Conference 7.286::digital

    Pete,
    
    I'm sending you copies of the notes I wrote about spin-off's.
    
    Dick

    Dick,
    
    Thanks.  I got your mail.  But, I was looking for a specific memo.
    It was of the "official" variety.  It described a program that DEC
    is undertaking to buy equity in spin-off companies.  There was a 
    person or office to contact.  
    
    So, I'm still looking.  Perhaps this memo was only circulated in the
    finance community. 
    
    Pete

        Hi Pete!
        
        I think it was more than just a "memo" --- I believe there was an
        article in the last issue of DECworld,  the newspaper-like thingy
        that gets sent to our homes every once-in-a-while.   That article
        talked  about  a  new  organization  starting within Digital that
        would  foster  entrepreneurial  businesses/programs   within  the
        Corporation.
        
        It was an extremely exciting  article  to  me,  and  I wish I had
        saved it.  I do recall  a  complaint  I had, not with the program
        (as described) but with the article.   In  fact,  _most_  of  the
        articles in that paper.  They seem like  they're  written in some
        kind  of  "secret code" --- MBA-speak, I guess you can  call  it.
        This particular article was so encoded that I couldn't figure out
        if  they  were  talking  about    _software_products_   ventures,
        _service_ ventures, or even _hardware_products_. 
        
        Does anyone have _more_ information? THANKS!
        
        Have a GREAT one!
        
        John_who_gets_confused_by_MBA_speak_

    The artical in the last issue of DECworld was about New Ventures.

    (re .3) Yes, New Ventures covers all three (hardware, software, and
    services).  I work in the Center for Migration Services which is part
    of New Ventures Ventures and was mentioned in the artical. DECalert is
    another group.

    If you are interested in New Ventures the person to contact would be
    Terry Potter, he is the person in charge of all the New Ventures
    groups.

    Hope_this_helps,

    Jim

    John and Jim,
    
    Thanks for the replies.  I'll try to locate a copy of DECworld and
    check it out.
    
    One of my finance contacts also directed me to Henry Crouse's Strategic
    Investmet Group.  He says that's where the memo in question originated
    from.
    
    Thanks again.  If I do manage to get a copy of the memo, I'll post it
    here so you don't think I've been having hallucinations!
    
    Pete

    Thanks to everyone who replied or sent me mail.  My search has come
    to an end.  I have the information I need.
    
    Pete

    What's the possibility of posting and/or otherwise making the
    document/information available to others that may have a similar
    interest?
    
    Thanks in advance.
    
    Jim

    Sorry to be vague, but the person who contacted me asked that his 
    name and number not be posted in such a public notes file.  He also
    did not want the memo in question to be circulated.  I am under the
    impression that this program has limited resources and he did not
    want to be inundated with phone calls.  I think they want "serious"
    inquiries only, as opposed to requests from the merely curious.
    
    I hope he won't object to me saying there is a program underway to
    identify opportunities for DEC to invest in ventures started by former
    DEC employees if their product/project qualifies. 
    
    I'll be glad to talk to you about it if you're interested.  My DTN
    is 548-8576.
    
    Pete 
    

    re: 1360.8
    
    > name and number not be posted in such a public notes file.  He also
    
    It's a private company, a private network, and a private conference.
    
    VAX Notes conferences on the EASYNET are for the use of Digital
    employees and not the "public".  All conferences are so restricted.
    Some conferences are further restricted to members.
    
    Casual use of the word "public" throughout the company is confusing and
    perhaps in some sort of judicial nightmare may be used in a legal
    discovery process to make the private data of the company truly public.

    Webster's dictionary:
    
    Public: 3. of or relating to business or community interests as opposed
            to private affairs.  5. accessible to or shared by all members 
            of the community.
    
    Community: 1.(d) a group of people with a common characteristic or
            interest living together within a larger society.
    
    Tell me again how my use of the word "public" was wrong.  
    
    Pete

>    name and number not be posted in such a public notes file.  He also

As I'm sure you are aware having quoted from Webster's dictionary, there 
are many meanings for the word "public".  It is entirely possible to 
interpreted it's meaning differently depending on the context of it's 
usage.  

Also from Webster's:

	public  1 a: of, relating to, or affecting all the people or the 
		whole area of a nation or state

When you used the word "public", I assume you didn't intend to mean the nation
or state as a whole (meaning non-DEC employees as well).  Yet, because this 
too is one definition of the word, I'm under the impression it is plausible 
that using the word in inappropriate context could cause potential legal 
problems under some circumstances.

It probably isn't best that the word "public" be used in this context.  Perhaps 
using the word "announced" would be more appropriate (as in an "announced notes 
conference").

This has been discussed elsewhere at length...I just don't recall where.

-Andy

    Quick!  Put VMS on engineering hold!  It has a protection class
    called "world", and as this might be construed as "everyone on
    planet Earth", we're liable to all sorts of nasty lawsuits!