[Sigia-l] The Menace

[Patrick Neeman]

While I actually joined the AIFIA thing (thirty bucks, and it furthers the field, that's great!) I also believe some valid points
were made about what might be perceived as a way of getting more money of a community that already has paid a lot of money in books,
other memberships, et al to the same group that formed this new organization.

A few points, in no particular order, and positive or negative depending on your viewpoint:

- Many of the members of the board have written books, and are promoting them (of which I've bought several of them, where's my
commission check?). Most of these books have been very good (okay, some of them I want to sell on eBay), but again, if I were them I
would find any way to promote them. Forming advisory groups does promote them.

- Claiming AIFIA members aren't making money off of it is invalid when the first book is sold.

- Many of the members of the board are also board members of several other of the same organizations in Information Architecture,
which either means that they are either really good, or there is some evidence of a clique environment going on.

- Whenever you join a non-profit, there's always a profit motive (what's in it for me syndrome). Part of it is called networking.

- I like non-profit ventures. I can attribute a lot of my earnings over the last 10 years to work I volunteered for.

- Anyone calling themselves an expert in Web Information Architecture is ridiculous because the field in this particular incarnation
has really only been around since 1995. Most of the people here that are calling themselves experts have only been in it since 1997
or 1998. I only consider someone an expect if they've done it for 10 years or more. Consiquently, anyone who writes a book about any
web-based field calling themselves experts is very good at selling themselves as one, availing themselves to new applications and
technologies before the rest of us peons. :)

- Consequently, people who call themselves experts should not pass judgement on others who are in the field they deem as unqualified
or below them. None of us (or very few of us) have a degree strictly in this field, and even if we did, it wouldn't prepare us for
the many challenges we face. There are just good or bad IAs, because there is no certification (just like there are just good or bad
Web Designers, or for that matter, once you pass the bar, good or bad lawyers).

- I think the more recognition of this as a new and separate field is a good idea.

- I also think a board member of a fledging organization coming out and saying what was said below is a poor reflection of the board
at large, and would seem to be a poor choice of words to reflects as badly on the author as it does the person he was replying to.

- Angry comments can be said directly to me. Sorry for writing so long.

P@

Patrick Neeman
pat at nexisinteractive.com <mailto:pat at nexisinteractive.com>
949 643-0910 land
949 633-3054 cell
949 215-1659 fax

nexis interactive
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>I never thought I would see such bile regarding our efforts.
>
>--karl (karl.fast at pobox.com)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
> Challis Hodge
> Sent: Wednesday, November 13, 2002 4:37 PM
> To: sigia-l at asis.org
> Subject: RE: [Sigia-l] The Menace
>
>
> I've been observing the negative comments and scratching my head, puzzled! I
> honestly don't get how or why folks would be justified in bashing a group of
> people who are clearly contributing their time and effort to a cause for
> good. While I don't know all of the founders, I do know a great many and I
> am certain about their motivations. Frankly, the nonsense I've heard about
> their being motivated by personal gain is just that, nonsense.

...