the people who showed up really believed that a $90,000 car was to 
be
>> given away.
>>
>> Greg
>
>

--
Larry Bolhuis                   IBM eServer Certified Systems Expert:
Vice President                    iSeries Technical Solutions V5R3
Arbor Solutions, Inc.             iSeries LPAR Technical Solutions V5R3
1345 Monroe NW Suite 259          iSeries Linux Technical Solutions V5R3
Grand Rapids, MI 49505            iSeries Windows Integration Technical
Solutions V5R3


           IBM eServer Certified Systems
Specialist
(616) 451-2500                    iSeries System Administrator for
OS/400 V5R3
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  If you can read this, thank a teacher....and since it's in English,
thank a soldier.

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