Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!bbn!gatech!rayssd!d2b
From: d2b@rayssd.ray.com (Donald A. Borsay)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: Re: DECUS asked us to put this here...
Message-ID: <2200@rayssd.ray.com>
Date: 29 Apr 88 16:50:36 GMT
References: <95rrk@byuvax.bitnet>
Sender: d2b@rayssd.ray.com (Donald A. Borsay @ Raytheon Company, Portsmouth RI)
Reply-To: d2b@rayssd.RAY.COM (Donald A. Borsay)
Followup-To: 95rrk.byuvax.bitnet
Organization: Raytheon Company, Portsmouth RI
Lines: 57
Summary: Your LUG mileage may vary

[To set matters straight, I also disapproved of DECUS using the public
 network to advertise it's product (i.e. the Newsletter service), but
 did agree with most of the content of the "advertisement".]

In article <95rrk@byuvax.bitnet> rrk@byuvax.bitnet writes:
>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.  

Sure, DECUS is a for-profit organization, but not because of DEC subsidy,
for better organizational stability.  DEC not only foots the bill for a
lot of DECUS activity, but also supports those activities with lots of
internal representation at national and LUG meetings.  To paraphrase
the operating principles somewhat, the goal of DECUS is to:

	(1) advance the effective utilization of DEC products by promoting
	    the interchange of information concerning their uses;
	(2) advance the art of computation through mutual education;
	(3) administrate a software library of user contributions;
    and (4) give feedback to DEC on current or future products.

Either I'm missing something, or nowhere in these by-laws does DECUS
let DEC sell their products.

>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.

Wow!  Seems like you got tangled up with the wrong DECUS LUG!  The
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts DECUS Local Users Group
(CRIMLUG) has had presentations from LUG memebers, DEC, and third party
vendors.  In all cases, the information demonstrated "effective
utilization of DEC products" (i.e. PCs, PDPs, and VAXen).  DEC supports
us through technical presentations, new product information, and
facilities.  DECUS supplies the list of DECUS members in our area, SIG
tape distribution, as well as funds for printing and mailing of our LUG 
newsletter.

>Does anyone still seriously contend that DEC has ALL the answers, or has
>them NOW?

Oh sure, that's why we have Suns, Apollos, Macs, PCs, HP, Pyramid, as well
as lot's of VAXen and PDPs at our local division.  There is so much to
keep up with in the DEC marketplace, never mind the third party value-added
DEC marketplace.  I couldn't even imagine our LUG attempting to cover the
above vendors offerings as well...
-- 
Don    |Raytheon Company, Submarine Signal Division, Portsmouth, RI
Borsay |ARPAnet: d2b%rayssd.RAY.COM@a.cs.uiuc.edu
       |UUCPmail: {allegra, decvax!brunix, linus!raybed2}!rayssd!d2b