Re: SSA steps on COMMON - might this be a broader trend for LUGs?

[Jerry Adams <jerry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Nashville LUG, to my knowledge, was the first to use the on-site 
facilities at Conference.  I know it, initially, rankled some people on 
the Board because I got calls from them.  But that lasted all of about 2 
minutes.  We had to live within the contract COMMON had with the 
Gaylord-Opryland, but that was understandable and easy.

Paul is right; we had to initiate the conversation.  It just so happened 
that the Conference overlapped our regular monthly meeting, which is why 
we opted to call COMMON.  We usually schedule 1 or 2 seminars a year.  
The first time we did that the program director wound up scheduling it 
during COMMON (so I missed it!).  Since then I've made certain that the 
seminars did not conflict with a conference.  Paul's right in that 
COMMON can, once the conference is scheduled (a few years in advance) to 
contact the LUG(s) in the area; if the LUG (such as OMNI and IMUG) are 
members of COMMON, that should be pretty easy.  Otherwise, it might be 
problematic. 

COMMON, through the hard work of Don and Glenn, has become more LUG 
friendly the last few years.  There is very little, if any, financial 
incentive in this for COMMON.  The major incentive that I have discerned 
is avoiding (or trying to avoid, at least) negative press and reactions 
in the community (such as this list). 

I have never had any problem working with COMMON as our LUG's liaison to 
COMMON.  True, I have to initiate the conversation, and I don't recall 
ever asking for anything extraordinary.  That includes not only HQ 
staff, but IBM liaisons to COMMON and LUGs, and volunteers.

        * Jerry C. Adams
*iSeries/i5 Programmer/Analyst
B&W Wholesale Distributors, Inc.* *
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pnelson@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Maria and Ralph and company have been first rate in helping the LUGS when 
> asked. They should get raises.
>
> It just seems that when the elephant (COMMON) rolls into town, it's up to 
> the flea (the LUG) to make contact. I know that when I was the president 
> of OMNI, nobody from HQ called me to invite OMNI to participate. I had to 
> initiate the conversation. I don't know if that has been the case 
> elsewhere. Perhaps all that is necessary is to have an item or two on the 
> punch list. First of all, when a site is selected, somebody should check 
> to see if the LUG has traditionally held its own event in either the 
> spring or fall. If so, conversations need to be held with the LUG 
> regarding a schedule that minimizes the impact on the LUG's event. 
> Secondly, three to six months before the conference, someone from HQ needs 
> to contact the sitting LUG president or other officer to coordinate that 
> LUG's participation at the conference in its backyard. 
>
> Pretty simple stuff.
>