[CLUE-Talk] Oh No! Not Again! (spam spam spam spam ...)

[Jeffery Cann]

On Wednesday 16 April 2003 01:45 pm, David Willson wrote:
> I disagree with our apparent attitude toward business-people that
> prospect among us.  

I disagree, Dave.  The spirit of GPL and Open Source is not a tit-for-tat 
exchange of knowledge for business opportunities, i.e., I volunteer at my 
LUG, so I should be able to solicit business from the other members.   
Rather, it is a shared responsibilty.  I help you and you help me.  We 
protect each other's interests at the cost of our time, not from our wallets.

> We use their time and talent, so it is an appropriate return that they
> should regard us a business prospects.  

In fact, we have a sponsor policy specifically against your suggestion that it 
is OK to use CLUE as a marketing or business prospect group.  IBM fell under 
the 'Vendor Tables' portion of this policy (#2).  It does not state whether 
it is OK to collect member emails without giving a clear explanation (i.e., 
an opt-in statement).   Perhaps we should amend it.  

Please read it:

 + http://clue.denver.co.us/vendorPolicies.html

The reason we have this policy stems from the original formation of CLUE, by a 
Linux vendor who felt the need to opt-in the entire CLUE membership for his 
personal marketing group -- repeatedly and without permission.  This angered 
many CLUEbies, not unlike the current IBM flap.  After this person left the 
group, we decided to do something to prevent such ill will.  I can see from 
the anger in this thread that our policy is still on the right side of the 
fence because it protects personal privacy of the CLUEbies.  Further, we will 
certainly be careful about clarifying any future vendor sign-up sheets with 
the vendors.

We appreciate any sponsorship from businesses.  We are not anti-sponsorship or 
anti-business.  However, we would prefer to keep CLUE from becoming just 
another UG that is driven by a vendor or overwhelmed with corporate 
sponsorship.  I have had numerous members tell me that the reason they like 
and attend CLUE meetings is because we are different from most other UGs - we 
are not vendor or business centric.  Think of CLUE as PBS -- educational and 
mostly free except for those rare folks who can give more than their time.

If CLUEbies want to cull business opportunities, I suggest that they also join 
their local Rotary Club.  It's more appropriate and more effective than CLUE.

I am sorry that folks did not contact me rather than flaming Maureen.  In fhe 
future, I would hope that CLUEbies would bring their grievances to me (or 
another admin) directly, rather taking matters into their own hands.  You'd 
be surprise how persuasive we are...

Later,
Jeff

-- 
Life is a tie. In the end, no one wins. 
 -- Oswald Neimo