From Billy Rolands, who said...
----------
From:   Rowland, Billy[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Tuesday, May 14, 1996 12:20 PM
To:     Multiple recipients of list HP3000-L
Subject:        Re: HP World
 
Chris Rice stated:
 
snip ...
> Or yet...  why should the user group support the HP3000 when the
> HP3000 users don't want to even get involved??   I have been the
> conference coordinator for 2 years for NOWRUG (Washington State)
> and it is almost impossible to get HP3000 speakers. We always end up
> getting speakers from HP, almost never from a user.
snip ...
 
I am sorry to hear that NOWRUG has trouble getting HP3000 speakers who
are not HP employees themselves.  I feel lucky that MARUG (Mid-Atlantic
Regional Users Group) happens to get excellent speakers, both HP and
non-HP.  It helps that we have HP representation on the MARUG board as
well as other notable people who spend a great deal of time and effort
contacting and cajoling people to come speak at MARUG's meetings.  Chris'
comment concerning the recalcitrance of everyone except HP to speak at
NOWRUG has caused me to reflect on comments which have passed through
this mailing list over the past few weeks.
 
[snip]
 
Just interjecting from a "non-HP" speakers point of view, if I may...
 
I have been speaking at HPWorld (Interex) and some of the more local users groups for
several years, most notably BWRUG.  The problem speakers have is that many
companies that these people work for will not fund their activities (travel, expenses, etc.)
 
I fall into that category.  I pay my expenses for HPWorld and the reason I restrict to local
users groups (within a 3 hour radius) is simply funds.  I have, however, been asked by
many users groups to speak and do tutorials...simply stated - it's a case of
"lack-of-fund-itis".
 
So - at least from my standpoint - it's a simple case of "lack-of-fund-itis".  I'm not a
"vendor" so to speak (we're vertical) so there's no incentive for my company to pay for
this.  If a RUG wants quality speakers to come in for tutorials, etc...then the membership
should really look at who they want, and determine that if local talent's not available,
then should they "bring someone in" - and would the RUG pick up the transportation and
accomodation (or even partial) costs.
 
<brag>
This would go a long way, IMHO, to getting the speakers they want, where talent does
not exist locally.  I would be extremely happy to come anywhere and speak on client-
server issues, platforms, tools, etc...like I did for BWRUG, for example (it's a train ride
away)...but I can't go broke doing it..
</brag>
 
I hope this explains things, at least from my perspective.
 
Joe Geiser