Conference 7.286::digital

    Re: .0 And yes, I realize that not all our compatriots are Christians,
    but I use the term Christmas/holiday in the sense of the
    Christian/Jewish holiday seasons and don't mean to exclude/offend any
    one of other faiths and beliefs
    
    Debbie
    

    There were "DECarolers" in the lobby of MRO3 today... :-)
    
    Leslie

re .1:

The Jewish "holiday season" was in September this year.  Chanukah, on the other
hand, ended more than two weeks ago.

At ZKO, there's the usual tree in the main lobby.  I notice that they had
the sense not to put out the usual electric menorah.

    We had a lot more holiday spirit in past years before the VOD movement
    grasped us in its indifferent, iron fist.
    
    When I joined DEC, er, Digital fifteen years ago, fresh out of school
    I thought it wonderful that co-workers of lots of different backgrounds
    could get together and celebrate the season. That was then.
    
    Now I suspect we've got a lot of people afraid to even decorate their
    cubicals or plan any holiday activities because someone might object or
    make a VOD issue out of it.
    
    I could go on about how the philosophy of VOD has done little except
    create a new job-classification for self-proclaimed 'leadership
    activists' to exploit - but I really don't want to start that here.
    I merely want to point out for your consideration that a chilling
    effect *has* occured. It didn't happen by accident and it didn't happen
    without a cause.
    
    It seems as days go on we are more and more divided rather than brought
    together by our work environment. It is our loss.
    
    Publius

    I was at DEC in New York last week (1 Liberty Plaza)...
    
    now THEY know how to decorate a facility!  The place was wonderfully
    decked out for the holidays... 
    
    I loved it!
    
    tony

    
    Debbie, 
    
    The holiday spirit was TFSO'd last year. It is now working at the Mall
    of your choice. :-)
    jc  

    Outside my cubicle I put up a card showing a ticked-off gorilla 
    in a Santa suit.  Does that count?
    
    Seriously, though (well, sort of), this Christmas has been a major 
    assault on my wallet.  I'm Christian.  Most of Christmas has 
    little to nothing to do with Christ.  It's a pagan holiday abounding 
    with pagan trappings.  I appreciate and support the idea that many 
    folks use the time to celebrate the birth of Christ and I do that.  
    But, the rest of it ...  Now, there's as much pagan in me as in the 
    next guy.  But, it *is* expensive ...
    
    And, I just can't stand being bombarded with all the Scrooge movies
    and idioms.  Well, actually, there is the one exception whose quality
    and spirit surpass all others -- the Mr. McGoo version of Scrooge ...
    
    Steve (who empathizes with the gorilla)
    

    The DECAROLERS made a visit and sang at our group Holiday Lunch today.
    It was wonderful....the singing...the food...the laughs.  A much needed
    release with the general atmosphere most days.  There is a decorated 
    Christmas tree in the LKG main lobby.
    
    At 2 PM this afternoon ALL LKG employees are invited to the cafeteria
    for treats and the DECAROLERS will sing there, too :)
    
    Seems the Holiday spirit is here at LKG.  Fa..La..La..La..La!
    

    
    <<< Note 3595.8 by NETCAD::SHERMAN "Steve NETCAD::Sherman DTN 226-6992, LKG2-A/R05 pole AA2" >>>
    
    >>>Seriously, though (well, sort of), this Christmas has been a major 
    >>>assault on my wallet.  I'm Christian.  Most of Christmas has 
    >>>little to nothing to do with Christ.  It's a pagan holiday abounding 
    >>>with pagan trappings. 
    
    
    I will assume this is a careless juxtaposition and you are
    not insinuating that commercialism is pagan. Epicurus was
    certainly NOT an outlander. Nor was he a member of any
    number of religious organizations who often refer to themselves
    as pagans.
    
    No harm done. Blessed be,
    
    -bk 
    

    What's V.O.D. ????
    
    Paul

    Ive got an ornament that has a picture of my daugter with Santa in it
    outside of my office - oh its the little things that a difference I
    guess.
    
    Barry
    

    Merry Christmas Barry!
    
    We need another E Store specialist for christmas?
    
    Paul

    Here at the ISV Eng&Tech Support in Palo Alto, yeah, we deck the halls
    some, had a xmas potluck last Fri (went quite well), and facilities will
    host teatime today (we bring the goodies though).
    
    So yeah there's some xmas spirit here albeit rather lowkey.
    
    Happy Holidays!

