This past June, I attended a series of IBM AS/400 seminars in Las Vegas—18 in five days. Add to that the IBM “rah rah” speeches, breakfasts, lunches, vendor exhibits, special events, and, of course, the nonstop party that is Las Vegas itself, and you have a constant bombardment of the senses. It was of great benefit, but it was also overwhelming. As an independent, I incurred all of the expenses. Yet I felt that the seminars were worthwhile, and not simply because they were delivered by expert lecturers or because the materials were informative. There was something else, something I couldn’t put my finger on.
I am a member of the FORUM/400 AS/400 user group. The group meets in Westchester County, New York, once a month. Sadly, attendance has been down. But there is a good dinner, and there are good speakers. Membership is highly beneficial: Every time I attend, I learn something new. Yet there is something ethereal beyond the beneficial monthly topics. It was obvious, perhaps, but, up until last week, I couldn’t describe it!
Then, last week, I attended a series of seminars hosted by another user group. The Fairfield AS/400 User Group, or FASUG, is a very well-organized group based in Fairfield County, Connecticut. As usual, there was the conglomerate coven of vendors. As usual, there was the amazing assortment of Danish pastries. As usual, ice water in glasses was provided for classes. As usual, a hard copy of the presentation was presented to each individual.
What was not usual was a letter from the president of the user group welcoming everyone to the event. Normally, one would gloss over such formalities, but, for the eight years that I’ve known this individual, I have been impressed with his detailed knowledge of all aspects of the AS/400. Being smart and being wise do not often go together, but a man who parlays knowledge and leadership capabilities into a successful business deserves my attention. With that in mind, I read the letter.
Among the welcome messages and platitudes was a sentence stating the reasons for attending the event. In this paragraph was one word—not highlighted, not underlined—that stood out from all others: fellowship. It was an epiphany.
I know of no other group of professionals that is so eager to share ideas or whose members are so willing to help one another. At all of the events I attend, there are people posing their professional problems to others who have problems of their own. In every case, there is someone available to proffer a potential solution. This is not to say that AS/400 professionals are not competitive. I am just not aware of any other group that has organized itself into newsgroups, forums, user groups, seminars, and other avenues for
the mere purpose of exchanging ideas and information. When we get together, we may need help or may witness another in need of help. In either event, we must be eager to get together: We do it so often and in so many ways.
Between formal sessions at the FASUG event, informal discussions occurred. One individual had trouble with the Copy File (CPYF) command. Another person needed help with IP printer sessions. One group of people from the same company complained about a difficult user and discussed how to deal with the situation. I was still trying to find out how to use the COLOR DDS keyword for a print file in order to output to a color printer and get color output. Everyone was talking to total strangers, exchanging business cards, and promising to follow up. Sometimes you find a solution; sometimes you don’t. The man with the CPYF problem had his problem resolved, but I don’t think I’m ever going to print in color!
Staying current with technology is highly competitive. The individual who has the technological edge may get the next higher-paying position. Learn, and you will earn. But if you provide solutions to others, aren’t you potentially letting them have a competitive edge? It is a dilemma until you throw fellowship into the equation. Professional fellowship of this nature is its own reward. It has answered my questions about why I attend, why I participate, and why I enjoy my profession. As I peruse the vendor stations at each event, I can count on professional fellowship to make the event a success. And after that, there are always the tee shirts, miniature screwdrivers, mouse pads, pens, pocketknives, and, if you’re really lucky, a PalmPilot.
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