users and bullshit/ Re: IOUW'96 : All explained from IOUG-A Pres

Hi Dr. Dunbar/Oracleites,

re:
> Date sent: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 13:09:49 -0500
> From: Thomas Dunbar <tdunbar_at_GSERVER.GRADS.VT.EDU>
> Organization: Virginia Tech
> Subject: Re: IOUW'96 : All explained from IOUG-A President
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
 <ORACLE-L_at_ccvm.sunysb.edu>

> > IOUW has been and will continue to be a multi-faceted educational
> > conference event whose component parts include multiple tracks of technical
> > education, a full complement of mini lessons, in-depth training seminars
> > and workshops, vendor campgrounds, a vendor expo, and the latest breaking
> > news on technology issues and trends -- all planned and presented by users,
> > for users of Oracle and other Oracle-related technology. In a nutshell,
>
> given the focus on education, will there be more for those whose "use"
> is development?
>
> > IOUW and its component parts exist to further the technical expertise and
> > personal and professional growth of its attendees. It was and still is our
> > goal and expectation that IOUW and Oracle Open World will jointly serve the
> > user community as two related, but very different events.
>
>
> --
> Thomas Dunbar 540 231-3938 (fax 3714) http://gserver.grads.vt.edu/
>

If you bought the development software and/or RDBMS and related stuff, and "use" them you are a "user" (that is, a "technical" user) from Oracle Corp.'s perspective, no? My understanding is that there are very few "user users" that participate in User Group Meetings at the local, regional/national/international level. In other words, not *that* many data entry people want to know about Oracle's latest new technology or about developer's issues, DBA stuff, etc.

There might be some non-DP managment folks that are interested purchasing issues and/or strategic issues that arise from being Oracle customers, but they are a minority at User Group Meetings.

(Sorry if your question was a joke and I have belabored the obvious, if not it seemed pretty naive for such a smart guy.)

I also wanted to take the opportunity to make the observation that this whole thing about a split seems like a bunch of B.S.

Oracle Corp. is an arrogant/greedy capitalist entity that happens to have some good technology for sale. I don't see why the IOUG.* is trying to nuance the relationship. Let IOUG.* do their thing(s) and excell at training and aftermarket issues.

IMO, in order to offer valuable services to the user community IOUG.* doesn't have to get sucked into the brainwashed "insider" mentality, techno-illuminati-mystique and resulting haze that Oracle uses to mesmerize its customers.

As a matter of fact, maybe IOUG.* could even think about starting to more creatively market its existing services or come up with new services to fill unmet customer needs, such as providing various types of "bullshit free" cost effective consulting.

If you can't join 'em, beat 'em?

BXR
(a rabble rouser) Received on Sat Jan 27 1996 - 18:56:48 CST