koopman@a.gp.cs.cmu.edu (Philip Koopman) (03/21/91)
After 5 years as a member of FIG and contributor to Forth Dimensions, I have decided not to renew my membership. My Fig renewal notice reads like the ones I get from magazines that are at the edge of bankruptcy. It essentially says: please send your money in *now* to avoid rate hikes and missing issues. It also talks about what a shame it would be if Forth dimensions were to disappear. I think this translates into "we're about to go broke, so *please* send us some cash to keep us afloat." The renewal notice says a $10/year rate hike is necessary "in order to meet the rising cost of important member services like Forth Dimensions and our mail-order operations." What services are these, exactly? Is the money going to Forth Dimensions? $6.66 per issue is pretty steep for a hobbyist newsletter. (This is not a question of the value of the content. FD is worth that much to me. It's just that I can't believe it costs that much to produce!). I'll bet that without the baggage of FIG the magazine could be done for $4 or $5 per issue. If the magazine were allowed to pursue advertising and distribution in a realistic manner I'll bet it could be even less. Is the money going to the mail-order operation? If so, why refuse to carry some items on the grounds that they are not profitable enough? I know the mail-order operation *used* to make money a few years ago when Roy Martens was running it. The FIG convention has essentially evaporated. The efforts I have heard tell about over the years to promote Forth outside the community have never materialized. As a non-Silicon-Valley resident I really don't see any other FIG benefits (especially now that there is no Chapter Coordinator to promote new chapters, and there are no chapters in my area). So, it's not at all clear to me what supposed benefits necessitate the dues increase. WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING??? I know that failing to renew will exacerbate any financial problems. If there are problems, the membership deserves to know so that we can participate in the solution. I didn't get to vote for anyone running FIG. For years the leadership has kept the membership intentionally in the dark as to the running of the organization. As a disenfranchised, lowly FIG rank-and-file member I can think of only one course of action to follow. I'm voting with my dollars and voting with my feet. > JDHALL [John] writes (from Genie cat 1, topic 2, #123, 3/15/91) > When the matter of Jack's public notice was brought to the > FIG Business Group, the President, Bob Reiling, ... asked > that Jack Woehr no longer receive the financial statements > which he did not understand and had misused. The financial statements obviously exist. Do you think the membership is too stupid to understand them? My renewal notice states "...every member's fee goes to keeping our doors open and the presses rolling." So, what's the problem with proving it? How expensive are the doors you're keeping open? When you publish a complete financial statement in Forth Dimensions, I'll restart my membership. Phil Koopman koopman@greyhound.ece.cmu.edu Internet 2525A Wexford Run Rd. (412) 935-6697 Wexford, PA 15090 These opinions are obviously my own.