Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!ukma!psuvm.bitnet!cunyvm!unknown
From: rrk@byuvax.bitnet
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: DECUS asked us to put this here...
Message-ID: <95rrk@byuvax.bitnet>
Date: 11 Apr 88 03:00:03 GMT
Lines: 22

Sorry to disillusion you...

DECUS is NOT a non-profit organization.  It is heavily subsidized by DEC
for the sole purpose of advancing DEC.  DECUS contributions are NOT a tax
writeoff for DEC, and that is why membership is free.  DECUS chapters are
very restricted by DEC as to what they can and can not allow to be presented
in LUG meetings, and since LUGS aren't even allowed DEC funds to pay for
mailings, they get nothing for their existence as official LUGS except lots
of restrictions and an occasional tape distribution, which they could get
for free anyway by contacting the right people.  The hassle of the LUG
librarian to send his own tape to get a copy of the latest stuff is often
as great as it would be if he were not the librarian of an official LUG.

So why be an official LUG?  In my opinion (I'd enjoy hearing others) it
is a lot better to not be official.  Individual members can still be national
DECUS members (and still for free) and the unofficial LUG can have other
sales people visit (besides DEC's) to better serve the needs of the members.
Does anyone still seriously contend that DEC has ALL the answers, or has
them NOW?
                                AMMON::RAY