John Wolff writes:

> Perhaps it is now time for a "Back to the Future" idea.  Since Interex
>  seems to be doing an increasingly poorer job of representing the interests
>  of the HP3000 user community (and perhaps all users), and has been
>  exhibiting rogue behaviorial traits by putting its interests above that of
>  the membership:
>
>  Why not a new "MPE/IMAGE Users Group" for the users and run by real users?

I have been politely -- and perhaps far too subtly -- arguing the same thing
for the last 12 years. Should the emulator come to pass, it seems that that
would be a natural time to create a new users' group, one where admission to
the meetings would be $25 instead the now customary $1500.

Indeed, I would argue that basically all of the traditions be examined in
some detail, but most especially those that are potentially corrupted by the
influence of money. I would argue that the meetings should be without a
vendor show, without high-priced entertainment or featured speakers (Al
Franken, etc.), or loud parties, but rather nothing much more than a series
of informative technical talks, where vendors are allowed to present
technical talks, just as any other contributor might. I've always thought
that because the vendors have invested a great deal of effort in their
products, and because they've researched their various solutions the most
intensely, they should be the people that you would want to listen to the
most carefully. But such talks would also provide the listeners in a Q&A
period after each talk to ask pointed questions of the speakers, asking them
why they did this rather than that and how their solution stacks up against
another.

Wirt Atmar

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