Re: IIUG Conference Topic Survey closing soon

Just trying to point out that the free certification alone makes the conference a good value. The certification testing is never my main reason for going, but it does make convincing my boss to send me back next year easier when I come home with a couple of free certifications. I also forgot that you can (or at least you could) take each a second time if you don't pass the first time, giving a potential total $$$ amount in free certification testing of about $1200. Andrew ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ian Michael Gumby" <im_gumby@hotmail.com> To: <aford@networkip.net>; <informix-list@iiug.org> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:43 AM Subject: Re: IIUG Conference Topic Survey closing soon > > > >>From: "Andrew Ford" <aford@networkip.net> > I believe that the point of offering the ability of 'free' (TANSTAAFL) > certifications is a value add proposition to the conference. > > Sure there is expense in going to the conference. But you have to weigh > that against the value of the conference. > > If you think about it... > > 1) You get to fly in to the fabulous metropolitian airport we > affectionately call KC. > (Just don't plan on getting anything to eat at the airport. ;-) > > 2) You have tutorials which should provide some new and important > information. > > 3) Its just a couple of days away from the wife and kiddies where you're > free to drink and learn something new. > > 4) You get to rub shoulders with those who are important to the Informix > Community and after all, where can they go run and hide? Lenexa isn't that > big. ;-) > > But to just base your decision on the "free" certification, isn't a really > good value call. > > >> >>Yes, but you could work in a lot of certification tests: 2 for 7, 1 for 9, >>1 >>for 10, 1 for 11 and 1 for 4gl for a value of $600 (if the tests cost >>~$100, >>even better if you want to take some of the DB2 tests) which is > than the >>expected early registration fee of $500 for the next IIUG conference. You >>still have travel and lodging but with the technical content, networking >>and >>5 star conference food and booze you get good value for your (or your >>employer's) out of pocket expenses. >> >>Andrew >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "scottishpoet" <dryburghj@yahoo.com> >>Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix >>To: <informix-list@iiug.org> >>Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:23 AM >>Subject: Re: IIUG Conference Topic Survey closing soon >> >> >> > David, >> > >> > Information management certification : >> > >> > http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/certs/dm_index.shtml >> > >> > You will see a number of Informix certifications there including IDS >> > 11 >> > >> > I also believe that free certification will be available at the IBM >> > Information management conference, IOD in vegas in october >> > >> > It is also possible to takethese tests at Prometric (and I think Vue) >> > testing centres all over the world. Although the test in this case >> > costs money, the ~$100 for the test is much cheaper than flights to >> > Kansas, a few days in a hotel and the conference fees >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Informix-list mailing list >> > Informix-list@iiug.org >> > http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Informix-list mailing list >>Informix-list@iiug.org >>http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list > > _________________________________________________________________ > Need a brain boost? Recharge with a stimulating game. Play now! > http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=club_hotmailtextlink1 >

So if testing costs ~$1200 and I don't go to the conference I can REALLY save money because then I don't have to suffer paying & flying to the conference, paying for the conference, and then suffer flying home, and lost billable while attending the conference. Not to mention paying for the hotel, food, and maybe a car rental to drive around the farm country. ( Whoo-hoo! ) As the Gumpster points out all the time 'there ain't no such thing as a free lunch". In this case the 'free' testing certification would end up costing me more money than had I stayed home. And, electing to skip the test would make it even more of a bad deal. I guess if you're an employee who doesn't have to pay for anything it's a good deal, other than that, it's not a good deal. Andrew Ford wrote: > Just trying to point out that the free certification alone makes the > conference a good value. The certification testing is never my main reason > for going, but it does make convincing my boss to send me back next year > easier when I come home with a couple of free certifications. > > I also forgot that you can (or at least you could) take each a second time > if you don't pass the first time, giving a potential total $$$ amount in > free certification testing of about $1200. > > Andrew > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ian Michael Gumby" <im_gumby@hotmail.com> > To: <aford@networkip.net>; <informix-list@iiug.org> > Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:43 AM > Subject: Re: IIUG Conference Topic Survey closing soon > > >> >> >>> From: "Andrew Ford" <aford@networkip.net> >> I believe that the point of offering the ability of 'free' (TANSTAAFL) >> certifications is a value add proposition to the conference. >> >> Sure there is expense in going to the conference. But you have to weigh >> that against the value of the conference. >> >> If you think about it... >> >> 1) You get to fly in to the fabulous metropolitian airport we >> affectionately call KC. >> (Just don't plan on getting anything to eat at the airport. ;-) >> >> 2) You have tutorials which should provide some new and important >> information. >> >> 3) Its just a couple of days away from the wife and kiddies where you're >> free to drink and learn something new. >> >> 4) You get to rub shoulders with those who are important to the Informix >> Community and after all, where can they go run and hide? Lenexa isn't that >> big. ;-) >> >> But to just base your decision on the "free" certification, isn't a really >> good value call. >> >> >>> Yes, but you could work in a lot of certification tests: 2 for 7, 1 for 9, >>> 1 >>> for 10, 1 for 11 and 1 for 4gl for a value of $600 (if the tests cost >>> ~$100, >>> even better if you want to take some of the DB2 tests) which is > than the >>> expected early registration fee of $500 for the next IIUG conference. You >>> still have travel and lodging but with the technical content, networking >>> and >>> 5 star conference food and booze you get good value for your (or your >>> employer's) out of pocket expenses. >>> >>> Andrew >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "scottishpoet" <dryburghj@yahoo.com> >>> Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix >>> To: <informix-list@iiug.org> >>> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:23 AM >>> Subject: Re: IIUG Conference Topic Survey closing soon >>> >>> >>>> David, >>>> >>>> Information management certification : >>>> >>>> http://www-03.ibm.com/certify/certs/dm_index.shtml >>>> >>>> You will see a number of Informix certifications there including IDS >>>> 11 >>>> >>>> I also believe that free certification will be available at the IBM >>>> Information management conference, IOD in vegas in october >>>> >>>> It is also possible to takethese tests at Prometric (and I think Vue) >>>> testing centres all over the world. Although the test in this case >>>> costs money, the ~$100 for the test is much cheaper than flights to >>>> Kansas, a few days in a hotel and the conference fees >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Informix-list mailing list >>>> Informix-list@iiug.org >>>> http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Informix-list mailing list >>> Informix-list@iiug.org >>> http://www.iiug.org/mailman/listinfo/informix-list >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Need a brain boost? Recharge with a stimulating game. Play now! >> http://club.live.com/home.aspx?icid=club_hotmailtextlink1 >> > >

