[chapter-delegates] Re: MemeberShip System

Mon Feb 28 11:55:29 PST 2005

David, with respect,

Regarding the ISOC membership system.

Criticizing this effort, or attempting to make changes at this
late date is equivalent to beating a dead horse.

But it is not too late to reflect on attitudes and change them.

FIRST, transparency and openness.
SECOND, serving the ISOC constituency.

 - Is there a specification?  Has it been published?
 - What will the GO membership system cost?
 - What has already been paid?

OK, let us look to the future.

 - Transparency.  Who is going to field-test the new system?
 - I suggest that chatter about the field-testing be shared
       through this list.
 - There has been concern expressed repeatedly that the
   membership system as described in early 2004 was US-centric
   and lacked some features.
 - Can a preliminary spec now be shared with chapter-delegates?

Please open the window and let some fresh air and sunlight in.

The chapters want to work with you and make a successful
membership system.  Let them in to help.

Gene
gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com

On Monday, February 28, 2005, 1:14:43 PM, David wrote:

> Dear Chapter Delegates:

> Before investing much time in looking at membership systems, I should
> reiterate my message of below. ISOC did a comprehensive survey of membership
> system needs, including among chapter delegates, and then in early 2004
> purchased a membership system from GO Members.

> The new system is sophisticated and involves the complexities you would
> expect with such a system. Nevertheless a great deal of progress has been
> made and chapter testing is about to begin (just a few more conversion
> wrinkles to iron out). This is a good system, it is coming, it is near and
> we cannot now look at new or different systems.

> Thanks and best regards,
> David McAuley
> Membership Director
> Internet Society
> 703-326-9880, ext 104
> 703-963-5887 (mobile)
> mcauley at isoc.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alan Levin [mailto:alan at futureperfect.co.za] 
> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 8:20 AM
> To: chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org
> Subject: [chapter-delegates] Re: MemeberShip System

> Hi Franck and others

> On 16 Feb 2005, at 00:11, Franck Martin wrote:
>> Which one you want?

> Thanks for taking the time to find this out.

>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/zebraz/
>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/sitehelm/
>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/infocentral/
>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/clubdata/

> I went through them and I'm not sure which is most suitable. They don't
> have any list management integration but zebraz may be easily extended.

> I like Gene's idea of obtaining some agreement on a spec. I'm certainly
> happy to take comments and expand on what we started but I agree with
> others comments that ISOC HQ should be doing this.  [note: From my
> conversations with other chapters we all have the same membership
> management needs, and tracking of payments is not one of them
> (obviously with some exceptions].

>> Can we as Chapter Delegates make an evaluation and decision and inform
>> ISOC HQ for implementation?

> Yes please, although I have some concerns about these emails:

> Begin forwarded message:

>> From: Andreu Vea' <andreu at veabaro.info>
>> Date: 17 February 2005 12:54:06 GMT+02:00
>> To: 'David McAuley' <mcauley at isoc.org>
>> Cc: chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org
>> Subject: RE: [chapter-delegates] Membership System
>> Reply-To: andreu at veabaro.info
>>
>> Thanks David,
>>  
>> Your words sound great to me.
>>  One year of silence, is quite equivalent to: "we have forgotten the
>> project..."
>> Effectively as former President of ISOC- 
>> CAT (in Catalunya - Barcelona) I offered our help to Nelson (Feb.-16
>> -2004 just a year ago today) but never heard anymore about that. We
>> supposed you already covered your needs with other Chapters.
>>  
>> I would suggest to open the beta-testing of the Membership Management
>> as soon as possible to the chapters. I have been involved in many big
>> ERP systems deployment, and I think a year of "customization" of a
>> "off-the-shelf" product is a little bit too long... 
>>  
>>             andreu
>>
>> De: David McAuley [mailto:mcauley at isoc.org]
>>  Enviado el: miércoles, 16 de febrero de 2005 9:13
>> Para: chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org
>> Asunto: [chapter-delegates] Membership System
>>
>> Andreu is correct. In the first quarter of 2004 ISOC entered into an
>> agreement with Go Members (http://www.gomembers.com/) to use their Q
>> System Membership management system and financial system. It was a
>> major step.  This was announced to the chapter delegates list in
>> February 2004 along with a request for chapter volunteers for testing.
>>
>> Subsequently in 2004 we have been working with GoMembers on the
>> implementation of the system – it is quite detailed as you can imagine
>> for an organization with members, chapters and organizations around
>> the world. We have encountered a few unforeseen difficulties with the
>> financial system implementation and that has had an impact on the
>> overall schedule. But we are working through that and will separately
>> release the membership system despite the fact that it will not, when
>> released, integrate to the new financial system.
>>
>> A great deal has been done and a number of chapters have responded to
>> Nelson’s call for volunteer testers. We cannot take all volunteers but
>> have chosen a number who represent diverse chapter characteristics,
>> locations and activities. We will release the membership system to the
>> first of these testers within 2 weeks.

> David, just a reminder that it's now 2 weeks, any news?

>> (We have done a great deal of internal testing already.)  Depending on
>> what we find in this round of testing, we expect to release the
>> membership system to general use in April.

> I assume this is April 2005 you're referring to.

> Tjeers,

> aLan

> ---------------------------------------------
> Alan Levin
> Tel: +27 21 409-7997

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