Re: augd digest, Vol 3 #211 - 15 msgs
Re: augd digest, Vol 3 #211 - 15 msgs
- Subject: Re: augd digest, Vol 3 #211 - 15 msgs
- From: "Dan Sailers" <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 10:44:29 -0500
On Sunday, September 22, 2002, at 09:01 PM,
email@hidden wrote:
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Message: 14
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Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 18:45:59 -0700
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Subject: Re: MUG Center.. Killing MUGs one User Group at a Time...
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On 9/22/02 6:16 PM, "Chuck Joiner" <email@hidden> wrote:
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>> These MUG deals are publicly available at the click of a button.
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>>
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>> IS THIS ACCURATE ENOUGH FOR YOU SIR?
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> Yep, absolutely right, Randy...because those vendors presented them
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> that
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> way, as I just responded to Don.
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> As to your revision to the tile of this thread...well, sorry you see
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> it
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> that way. You obviously have your mind made up.
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> ---Chuck
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>
As a long time UG member and leader (although at times I wonder what
the label lUG Leader really means) I read this list with interest and
generally don't take the time to respond unless I feel that I have
something to say that is of value to the discussion.
I will say upfront that I have a real bias when it comes to UG issues
and that bias is rooted in my 14 years of being a UG officer and leader
after 2 years of being a member.
I would like to add two overlooked points to this recent issue (some
would say flame) regarding UG deals and the exclusivity or lack of same.
1. as you can note from Bonnie's comments below, UG are not doing very
much to support the vendors that support UG efforts (particularly the
handful that spent big bucks at Macworld to impress the 150 or so UG
people that go to MW. Yes I know that the breakfasts draw 300 or so,
but when you allow for friends who go together and spouses and
significant others who attend, you will be fortunate to reach 150
people.
I believe that the true number is not much more than 100. And I know
what the costs are, so the few vendors that participate spend hugh
amounts of money for something that can never be measured.
For that reason alone it doesn't bother me if every Mac user in the
world buys at the so called UG special pricing. The more business a
vendor gets through its UG specials the better it is for all UG's.
I know if I were the CEO of a company such as C & G, I would never
spend the kind of money that they spend based on the measurable sales
that returned via UG's.
We should consider the real facts and be aware that we are lucky to
have C & G do all that they do.
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I went to the source on the Casady & Greene thing and this was her
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respose
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to me.
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Hi Sid,
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It was nice seeing you too. The discounts that are on our UG site are
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for
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the User Group members. We do not have it password protected by
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choice. If
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User Group members were buying from the store on a regular basis I
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might
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password protect it. As it is I am only getting 5 or 10 orders a month
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if
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that. If and when I see a jump in sales, then I might consider it.
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Best regards,
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Bonnie Mitchell
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Casady & Greene
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Vice President of Public Relations
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Accounting Liaison to the CEO
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and User Group Liaison
2. The larger issue here in this discussion is that UG's have become
victim to that syndrome of thinking that the world owes us something
because we are UG members.
Special deals for UG members without being tied to measurable results
for the vendor making the deal, simply helps destroy the true strength
of UG's and hastens the day that UG's become totally irrelevant, and
the vendors get to the point that our advocates like Bonnie can't make
the case that we should be supported at all.
The other factor that makes this discussion important is that there are
a few people within the UG community that can't stand honest
discussion. If a post or a thread goes against their beliefs or
agenda's then the person making the post is subject to vilification or
labeled as a negative bearer.
If all we are willing to hear is positive fluff and how great Jaguar is
or how the MUG center is doing such great work (which it is) then this
list should be named the apple applause list instead of the Apple User
Group Discussion List. As much as I enjoy my members saying good
things about me, if I had to make a choice between hearing only good, I
would rather hear the bad instead. At least that way I know what to
work on to make my group better.
Lord knows I have been vilified more than a few times in my UG
experience. I would challenge anyone in this community to match my
time, travel, number of groups visited, number of face to face meetings
with vendors, number of contacts within UG's, and within the industry.
And in that experience I have discovered that what is said publicly is
almost never that which is expressed privately.
I have also discovered that the people who are willing to speak out and
willing to try anything different than the party line are immediately
blacklisted and much effort is spent to marginalize them and their
efforts.
So even though Randy does not need me to come to his defense and I do
not necessary agree with everything he says, I would much rather hear
his words than trash him for speaking the truth.
I can always delete that which annoys me. People like Randy are the
only ones who keep even a modicum of truth and light coming through.
After all it is Apple that has continually advanced the position that
we (UG members) are Apples most important customers and greatest
weapon. So if we offer complaints and criticism, I for one feel that
we are entitled to do so.
Of course we should offer the applause and appreciation also. And one
without the other leaves a one-sided situation.
Dan Sailers
Executive Director
Association of Apple Computer Users & Groups
email@hidden --
http://www.aacug.org
214.208.1885
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