Ahouxf.138
net.general
utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!duke!chico!harpo!vax135!houxi!houxf!rosin
Thu Mar 11 09:20:29 1982
Re: Usenix and /usr/group
Having never attended a Usenix meeting and having never even heard of /usr/group,
I was fascinated to read about the magnitude and diversity of the non-BTL
involvement with the UNIX system.
Having participated in many SHARE meetings and having been manager of advanced
planning for SHARE shortly after the attempt to merge GUIDE and SHARE in
1969, I have some opinions about the issus raised by .../decvax/aps.
[SHARE is the oldest computer users group, founded around the IBM 704
computer in about 1956; GUIDE is a little younger and was founded around
the IBM 705, a "commercial" machine.]
It is important and valuable that the two cultures represented in Usenix and
/usr/group cross fertilize - even at the risk of VERY large meetings.
Where interests are diverse, parallel sessions can accomodate both the
size of the gathering and differentiation of needs. Where interests merge,
"general sessions" should be scheduled. The problem with all of this is that
it requires much more MANAGEMENT and PLANNING than either organization has
invested here-to-fore. But that, my friends, is the price of success.
>From the netnews article, I assume that /usr/group is more concerned with
administrative and end-user issues than is Usenix, while the latter deals
with system programming issues. If either organization spends time
presenting needs/demands to Unix system vendors, then it is useful to have
a single forum and prepare a single, COHERENT view for ther vendors and
for each other to consider.
Given the size of the activity, I urge the leadership of both organizations
to get together with one or people managing a major computer user group
(SHARE would be my preference) to benefit from their many years of experience
in this acivity. Among other issues that might be discussed are: structure
of a user group, where to inject formal/legal/business behavior (e.g., a set
of bylaws), meeting and publication management, membership and voting criteria,
and relationships with system vendors/providers.
Yes, it has all outgrown "the good old days", but there is plenty of
excitement and challenge associated with a larger, more responsible
activity.
Bob Rosin, Bell Labs, Lincroft, N.J., (201)-576-3549
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