>From: Tool <tool@thetool.com> blah blah blah... Then stay home. Look, this is the first IIUG sponsored conference ever. Right now we're working through a survey to see who wants what. Since we know you're not interested in coming, I guess we could just toss your entry? ;-) The IIUG is a user organization which prides itself in trying to give its members the most bang for the buck. Getting Certification on site is a big deal. Its a value add that many people like. You talk about taking a test at a prometric site, you still have the cost of travel to and from the site along with time lost while taking the test. The hardest part is trying to ensure that users who intend on going get to see/hear/watch/demo things that are important to them. Based on your past posts, you're too lazy to go to the IIUG site and get their latest version of IDS. You're too cheap to sign up for the all you can eat IBM SWG deal. So then I guess I can save on my bar tab by not buying you a drink while at the conference? _________________________________________________________________ http://newlivehotmail.com

Ian Michael Gumby wrote: > > > >> From: Tool <tool@thetool.com> > blah blah blah... > > Then stay home. > > Look, this is the first IIUG sponsored conference ever. > > Right now we're working through a survey to see who wants what. Since we > know you're not interested in coming, I guess we could just toss your > entry? ;-) > Did I have an entry? > The IIUG is a user organization which prides itself in trying to give > its members the most bang for the buck. > Actually if they showed me that they will get me a production-version of IDS, _that_ would be the most bang for the buck. All I see right now is doing everything BUT that. > Getting Certification on site is a big deal. Its a value add that many > people like. You talk about taking a test at a prometric site, you > still have the cost of travel to and from the site along with time lost > while taking the test. > Uh, actually I can drive to a test locally, and make up the lost hours in the same day. > The hardest part is trying to ensure that users who intend on going get > to see/hear/watch/demo things that are important to them. > > Based on your past posts, you're too lazy to go to the IIUG site and get > their latest version of IDS. You're too cheap to sign up for the all you > can eat IBM SWG deal. > Hee hee! :-) I know you're taunting me. I hardly consider myself lazy, but evidently you're seeing something in me I wasn't aware of. Too cheap to pay for the all-you-can-eat? Not cheap, just using smart business sense. I come from modest beginnings despite my success, so I think I'm a bit more sensitive to spending money than you are. I think it is a waste to spend that kind of money when I won't get much more than the software. No developer program, nothing else besides the software. Note to IBM: Hire me to do your developer program, you won't go wrong. > So then I guess I can save on my bar tab by not buying you a drink while > at the conference? > Absolutely. I think if I recall I actually owe you a drink. :-)

> I also forgot that you can (or at least you could) take each a second time > if you don't pass the first time, giving a potential total $$$ amount in > free certification testing of about $1200. If you can take each test multiple times: surely if you're a complete fuckwit surely the potential dollar total anmount is unlimited, or at least limited only by the number of certifications you can cram into the time for which the free certification offer is available?