     Here in Hudson, MA we've had quite a bit of the holiday spirit.  We 
     had a holiday craft fair a couple of week's ago,  The lobby is decorated.
     The DECcaroler's came around at lunch the other day. Various groups 
     have had holiday luncheon's, potluck's etc.  

     Our group is having our annual holiday brunch tomorrow.

     I think alot of it depends on individuals who are willing to take  
     the time and organize the celebrations.  I know if it wasn't for two
     people in our group who take the time to organize the brunch, we 
     probably wouldn't have it.  I'm glad we have them!

     Happy holidays.....

Well, the InfoBroker Directory Search page at VBO is decorated for the holiday:

	http://ismise.vbo.dec.com:8888/

as is the Announcement Directory that I maintain:

	http://www-ad.mso.dec.com/announce/pa-toc.html

Bob

  Re the V.O.D. stuff: I agree. People are continually on guard against saying
or doing something for the holidays that is not VOD-compatible. But I don't
think that is the main thing that is holding down the holiday spirit. The main
things are:

1. A high percentage of Digital's groups are having layoffs or worried about
them. And a high percentage of Digital's layoffs occur in December. 

2. Most people are very busy. Organizing holiday pot-lucks, putting up trees
(if not done by Facilities), etc. take time.

  Here in LKG, we are lucky. The Networks Products Business, which comprises
most of LKG, is profitable and has had very few layoffs in the U.S. recently.
We are very busy, but we have found time for pot-luck dinners etc.
  Re the DECcarolers: the group that sang at LKG is not the company's main
group. They did quite well, but there were only 10 people. I am going to see
if we can get the main DECcarolers group next year. Hearing the full (25+ peo-
ple) group is a very moving experience.

      Check out the Internet Business Group's new IBG East home page at
    
                     http://www.ljo.dec.com/ibg-home.html
    
              ... and follow the "Season's Greetings" links ...
                     straight to Santa at the North Pole!
    
    And in real space as opposed to CyberSpace:  LJO2 had a magnificent
    Holiday Spread today... my 3 dozen hermits from Paul's Bakery in
    Beautiful Downtown Maynard were totally swamped by mucho gourmet food.
    
    Plenty of holiday spirit in & around IBG East in LJO2 (-: though we
    have to work it in amongst lots of activity... :-)
    

    	I also work in Hudson MA and unlike my counterpart in reply .15 who
    obviously works days there is no Christmas sprit here on the midnight
    to 8am shift at least I don't see it.  Events aren't generally planned
    for the night shift and although it's part of working nights nobody
    likes to be forgot.  This year they even moved our Xmas potluck up two
    days to a time normally reserved for a meeting.  Ain't that nice we
    didn't loose any production.  I think I'm ready for two weeks off see 
    you folks next year.  Have a happy everybody.

    Joe  

    Please inform the 50% of DECcies that are ignorant about some of the
    USA folklore: what is VOD?

    By no means as fancy as Bob (.16) or Dan's (.18) contributions but we've
    got a teeny weeny (stolen) Christmas tree at
    
    		http://www.apd.dec.com/lnx/
    
    In real life, on the corridor not one but two beautifully decorated 
    Christmas trees and the whole corridor is decorated with large paper 
    bells and just this morning a Christmas breakfast (which I missed :-( ).
    
    re roelof

    
    	My Christmas spirit went out of the window yesterday lunchtime!
    
                                       Malcolm.
                         The EX-one man Multia Promotion team.

    VOD is something like "Valuing of Differences" or "Valuing Our
    Diversity", I think. I don't know enough about its intent or
    implementation to be a reliable source, but I believe the theory is
    that by our valuing (ascribing worth to) the differences between
    individuals (race, culture, background, religion, etc.) we will
    experience a reduction in conflict, enhanced mutual self-esteem, etc.

    Here's something that, believe it or not, relates to Christmas.
    
    If you don't believe me, extract what follows the formfeed as a
    .C source file, compile, link and run it.
    
    It came via a colleague who got it from a customer who got it 
    from....
    
