OASIS Support of non-US particpants was: RE: [odf-adoption] Re: [odf-camp] Re: ODF Interoperability Camp Follow-up

["Scott McGrath" <scott.mcgrath@oasis-open.org>]

Thomas,

Your comments suggest that you may not be aware of a service that OASIS
offers for supporting non-US based callers.  As recently as 4 October, I
asked chairs to help identify situations where international calling
expenses posed a problem. I'll consider your comments as doing so for the
ODF Adoption TC.  (I recognize asking chairs about situation they are aware
of is an unscientific process)

We have some (not unlimited) resources that allow non-US callers to connect
to an in-country conference number that is then connected to the "main"
conference group in the US.

I am now filtering the responses from my last inquiry (and including your
inquiry as a request) and comparing the demand to available resources, to
determine what we can do for whom.  The good news for you in this is that my
preliminary look doesn't suggest that need will outstrip our capacity.

Expect a more formal closure on the call services in the coming days/weeks.

Additionally, you should also be aware of a move underway to modify our TC
Process to better serve globally dispersed members.  You should address your
comments and suggestions to the Board at
oasis-board-comment@lists.oasis-open.org so they may be aware of your input.
They are addressing the issue on the whole, recognizing your difficulties
connecting to TCs predominantly populated from the US, and that we also have
the same global problems with TC predominantly in Japan, Korea etc.

I hope this information helps you.

Scott McGrath
Senior Director of Member Services

Tel +1 978-667-5115 x202 
Fax +1 978-667-5114
scott.mcgrath@oasis-open.org

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>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Thomas Zander [mailto:zander@kde.org]
>Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 10:02 AM
>To: odf-adoption@lists.oasis-open.org
>Subject: Re: [odf-adoption] Re: [odf-camp] Re: ODF Interoperability Camp
>Follow-up
>
>On Friday 02 November 2007 14:25:08 Carol Geyer wrote:
>> Thomas,
>> There seems to be a lot of confusion here, many emails are overlapping,
>and
>> statements are being taken out of context. As Dee suggests, we should
>> discuss this on the Committee's call Tuesday.
>
>I don't see a lot of confusion. I can't participate in the call, email (on
>an
>open list) really is the only way for many open source people to
>participate
>in the process. Please don't shut us out.
>
>Bottom line is that I would be very disappointed to see the smaller groups
>being left out of odf-interoperability 'stuff'.
>And requiring membership via OASIS, or even requiring (typically lengthy)
>call-ins to foreign countries do just that.
>
>Anyway, lets see what happens.
>--
>Thomas Zander