Proud STC Member

[Tim Altom <taltom -at- IQUEST -dot- NET>]

I've been following the thread about proud non-members of STC, and I can
see their points of view. But I have to weigh in with my own experiences in
STC.

When I entered this profession full-time years ago, my path was made much
smoother with the help and encouragement of STC members. I've never known a
more helpful bunch of people. And, at least in my area, they continue to be
so. Newcomers are always streaming into our business around here and STC
members help many of them get started. Our meetings are forums where
newcomers can meet places looking for people. Even today, one of the first
things I tell rookies is when to come to the next meeting.

Our meetings haven't devolved into vendor tours, either. We have our share
of vendor-speakers, of course, and we tell them that it's perfectly all
right to put in a plug for the product. But we emphasize, nay, insist, that
our members are largely knowledgable people and will resent being sold. We
need lots of hard information in our presentations. We had a presentation
by Arbortext, for example, that was a bit light, but that was neatly
balanced by the long Q and A the speaker gladly endured at the end. If a
vendor-speaker is too obviously a shill, he or she is never invited back.

At conferences I've heard my share of good-natured whining, to be sure, but
even more I've heard challenging, high-level, world-class ideas, methods,
and information in all sorts of cutting-edge areas of hypertext, printing,
publishing tools, and similar things. Conferences refresh me by being
around vibrant, energized people. I've presented at conferences and been to
presentations, and I can tell you that much of the information circulating
at a good conference is top-notch. I've developed strong friendships out of
conferences. And I have the highest regard for those who organize them.
They and STC are doing our industry a great favor.

The STC publications probably aren't for everybody. I read the Journal, but
I'm a techdoc/techie geek. I like theory. The strategy issue of the
Journal, for example, had a reprint of the maturity model that JoAnn Hackos
uses in her management book. I'd overlooked it in the book, but I saw it in
the Journal and now we've made that analysis part of our marketing effort.

I'm proud to tell prospects and potential employees that the top people in
our company are senior members of STC. It tells them that we're committed
to high standards and that we're willing to be part of an organization that
furthers our industry. Our networking within STC brings us good employees
and opens opportunities for us in local companies. It's been one of our
best investments of time and money.


Tim Altom
Vice President, Simply Written, Inc.
317.899.5882 (voice) 317.899.5987 (fax)
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