>From: Tool <tool@thetool.com> > >> From: Tool <tool@thetool.com> > > blah blah blah... > > > > Then stay home. > > > > Look, this is the first IIUG sponsored conference ever. > > > > Right now we're working through a survey to see who wants what. Since we > > know you're not interested in coming, I guess we could just toss your > > entry? ;-) > > > >Did I have an entry? > So basically you're just blowing smoke and not participating in the survey? You're starting to smell like a Troll timmy! > > The IIUG is a user organization which prides itself in trying to give > > its members the most bang for the buck. > > > >Actually if they showed me that they will get me a production-version >of IDS, _that_ would be the most bang for the buck. All I see right >now is doing everything BUT that. > What do you mean "production-version"? The version on the IIUG is "production-ready" at least as far as functionality. Where it is limited, wouldn't effect you in a non-production environment. > > Getting Certification on site is a big deal. Its a value add that many > > people like. You talk about taking a test at a prometric site, you > > still have the cost of travel to and from the site along with time lost > > while taking the test. > > > >Uh, actually I can drive to a test locally, and make up the lost hours >in the same day. > Good for you. Then knock yourself out. Go get yourself certified and quit your bitching. > > The hardest part is trying to ensure that users who intend on going get > > to see/hear/watch/demo things that are important to them. > > > > Based on your past posts, you're too lazy to go to the IIUG site and get > > their latest version of IDS. You're too cheap to sign up for the all you > > can eat IBM SWG deal. > > > >Hee hee! :-) I know you're taunting me. I hardly consider myself lazy, >but evidently you're seeing something in me I wasn't aware of. Too cheap >to pay for the all-you-can-eat? Not cheap, just using smart business >sense. >I come from modest beginnings despite my success, so I think I'm a bit more >sensitive to spending money than you are. I think it is a waste to spend >that kind of money when I won't get much more than the software. No >developer >program, nothing else besides the software. Note to IBM: Hire me to do >your >developer program, you won't go wrong. > Naw Timmy, not smart business sense at all. You're too cheap to understand the value and the opportunity. But moi taunting you? Say it aint so! > > So then I guess I can save on my bar tab by not buying you a drink while > > at the conference? > > > >Absolutely. I think if I recall I actually owe you a drink. :-) > You probably do you rat bastard! :-P _________________________________________________________________ http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_pcmag_0507

Ian Michael Gumby wrote: > >> From: Tool <tool@thetool.com> > > So basically you're just blowing smoke and not participating in the survey? > You're starting to smell like a Troll timmy! > And you're starting to smell like a shill. :-/ >> > The IIUG is a user organization which prides itself in trying to give >> > its members the most bang for the buck. >> > >> >> Actually if they showed me that they will get me a production-version >> of IDS, _that_ would be the most bang for the buck. All I see right >> now is doing everything BUT that. >> > What do you mean "production-version"? The version on the IIUG is > "production-ready" at least as far as functionality. Where it is > limited, wouldn't effect you in a non-production environment. > I'm not sure you've been working in the same kind of environments that I have, maybe that's why you don't understand. I've been involved with clients that stand up new machines weekly, both Oracle and DB2 and a few MySQL here and there. These environments are driven by developers and applications, many if not all who are required to be set up for HA, replication, the typical stuff most corporations are running. When people like you tell me what I need or what the customer needs, without the slightest clue, I find your statements arrogant, insensitive, and uneducated. Does that make you a bad person? No, it just makes you an ass. >> > Getting Certification on site is a big deal. Its a value add that many >> > people like. You talk about taking a test at a prometric site, you >> > still have the cost of travel to and from the site along with time lost >> > while taking the test. >> > >> >> Uh, actually I can drive to a test locally, and make up the lost hours >> in the same day. >> > Good for you. Then knock yourself out. > Go get yourself certified and quit your bitching. > Who said I was bitching? You just want people to lay down for everything you say without some kind of rebuttal. You'd rather be the status quo. So, I'm curious that certification actually buys me something. Just what market am I certifying _for_? 3% ? The infamous niche market? Why do I need to spend money to push into such a small market? I get calls for Sybase and have absolutely NO certification for that. So why would I certify for something few shops if any are using? Besides, if Informix is so easy to use, what do you need to "certify" for exactly? > Naw Timmy, not smart business sense at all. > > You're too cheap to understand the value and the opportunity. > You can attack me personally, there's nothing I can do about that. But I think it's a bit tasteless to attack me when all I'm doing is asking and seeking the best deal. I don't think that's bad business sense. I simply want the best deal possible, and I know it's possible to get a production version without paying for it up front. Other vendors are doing it, all I'm looking for is the same deal from IBM that I can get elsewhere. THAT is good business sense. The people paying my invoice expect the same. And I understand the ROI. If there is market momentum for a product, I'm going to be there. But I'll believes it when I sees it. So far, all I see is a rather weak series of announcements nobody is really paying attention to. The buzz lasted what, barely three or four days? Here we are today, and where's the buzz? Show me the money!