Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ncar!tank!cs_bob@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
From: cs_bob@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Ingres User's Association Meeting
Message-ID: <3044@tank.uchicago.edu>
Date: 2 May 89 19:27:33 GMT
Sender: news@tank.uchicago.edu
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
Lines: 38

in New Orleans last week. Among the lowlights:

1) During their Monday morning marketing hype, several exexcutive types
ballyhooed the large number of various UNIX flavors they run on. No
one mentioned the fact that version 6 Ingres no longer works under
BSD Unix.

2) New Ingres 6.2 features were announced. Absolutely no mention was made
of the fact that although version 6.1 is in production, it is only available
to a very limited number of sites. Very few users have version 6, although
the features it provides were announced in the October *1986* IUA. The
execs focused on the future of RTI, stressing their connectivity products.
Judging from the experience with version 6, they were focusing on the very
distant future.

3) The IUA Membership voted to incorporate and sever themselves from RTI.
RTI brass claimed that they wanted a 'strong independant users organization',
while IUA board members indicated that their primary interest was a fear
of personal liability for the actions of the IUA. Board members were unable 
to circulate the resolution, saying they didn't have the time to make copies. 
Voters in favor of the proposal were asked to raise their hands. No one was 
allowed to vote against the resolution (that is, they were never asked to vote).

This creates an interesting situation. In our recent Ingres support license,
update, one of the announced benefits is a free membership in the IUA. As
it turns out, IUA membership costs nothing, and RTI does not want the IUA
to charge anything for membership. 

4) RTI refused to release a list of the attendees of the conference. 
Apparently, the IUA has never even been provided with a list of their
own membership. If the IUA board wishes to make a mailing, they must submit
it to RTI for censorship and handling. RTI claims that the list of IUA
membership is their property, and that it contains sensitive marketing
information. 

If that's their idea of supporting a strong, independant user's organization,
I can't wait to see how they'll act if and when the IUA ever starts to rock
the boat.