    - Richard.
    
    ps....don't panic, it's *NOT* a virus. No harm will come to your 
    system by running this. :-)
    
    
#include <stdio.h>
main(t,_,a)
char *a;
{
return!0<t?t<3?main(-79,-13,a+main(-87,1-_,main(-86,0,a+1)+a)):
1,t<_?main(t+1,_,a):3,main(-94,-27+t,a)&&t==2?_<13?
main(2,_+1,"%s %d %d\n"):9:16:t<0?t<-72?main(_,t,
"@n'+,#'/*{}w+/w#cdnr/+,{}r/*de}+,/*{*+,/w{%+,/w#q#n+,/#{l,+,/n{n+,/+#n+,/#\
;#q#n+,/+k#;*+,/'r :'d*'3,}{w+K w'K:'+}e#';dq#'l \
q#'+d'K#!/+k#;q#'r}eKK#}w'r}eKK{nl]'/#;#q#n'){)#}w'){){nl]'/+#n';d}rw' i;# \
){nl]!/n{n#'; r{#w'r nc{nl]'/#{l,+'K {rw' iK{;[{nl]'/w#q#n'wk nw' \
iwk{KK{nl]!/w{%'l##w#' i; :{nl]'/*{q#'ld;r'}{nlwb!/*de}'c \
;;{nl'-{}rw]'/+,}##'|}#nc,',#nw]'/+kd'+e}+;#'rdq#w! nr'/ ') }+}{rl#'{n' ')# \
}'+}##(!!/")
  :t<-50?_==*a?putchar(32[a]):main(-65,_,a+1):main((*a=='/')+t,_,a+1)
    :0<t?main(2,2,"%s"):*a=='/'||main(0,main(-61,*a,
"!ek;dc i@bK'(q)-[w]*|%n+r3#l,{}:\nuwloca-O;m .vpbks,fFxntdCeghiry"),a+1);
}

Re. 23>

    Thanks Ron for taking the trouble to explain.

    The acronym has been used repeatedly in this string, but to date 
    appeals for a translation had not been met.  Now all us non-US 
    readers know it refers to Valuing Differences!

    Ian (undervalued).

In what way have employees changed their pre-xmas behavior because of VOD?

    The last remnants of Christmas spirit, after the precipitate closure of
    the WLO facility, evaporated as I read the mail that says our unit will
    be disbanded on 1/1/95 and we'll be assigned to one of several other
    groups.  We'll be advised of which groups in the next few weeks (I
    suppose/hope).
    
    I have to keep reminding myself of the intent of the Tibetan proverb:
    
    It's probably not malice, it's more likely to be incompetence

    "hermits from Paul's Bakery in Maynard"
    
    Oh, you had to mention them...

><<< Note 3595.24 by MILORD::BISHOP "Take hold of the life that is truly life" >>>
>                   -< compile, link, and run this C program >-

The results:
$ cc christmas
          :t<-50?_==*a?putchar(32[a]):main(-65,_,a+1):main((*a=='/')+t,_,a+1)
%E, Address-valued expression not found.
                At line number 15 in disk$:[POWERS]CHRISTMAS.C;1.

          :t<-50?_==*a?putchar(32[a]):main(-65,_,a+1):main((*a=='/')+t,_,a+1)
%W, The number of arguments passed to the function does not
                match the number declared in a previous function prototype.
                At line number 15 in disk$:[POWERS]CHRISTMAS.C;1.

        }
%I, No object file produced.
                At line number 18 in disk$:[POWERS]CHRISTMAS.C;1.

%I, Completed with 1 error(s), 1 warning(s), and
                1 informational messages.
                At line number 18 in disk$:[POWERS]CHRISTMAS.C;1.


- tom]

    uh?
    
    It works for me....
    
    What C compiler are you using? I used DEC C for AXP (or is that 
    Alpha today?) 

    Yeah, VAX C V3.2-044 doesn't like it.
    
    	Dick
    

My compile failed too (with the same error), but the version in the
HACKERS conference worked a treat, and is well worth the effort.

Code below, and watch out for the long line if you just cut and paste
between Motif windows,

mb


#include <stdio.h>
main(t,_,a)
char *a;
{return!0<t?t<3?main(-79,-13,a+main(-87,1-_,
main(-86, 0, a+1 )+a)):1,t<_?main(t+1, _, a ):3,main ( -94, -27+t, a )
&&t == 2 ?_<13 ?main ( 2, _+1, "%s %d %d\n" ):9:16:t<0?t<-72?main( _, t,
"@n'+,#'/*{}w+/w#cdnr/+,{}r/*de}+,/*{*+,/w{%+,/w#q#n+,/#{l,+,/n{n+,/+#n+,/#;\
#q#n+,/+k#;*+,/'r :'d*'3,}{w+K w'K:'+}e#';dq#'l q#'+d'K#!/+k#;\
q#'r}eKK#}w'r}eKK{nl]'/#;#q#n'){)#}w'){){nl]'/+#n';d}rw' i;# ){nl]!/n{n#'; \
r{#w'r nc{nl]'/#{l,+'K {rw' iK{;[{nl]'/w#q#\
n'wk nw' iwk{KK{nl]!/w{%'l##w#' i; :{nl]'/*{q#'ld;r'}{nlwb!/*de}'c ;;\
{nl'-{}rw]'/+,}##'*}#nc,',#nw]'/+kd'+e}+;\
#'rdq#w! nr'/ ') }+}{rl#'{n' ')# }'+}##(!!/")
:t<-50?_==*a ?putchar(a[31]):main(-65,_,a+1):
main((*a == '/') + t, _, a + 1 ):0<t?main ( 2, 2 , "%s"):*a=='/'||main(0,
main(-61,*a, "!ek;dc i@bK'(q)-[w]*%n+r3#l,{}:\nuwloca-O;m .vpbks,fxntdCeghiry"),a+1);}

