Re: AUGD: Ethical Question
Re: AUGD: Ethical Question
- Subject: Re: AUGD: Ethical Question
- From: Matt Johnston <email@hidden>
- Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:41:30 +0000
On 12 Dec 2006, at 16:12, John Belen wrote:
The question is; do you have businesses that attend your meeting,
and if so, have you set up rules, or guidelines for how those
businesses can conduct, or solicit business?
I've been running nimug.org as a benevolent dictatorship for the last
9 years or so. I started it because there was no local support for Mac
users in Northern Ireland. There were a few companies offering Mac
support but they were very focussed on the print sector and were very
expensive and sometimes dismissive of consumers.
Just under 4 years ago I started Mac-Sys Ltd which is currently the
only Apple Reseller and Authorised Service Provider in Northern
Ireland. If we weren't there, there'd be nobody else and all repairs
would either have to to to Dublin (100 miles away and in a different
country) or be mailed into Apple UK (a 2-3 week process at the best of
times).
How do I manage things?
We have a smallish banner advert on nimug,org. We also have one on
there for Feral Interactive who have been known to send the MUG some
games which we raffle off to the members for free. We get no other
support from any other companies. Mac-Sys Ltd pays for the hosting of
the web site and forum, has hosted several of our "events" in the past
and allows me and some of the other guys to give troubleshooting hints
on the forum free of charge. Those of us who do give hints, do so with
a Mac-Sys Ltd signature. People are free to use NiMUG for support,
free to use Apple or other AASPs in Dublin or they can come up to see
us.
We've had one complaint when I, acting as the forum moderator,
reminded some individuals that if they were selling software on the
swaps and sales section they had to include all media and the license
agreement materials. The forum user then accused me of furthering a
corporate agenda. End of the day you have to consider the community
and there is now an understanding that software sold has to be legal.
For other businesses, we provide a business section. Businesses are
free to put their details up if they're Mac-relevant.
It's something you have to manage yourself. Put it another way - if
you have Adobe presenting, or perhaps Apple themselves, do you lecture
them on how they present themselves? Why then is it okay for Apple and
Adobe to solicit business?
Matt
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