Re: STC SIGs - scam or resource?

["Dan Roberts" <droberts63 -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

hrm ... i'm not a member of stc and its sigs, however I must raise issue
with some of the following comments.

-----Original Message-----
>...comments such as these very
>upsetting, and derogatory.
are they derogatory, or just true and not particularly complimentary?

>Many members (not enough I can assure you)
>devote a lot of their time to producing newsletters, hosting web pages,
>planning seminars at conferences, contacting new members and making
>them feel welcome, submitting articles to the newsletter, and many other
>activities ALL FOR FREE!!
and I'm sure that's very fabulous on their part, but if I pay $x.xx to
receive advertised items, then I expect to receive them, period. I'm sure
that plenty of us here have given uncompensated time, in order to meet our
particular requirements, deadlines, etc. So now the
I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG is now a client of the group of folks who have
committed their time, energy, and resources. I'd think that fulfillment of
stated deliverables would be expected.

>There are, however, costs involved in
>accomplishing these tasks.  Do you also feel those vounteers should fund
>these out of their own pockets?

Again, I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG was paid me fee, I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG
expect the stated deliverables. Do you think your clients care about your
blood, sweat, and tears, when you don't make their deliverables?

>Have you ever got involved with a SIG to see just what it takes, in
>time and money, to run a successful SIG?  I'm sure you would find it
>very enlightening; I sure did when I first became involved 3 years
>ago!

As a client of the SIG, I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG don't care what it takes
in time and money, until it involves *my* time and money. If
I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG don't receive the expected bang for my buck,

>If you feel that you've not received fair value for your meager
>contribution to whatever SIGs you've belonged to in the past, have
>you voiced your concerns to the SIG Managers?  I'm sure they would be
>interested in any suggestions you might have for making the SIG more
>valuable.  I know I would appreciate such information regarding the
>Quality SIG.

This topic I can't address, because I don't know how much information is
provided to a stc member who joins a SIG. And if an stc sig member does
complain, does the member get any sort of refund of the investment? Or do I
only get to complain, with only potential response or improvement?

>Maybe you would get more value out of a SIG if you vounteered to help
>in its operations.

Again, to put this into a client/vendor perspective,
I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG has been automatically promised deliverables X, Y,
and Z, with my stated obligation being $x.xx amount. Those are the terms of
the contract. Is it stated in a SIG membership application, that
I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG must supply not only the stated $ but also my own
time, energy, and resources, to receive my deliverables?

And yes, I'm quite well aware that voluntary, non-work-related, outside
involvements take time, energy, and money. I've been there myself. However,
I-who-subscribes-to-a-SIG should be able to expect whatever stated
deliverables the SIG membership states, or I should be made to understand
the additional requirements that will make my deliverables happen.

Follow-through matters.

Dan
droberts63 -at- earthlink -dot- net

Every Heel has his jobber .....