Re: [atlarge-discuss] User activities in other At-Large structures

[DannyYounger@cs.com]

Hello Eric,

ISOC is pretty much like any other large group with chapters all over the 
planet.  You might compare it to the Rotary Club, or to the assorted the Rod 
& Gun clubs in the U.S. where in some lodges you might find real 
salt-of-the-earth folks and in others nothing but rednecks.   Some ISOC 
chapters are strong with a large active membership, others are small, and 
many are still in chapter-in-formation status because they don't have enough 
local chapter members.  As people are all different, so too does every 
chapter have its own quirks.  Every year ISOC loses about 40% of their 
members, but as their total membership nonetheless remains on a fairly level 
keel, there is obviously a sufficient amount of fresh new blood entering and 
flowing through the organization.  It's also an indication that the group has 
some serious problems that they need to fix.

I had an individual membership in ISOC.  Then the organization suspended 
voting rights for its individual members.  ISOC now has a disenfranchised 
At-large community of individual members that are being encouraged to join 
their local constituencies, the "Chapters".  So, I am now a New York Chapter 
member, and the chapter casts its votes accordingly in the new system.  Sure 
it sucks, but that doesn't stop us from getting real work done as a group, 
and truthfully, it's within the chapters where people meet face-to-face that 
things actually happen.  Individual membership, without a collaborative 
social context, does little to engender meaningful results.  My membership 
fee in ISOC is now free (which is great), but I choose to make a contribution 
to my local chapter (which suggests a donation of $25 per year).

There is an ISOC chapter being formed in Vietnam.  You may wish to write to 
Joakim Löfkvist for further details.
address: no 20 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
e-mail: joakim_lofkvist@hotmail.com

Joakim seems to be working on language accessibility issues.  You can read a 
note he sent on this topic at:  
http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/wai-site-comments/2002Mar/0003.html

Best regards,
Danny

In a message dated 9/9/02 11:26:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time, eric@hi-tek.com 
writes:

<< all right this is the correct forum,
 
 What are the pros and cons of the ISOC.
 
 My understanding as I was trying to join was that they were limited to
 corporate
 groups with huge membership fees.
 Danny are you a member?
 
 If I am wrong correct me, and direct me to an individual membership app.
 
 Otherwise they are merely an IP extension.
  >>

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