Conference 7.286::digital

    	This is an excellent idea, and something which I've thought
    about somewhat (but not coherently to get it into a note, anywhere.
    You beat me to it Simon :-)
    
    	Today, I was thinking, is there some way to calculate a ballpark
    figure for the amount of company resources used by Notes? Perhaps
    a small, but dedicated network could be put together for roughly
    the same money, except now it would be a bonified "benefit" of being
    a DEC employee, access to the "N-Net". The network would (I figure)
    consist of microVAXen and RA81's, connected either through the existing
    E-Net lines, or through their own dedicated lines. The latter would
    completely seperate any impact of non-work Noting on E-Net company
    business. The "benefit" part would eliminate the built in inequities
    of the present "non-system", where some people happen to be system
    managers who can create conferences as they feel the mood, while
    other people can't even get a VAX account.
    
    	Just a suggestion. Maybe it's only a partial answer, but it
    would NOT be simply a frivilous expense for Digital...besides employee
    satisfaction and devotion, DEC would further develop Notes technology
    in terms not just of business use, but as personal communication.
    The N-Net would certainly be used to test other software useful
    for personal productivity and communication. If we could get DCU
    to allow us to do banking on the N-Net, and have a program that
    helped me balance my checkbook, I would be in heaven.
    
        Another idea would involve DECUS...how about a network of Notes
    that included not just Non-work related conferences, but bugs,
    suggestions, and public domain software, and DECUS members are allowed
    access. Now, not only will employees enjoy communication with a
    much wider audience for non-work conferences, but customers could
    get incredible response time to questions made directly to employees
    who watch the confernces as part of their job. 
    
    	Hmmm...
    
    	Ed
    
    	

    One of the "problems" I have seen with notes is the very lack of
    understanding the power and impact which you can have.
    
    Just knowing the mechanics of using notes is not enough. Noters
    must be "trained" in the "proper" use of them. This is analogous
    to driving a car. You can learn the mechanics of making it go but
    that does not mean you know the rules. That's why we have licenses
    and tests to ensure that most folks not only know the mechanics
    of driving but also the rules (laws).
    
    I think we should think about ways to train people in the
    rules/etiquette of notes.
    
    Prerequisite reading of ETIQUETTE? Some mechanism whereby conferences
    are read-only based on user until they have passed some test?
    
    Just some toughts.
    
    I really think this is the right discussion to attack some of the
    current problems. Thanks for starting it Simon!
    
    /tb/
    

        I think there would be some major benefits to forming a  notes
        organization  with  a  formal  structure.   I  don't  see  any
        drawbacks to it.  Most, if not all,  of  the  informal  things
        (parties,etc)  would  still happen.  It would seem that IDECUS
        would be a good place to look.  A Notes SIG might be just what
        we need.

        The benefits I see are:

         o  Identified and recognized representatives  of  the  Noting
            community.

         o  The formation of a structured self-governing body may help
            prevent  the  creation  of overly restrictive policies and
            procedures by management on a unilateral basis.

         o  Publicly (and officially) available pointers to people and
            other resources of information.

         o  Coordination of  existing  volunteer  efforts  that  could
            benefit  from  more  shared resources.  Especially through
            backup people during vacations  and  business  obligations
            (heavy work load, DECUS, training).

         o  Shared resources for spreading  information  about  noting
            and   notes   resources.    For   example,  a  newsletter,
            contributions to existing  in-house  publications,  and  a
            collection of notes tools with documentation.

        The current 'crisis' would certainly  benefit  if  there  were
        identified  and  recognized (by management) representatives of
        the  Noting  community.   While  a  number   of   people   are
        unofficially recognized by Noters as 'Notable Noters' there is
        no official reason why management trying to  make  a  decision
        about  a conference should seek them out.  One would hope that
        elected leaders of a large Notes SIG would be asked for advise
        in this kind of situation.

        This organization could help  regulate  the  notes  community.
        Not  with hard and fast heavy handed rules but with a slightly
        more structured version of peer pressure.   This  is  in  fact
        what  governs  notes  now.  A notes code of ethics could be at
        the heart of this.  Management in most organizations tends  to
        step in and create rules only when things are perceived as out
        of control.  When things appear to be in control, even if  not
        as  tightly  as  management would do it, they are usually left
        alone.   Government  works  this  way.   The  movie   industry
        self-regulates  itself  rather  then  let  government  set its
        rules.

        Currently many people who have become  identified  with  notes
        are  often  on  the  receiving end of requests for help.  They
        usually (speaking for myself anyway) don't mind but there  are
        times  when  one  just  does  not  have  the time.  A chain of
        volunteers equipped with lists of  other  volunteers  who  may
        either  be  closer to the requester or have more time would be
        very useful.  Even more so as more people attempt to use notes
        for work related data gathering.

        Over the  last  few  years  there  have  been  some  important
        volunteer   efforts   on   behalf  of  Noters  (EASYNOTES.LIS,
        NOTESLIST.NOT, EASYNETCONFERENCES.NOTE, Notes-11 Users  Guide,
        VAXNOTESINTRO.MEM,  the  original  work  (pre-funding)  on VAX
        Notes, to say nothing of KNOTES and NOTES-11).  Many  of  them
        require  regular  support.  This is often hard to do when real
        work  or  personal  commitments  get  in  the  way.    Finding
        volunteers   to   help  or  take  over  temporarily  is  often
        difficult.

