I think every one missed the point due to my not being
a bit more precise, and using a very strong word. I
drafted that mail on my very small screen mail device
which made clear thinking a bit harder :-(.
I agree that the word the "öutrageous" was too strong
a word and clearly doesn't apply to the registration
fee alone as it is only a small portion of overall
cost to attend IETF meetings. But when you take the
cost of attending three IETF meetings (about $2500 *
3= $7500 per annum), the cost is quite high for an
individual. So any reduction or rebate will be welcome
for those who are not funded from big corporate
accounts.
So now let us focus on the core issues of how to raise
more money for IETF meetings so individual fees don't
have to be raised in the future:
1. I agree that IETF needs money to function, and
operate as a free and effective society. I fully
support that. I suggest let IETF institute a tiered
corporate membership program like all other standards
forums (organizations do pay huge fees for WAP forums
and MPLS forums etc.). Let us have $20 K per year for
organization with 200 plus employees, $10 K for 100 to
200 employees and $5000 for every body else (or
whatver numbers you choose), but unaffliated
individuals may still remain free or pay only a
nominal fee. Let the big corporations who benefit most
from the IETF derived standards bear their
proprtionate share of the cost for running the show. I
hope somebody can do a rough estimate how much money
can be raised per year for this.
2. Yes, the registration fee is definitely cheap for a
five day conference when compared to IETF/ACM
conferences. But IETF/ACM conferences are attended
mostly by academcians who don't make big money based
on the outcome of those conferences. But corporations
who send tens of employees to IETF meetings do make
tons of money based on IETF standards, or acceptance
of their version of stnadrds (case in point BGP/MPLS
VPNs a VPN implementation proposal. Who benefitted
most from this proposal being accepted by IETF? ). As
far as I know, only a few people from small
organizations attend all five days. It is only the big
corporations who send hundreds of people in all
sessions who are there all five days, and attend every
session. Let the registration fee be designed for them
to pay for their proportionate share. Either set a
realistic cost of $1000 per person and use decreasing
discount for each additional member or keep the fee
same at $575 but use the incremantal addional for
every additional member. Both schemes will generate
additional revenue, and will ensure the coprporations
that benefit most will pay their proportional cost for
IETF meetings.
I am for IETF to continue to be financial secure but
still remain as an open society. I am only asking
people to think how to best combine these two goals.
Just think without being emotive.
==Bonney
--- Marshall Rose <mrose(_at_)dbc(_dot_)mtview(_dot_)ca(_dot_)us> wrote:
Joe - since you replied to my note rather than
bonney's, i am obliged
to reply.
Unlike both of you, i am not expressing an opinion
on the fees. What i
am saying is that neither of you have any data.
Let's look at some
actual numbers, and we can then have a reasoned
discussion...
/mtr
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