[chapter-delegates] New Membership Level

[Mike Todd]

The solution to "how much is annual dues for ISOC membership" could be just
about any answer we all agree is adequate for our purposes.

Verification of an actual member along with being able to connect a vote to
that person is or should be the primary goal.

Something as simple as stating that the annual dues is the equivalent of one
day's wage for an average wage earner in any given Country sounds really
fair.  Implementing and managing such a system is another question.

I pushed hard to free membership during the time I was the VP of Membership
for ISOC a number of years ago.  I was also pushing for identifying the
value proposition of membership but sometimes got the response that free
membership would make a statement that membership is worth that same value,
nothing.  Of course I never believed that but it is an interesting
observation.

It costs real money to maintain a membership system and its members.  Having
substantive members and verifiable votes is worth a lot more to ISOC than
whatever that membership system would cost.  However, the individual has to
make some substantial gesture to indicate a level of commitment to the
organization.

And here is our dilemma in a nut shell.

How much do we charge for ISOC Individual Membership?

It should be something of substance.  It should mean something to the
individual member.  It should show the external world that we do have
committed members.  It probably should not be free.  It should not be
prohibitive for anyone who sincerely wishes to bring value to ISOC.

I joined the new membership system last night as a supporting member.  That
has nothing to do with this discussion but I have made my commitment.

Mike Todd
President, Mike Todd Associates - www.MikeTodd.com
Supporting the Digital Coast

President, Internet Society Los Angeles Chapter - www.ISOC-LA.org

Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology Law
Pepperdine University School of Law - mltodd at pepperdine.edu

Technology Expert Witness - ExpertWitness at miketodd.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carlos Vera" <cvera at interactive.net.ec>
To: "Gene Gaines" <gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com>;
<chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 5:05 AM
Subject: Re: [chapter-delegates] New Membership Level


In Ecuador the montly income for a professional is USD 250 in average.
(range from USD 200 to USD 700)

Impossible to pay USD 75... this is only another way to say digital
exclusion and Internet only for those who can pay and live in countries that
can afford such expenses.

Carlos Vera Quintana
ISOC Ecuador


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gene Gaines" <gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com>
To: <chapter-delegates at lists.isoc.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 7:18 AM
Subject: Re: [chapter-delegates] New Membership Level


> US$75 to be a voting ISOC member (below).
>
> I live in an area in Northern Virginia, USA,
> where the median family income is about US$50,000
> and the median home price in my area is US$450,000.
>
> Other areas in our world do not enjoy this level
> of income.
>
> US$75 to be a voting ISOC member is, in my opinion,
> a step in the wrong direction.  Very wrong.
>
> Gene Gaines
> gene.gaines at gainesgroup.com
>
> On Monday, February 28, 2005, 7:54:21 PM, David wrote:
>
>> Dear Chapter Delegates:
>
>> The Internet Society is pleased to announce the launch of
>> its expanded Individual Membership Program.
>
>> A new membership level, called ISOC Members, is now
>> available worldwide at a membership fee of US$75 annually.
>> Through this new membership level ISOC Members have an
>> important opportunity to contribute directly to supporting
>> ISOC?s programs and activities. Membership fees will be
>> used to enable greater support of activities that meet the
>> challenges facing the Internet and ISOC today - for example
>> the Internet governance debate and the Internet standards
>> process. ISOC Members will be reinforcing their commitment
>> to ISOC's goals of keeping the Internet open and benefiting
>> people everywhere. They will also participate in the
>> elections process for ISOC Board of Trustee members and
>> further additional benefits are currently under
>> consideration.
>
>> ISOC's free membership level will remain just as before and
>> will now be called Associate Members.  ISOC Members and
>> Associate Members will share the goal of supporting ISOC's
>> Mission and Principles
>> (www.isoc.org/isoc/mission/principles/).  All members will
>> have on-line access to ISOC's announcements, briefings, and
>> newsletters. ISOC's surveys and discussion groups remain
>> available to all members. ISOC's Chapter program will
>> continue to help ISOC members participate in activities
>> that are both important and local to them.
>> The online membership application for both levels is
>> available at: http://www.isoc.org/members/  including the
>> ability to upgrade membership to the new Member level if so
>> desired.
>
>> Please bring this to the attention of your members and your
>> local Internet community. Thank you and best regards,
>> David
>
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>
> -- 
>
>
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