        Coordination on an informal level has worked pretty well since
        most  of  those  involved either knew each other personally or
        got to know each other.  As the net and notes  community  gets
        bigger  more structured communication may be needed and should
        help these efforts.

        Comments about and pointers to notes Conferences have  started
        to  be  seen  in  in-house  publications.  An IDECUS Notes SIG
        could help this to continue in two ways.   One  is  through  a
        resource  person  that  editors  could  check with to validate
        information as both current and correct.   The  second  though
        the  writing  (and/or soliciting) articles of general interest
        for submission.

        An IDECUS SIG would also be in  a  good  position  to  present
        talks  at  IDECUS.  This would help the Corporation as well as
        the Noting community by opening new  lines  of  communication.

		        Alfred

        I've already sent MAIL to Ginny Mardirosian in IDECUS,
        asking for information on setting up a SIG.
        
Jim Stratton
        

    RE: .4 & .5
    
    Don't know what I can do to help, Alfred and Jim, but whatever you
    need, count me in. I'm considered a fairly good writer. If you need
    proposal help, etc; contact me.
    
    Fred

	Excellent suggestion Alfred!

						mike

    I applaud Simon and Alfred for their suggestions and actions in
    getting things started.
    
    A code of ethics would be a great idea.  I believe that most of us have
    some concept of ethics and ettiquette but it would certainly be useful
    to have a consensus ratify some reference standard.  The problem is
    that there still has to be interpretation and application of the code
    by individuals, with only peer pressure to induce it. What if some
    individual consistently shows poor judgement or unwillingness to
    conform?  Would this code of behavior justify requests for intervention
    by the individual's management?  Is that really desirable?  If it isn't
    then how would recalcitrant individuals be dealt with?  (My preferences
    run to things like tire irons, but that probably wouldn't be the
    consensus choice).
    
    The SIG would be a good vehicle, I suspect it might turn out to be a
    novel form of organization.  It could be a great opportunity for
    additional experiments in network communications as a tool for
    distributed organizations.  It seems it might also be an interesting
    development in Digital's corporate structure, being organized to
    represent the views of a significant segment of the employee population
    into management policies - while this is the standard SIG function, it
    wouldn't surprise me if the size and intensity of this one passed some
    critical mass necessary to give the voice significant impact, more like
    a "noters union" than an IDECUS SIG.  (I for one am feeling a little
    powerless, bruised, and stepped on after SEXCETERA's demise, bring
    on the union organizers!)  It will be interesting to see what happens...
    
    Just out of curiosity, does anyone have any idea of big the typical
    IDECUS SIG is now, and how many we could expect in a Noters SIG?

    Just a clarification:  I carefully chose the word "society."  I
    want to be very clear that I do not, repeat NOT, suggest any kind
    of "union."  There is a BIG difference.
    
    Please don't use the word "union" again in this context.  Thanks.
    
  --Simon
    

    I think that some sort of "training" is appropriate to new NOTERs.
    However, a society, or even a manual is not enough. The last two
    days on HUMAN have demonstrated that injudicious reading is enough
    to bring any system to its knees. I think some simple rules of courtesy
    should be part of creating the initial notebook.
    
    I would suggest that this be in the form of one screenload very
    simple and clear. It can point to other sources for amplifications,
    such as the sample notes conference. Can we discuss suggestions
    for the "top three" topics that should be covered in this mandatory
    opening note?

Great idea, the society that is. 

As for parties, these won't really involve those of us distributed noters out
yonder, but would work in those areas of high employee density.  The rest of us
will just feel left out. 

As for a code of ethics, I concur.  It is apparent that one is needed.  Of
course, such a code is not self-enforcing and therefore will not guarantee the
prevention of such past abuses.  But still, if might help some folks not go
beyond the bounds of reason if they had such a code to follow. 

As for "N-Net", the idea of an employee funded (noter funded) system to contain
non-work related conferences is one I could support.  Determining a cost would
be an interesting exercise .... 

Steve 

          I'd be extremely interested in an International Noters
          SIG in IDECUS. However I have never managed to join IDECUS
          despite repeated efforts.
          
          Anyhow, count me in.
          
          -- Andy

    I'm not opposed to the idea of noters' society, but I don't think
    it will have any real benefit over simply having conferences about
    etiquette, etc. around.  
    
    For one thing, noters are geographically dispersed, so NOTES would 
    be about the only real medium for communications.  That being the
    case, I don't see what kind of "organization" can really be applied,
    other than what already exists informally.
    
    For another, management is not going to recognize noting as a DEC 
    sponsored/endorsed/whatever activity, regardless of how "organized" 
    the noting community is.  Most managers I know of don't even know how 
    to use NOTES.  This is not an indictment of management,  it's simply 
    my perception of how things are.
    
    There are indeed some problems that need to be addressed.  How can
    we prevent system resources from being overtaxed?  How can we prevent
    "company confidential" or "restricted distribution" materials from
    being publicized?  How can we avoid such abuses as the one which
    provoked the SEXCETERA debacle?  How can we teach noters to spell,
    type, etc.?  These can and should be addressed.
    
    In my view, there's already a "noting community" whose strengths
    are a) they span the globe, and b) there's no formal organization.
    
    Of course, my opinion doesn't count ... I'm not in WHOAREYOU.