George Fogg wrote:
I'm confused. Is this an advertisement on IBM-MAIN?
George Fogg
Richards, Robert B. wrote:
I would say *NO*, it is not really an advertisement. It's more like a
"FOR YOUR INFORMATION".
Advertising generally expects some return on investment. Clearly stated,
"There is no tuition fee for this workshop" sets the expectation that
IBM is not doing this for educational revenue.
This isn't exactly a user group meeting that's being announced. And,
consider the source...
I get invitations all the time, from IBM and other software and hardware
vendors, to attend "free" workshops. Some are events held at local area
hotels -- lunch included. An increasing number are in the form of
webcasts. But, AFAICT there is only one person (of the 5,000+
subscribers) that posts such invitations on IBM-MAIN.
Does a software vendor, offering a "free" workshop to discuss problems
for which they provide priced "solutions" constitute advertising?
Regardless of what you call them, are such postings consistent with the
overarching "spirit" of IBM-MAIN? What about these recent examples from
the same poster -- some containing specific pricing information, FUD
about competitors, etc?
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0806&L=ibm-main&P=R10900&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0806&L=ibm-main&P=R10803&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0805&L=ibm-main&P=R39688&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0805&L=ibm-main&P=R7657&I=1&X=-
http://bama.ua.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0804&L=ibm-main&P=R95816&I=1&X=-
Does IBM-MAIN have a written charter? Anything resembling Canons of
Conduct? A policy statement of some kind?
Notwithstanding the comments above, I certainly don't mind being invited
to these events. But, if and when I were to attend any of them, it would
be with eyes wide open. TANSTAAFL! ;-)
--
Edward E Jaffe
Phoenix Software International, Inc
5200 W Century Blvd, Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-338-0400 x318
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.phoenixsoftware.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------------
For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions,
send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO
Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
