Re: [xtm-wg] Proposal to invite Laurent as a guest in XTM

[David Holliday <dholliday007@sprintmail.com>]

Sam Hunting wrote:
> 
> [David Holliday]
> >
> > In my spare time I build Origame Tesseracts ;)
> 
> Great... Process issues should be easy after that ....
> 
> [David Holliday]
> > My true situation is that I've *no time* at all to spend on anything
> > other than the core subject.  (I'm sure that's true for many of us in
> > industry and commerce.)
> 
> Well, we've chosen to conduct our work "in the sunshine" (as Murray
> Altheim put it on the site somewhere). Rumor has it that exactly the
> same process issues take place in ISO and W3C processes ("I'm shocked!
> Shocked!") but they take place behind closed doors, as it were
> 
> So, you can filter on subject lines, if you like. (However, consider
> that if your organization wanted to have people become Invited Guests,
> you might view this process issue as closer to a "core issue" than you
> do now.
I think you're "cyberstuttering" since I got the e-mail twice ;)

In short, the Data Processing Management Association followed the approach of Twain's "Mississippi Pilots Association.  

It seems there were these two or three old pilots who would spend their days drinking in front of a riverside tavern.  Being "autorities", cub pilots asked them for info on
the river condition.  In order to keep a good thing going, they started asking for drinks, but switched to a cash membership.  The larger the membership, the more clout,
so, eventually if anybody wanted to skipper a boat, they had  to join the Association.  And, the rules (and costs) got more stringent as the membership grew.  However, the
rules for qualifiying were not retroactive, so the new(est)comers were strigently vetted, whilst the old-timers could rest on their laurals; letting "new-fangled" things
pass them by.  The last hold-out, who was extremely competent on his own, had no choices left, except another careeer.

The DPMA did exactly the same thing.  Raised entrance fees, lobbied themselves to industry as "the experts", had minimal entrance requirements to start with, and never had
any further qualification programs for tenured members.

Both organizations have no significant bearings on their respective industries at this point.

As a counter-point, consider the Project Management Institute, although even they are getting snowed by applicants claiming project management experience because they've
"tick-meistered" a "project" with the title.

The PMI is rigorous, and demands on-going certification.  My kind of vendor/supplier.  I'd hope they'd expect the same from me.

Hope this makes sense.  I've got to go write 2 docs and a website before tomorrow.  So can only check in much later.

Best wishes, all,

David








> 
> [David Holliday]
> > I'd suggest you read Mark Twain's description of the Mississippi
> > Pilot's Association; or, closer to home, the history of the DPMA.
> 
> Can you summarize for me? As a former humanities major, I'd love to
> hear the Twain quote -- but as an editor, I don't have time to run it
> down.
> 
> Thanks again, and I hope you'll be willing to contribute wireless
> expertise to the list...
> 
> S.
> 
> =====
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>      - Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations -->
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