    It isn't just inside Digital, it's outside as well.  We haven't even
    hung our wreaths at home yet.  I'm the one who has her presents bought
    and wrapped by December 10 in the past.  I haven't even bought half of 
    them yet.  I can't get into the spirit this year.
    
    I think it's something to do with it only being about 10 days ago that 
    it was Halloween, and the day before yesterday, Thanksgiving.  Time has 
    become as short as money just lately, and smiles as well.
    
    The only thing of cheer I have seen this week was last night, at the Ayre 
    (Mass) rotary, some pushy SOB overtook and cut off three cars on the rotary 
    and almost caused an accident, for once there was a police car right where 
    he should have been and he got him.   Ho Ho Ho.
    
    

    Here in IVO MCS, we had the holiday pot luck, we had the crafts fair
    (back during Hannukah!!), and even had a facility holiday function, and
    while people did come, they basically munched asap and ran.  We are
    decorated for the holidays, thanks to the efforts of two very spirited
    ladies in the group, but it just doesn't seem like a very happy season
    this year.
    
    Like 3595.33, I, too, am usually done with most of my shopping and
    making by the 10th to 15th, have the tree up by the 12th, the house
    filled with red and green gew-gaws by the 15th, etc.  This year, I'm
    half-heartedly crafting my (expletive) off, haven't bought any other
    gifts, and don't have the money to do so, anyway.  Just don't feel
    like it.
    
    (And yes, I am Jewish, but my husband and my brother's wife are not, so
    we do both Xmas and Hannukah up with an equal bang in my house!  My
    lucky kid gets spoiled even more rotten than usual every December...)
    
    Having a cold Blue Christmas in SoCal,
    
    M.
    
    

    At RCH we had a little pizza holiday party at noon today.  We had
    live music and a ventrilloquist (all at no expense to the bottom line, 
    other than the time, of course).
    
    We were wondering when everyone was going to get there for the party
    and then realized that everyone was already there...
    
    Dan
    from "Life in a Digital Sales Office"
    

    
    	At ACI (Chicago) we closed the cafeteria Dec. 9th permanently.
    There are no decorations in the lobby. Some organizations have
    "local" decorations, but sales has been decimated this year, and
    most reps are just taking the time off routine. 
    	Since we all know another round is coming next quarter, most
    DECies are resume papering, interviewing, and resigning. It is very,
    very sad. This used to be a real hot-stuff environment.
    	Our family is ready, however, (Daddy refuses to take his work
    home) and my three-year-old is virtually bananas over Santa coming
    on Sunday. The baby is basically unfaized.
    	We wish you all the happiest of Holiday greetings.
    
    		the Greyhawk

    Greyhawk,
    
    The same things are happening in Dallas. People know the axe is flying
    again in January.
    
    Happy holidays to you and yur family!
    
    May Calendar year 1995 be a great year for all of us whether we are
    with Digital or not.
    
    

I suspect the problem is due to the general feeling of loss in the company.

Either that, or everyone has adopted my cultural tradition, in which
the Christmas season begins at sundown on Christmas Eve (and not a moment
before) and lasts for a full twelve days.

/john

Carolers appear to be walking through the halls at Zpitbrook right now.

    It's not all bad!
    
    At Thanksgiving, many people in USG put a lot of effort into organising
    our annual group bash.  Not only was a great time had by all, but the
    event raised a large wad of cash (hundreds of $$$) plus a mountain of
    food for the Nashua Soup Kitchen.  (It's amazing what people will pay
    for the opportunity to dunk their manager in a tank of cold water.)
    
    Folks from the operating systems group also collected donations at our
    pot luck lunch.  This effort raised over $700 to buy a TV, VCR movie
    passes, and toys for the Nashua Childrens Association.
    
    Kudos to all those organisers, participants and donors for their
    holiday spirit.
    
    C.
    
    
    

    
    Re. 36 & 37
    
    > People know the axe is flying
    Care to elaborate?
    
    Mike M.

    
    
    no tree in the lobby here in colorado springs, no decorations hanging
    from the cieling...the only sign of Christmas at all is the tree in the
    cafeteria that was most probably only put up because that's where the
    Silver Key gifts go. ...
    I also wondered if it had anything to do with VOD....
    then I realized that we probably just sold all of our Christmas
    Decorations to MCI to generate some quick cash.....
    
    :-(

    And the very recent mail announcing the European country managers
    didn't mention anything like best wishes for Christmas.

    Cath,
    
    I thought you guys did a nice (if tacky) job on the area you all
    inhabit when you are in the building.  
    
    As for the rest, well we TFSO'ed the people who usually set this up and
    outsourced the rest.
    
    Merry Holiday
    
    
    Ho Ho Ho
    
    meg

    BTW,
    
    I have always been curious as to how we could value each others
    differences if we are too paranoid of offending someone to express
    them.  I would love to live in a world where there were visable
    evidences of our cultural diversity and no one took offense in the
    reasonable expression of this diversity.  I know this exists outside of
    Southern NH, but alas, that's where I am.
    
    Merry Christmas!
    
    Mike
    
    PS: Please reciprocate in the cheerful greeting of your choice!

    
    
    .44  MEg
    
    Tacky is the operative word. We always strive to decorate to nauseating
    excess...glad to hear we outdid even ourselves this year!
    (We were planning on going ULTRA-supreme-tacky...but to tell you the 
    truth...even we had a hard time drumming up the spirit :-(
    
    Maybe next year will be a brighter and happier and more comfortable
    year for everyone......
    
    Have a Merry CHRISTMAS  :)
    
    cat

    re .45
    
    I too have "dared" to wish people a "Merry Christmas!" instead of using
    the generic greetings.  I hope that people can focus on the intent of
    the greetings, rather than being easily offended.  My "diversity"
    deserves to be valued along with all the others.  So -
    
    	Merry Christmas!  Happy New Year!  Be good to one another. and
    enjoy the season!
    
    /Diane

    Here in NYC (uptown) the decorations are up in the reception area and a
    few people put up things, but the overall office atmosphere is not into
    the holidays.
     
    We put up a small tree for our group last week in the afternoon, but it
    was stolen by the next morning!  (At least they left the garland!)
    
    However, we did sponsor a clothing drive for the 3rd year with a
    homeless shelter that we've adopted.  Usually the tags get snapped up
    in a few days, but with all the downsizing I don't believe everyone at
    the shelter got a gift (what a shame!).
    
    Even though, I hope everyone's holiday was happy!
    
    Fredda 

    re .45, .47
    
    I always appreciated Dave Barry's comment that "Seasons Greetings!" (in
    a holiday greeting card, for instance), was analogous to walking up to
    someone and saying, "Appropriate remarks!"
    
    In a recent satire called, "A 90's Nativity", forwarded from off the
    Internet somewhere, Joseph and Mary find themselves besieged by those
    who question an angel's presence on public property (the stable), worry
    about abuse of the ox and ass who were present, etc. One voice asks, 
    "... For instance, instead of all this business about 'Gloria in
    excelsis Deo,' why not just 'Season's Greetings'?"
    
        Mary said, "You mean my Son has entered human history to deliver
        the message, 'Hello, it's winter'?" ...

    
    Are there any replies to .41,.37,.36?
    
    ems

    
    	Current rumour is TFSO's in January to "align resources with the
    new ABU/SBU structure". Sources tell moi about 2,000 US in that month.
    6,000 by the end of Q3. I know several people actually working "lists",
    but "corporate" hasn't given the "green light" as of today.
    
    		the Greyhawk
    

    	Theirs only 357 more days until Christmas...

    RE: .52
    
    Theirs? Their what?
    
    Laurie.

    >Theirs? Their what?
    
    Theirs not to question why -
    Theirs but to shop or die?
    
    	%^)  Dick
    

    "Do you like Kipling?"
    
    "I don't know. I've never kippled."

    
    -1
    
    Not surprising. It's ruddy 'ard.
    
    

50s?  More like 1890's.

    Wrong, it was Tennyson.

    
    I find it very difficult to get into the Xmas holiday spirit, when it's
    nearly February !!
    
    P.S. I've always wanted to work for Motorola !
    
    

    FYI, the command that you probably are trying to remember is
    'Set Seen'.  :-)

    


    Eh..!!   What command...??  Did anyone request a command..??
    
    
    *:@)