Member Survey from the SAGE Board

[Hal Miller <hal@tera.tera.com>]

Dear SAGE member,

The SAGE Executive Committee would like your input on a few things.  These
questions are on controversial topics, and are framed to give us as clear
a picture as we can get in murky waters.  Please take a few minutes to
participate.  Email your response to halm@usenix.org.  We will be
collecting responses until 28 January 1998.

For background on the questions on certification please refer to the
articles in ;login: in the past couple of issues.  This topic, and the
email address forwarding issue, were discussed at some length at LISA
during (and after) the SAGE Public Meeting.

This survey is only being sent to SAGE members (sage-members@usenix.org).
It is for internal use by SAGE only.  Individual responses will not be
made available to anyone, but the aggregated data will be published
(probably by me in a ;login: article).

Thank you very much in advance for your participation!  As usual, you're
welcome to write me on anything that is on your mind with regard to SAGE.
HM

1 a. I would like to see certification of system administrators in some form.
  b. I would not like to see certification of system administrators in any form.
  c. Undecided.

2 a. I prefer comprehensive certification.
  b. I prefer single-topic certification.
  c. I prefer some combination of comprehensive and single-topic options.
  d. I prefer a certified education program over certification of sysadmins.
  e. Opposed.
  f. Undecided.

3 Certification is to me and my employers/clients:
  a. Not a consideration.
  b. A minor consideration.
  c. A significant consideration.
  d. Essential for employment or advancement.
  c. No opinion.

4 a. I would like to see an email forwarding service provided via USENIX.
  b. I would not like to see an email forwarding service via USENIX.
  c. Undecided.

5 a. I would subscribe myself to an email forwarding service via USENIX.
  b. I would not subscribe myself to an email forwarding service via USENIX.
  c. Undecided.

6 To me SAGE's continued involvement in standards development (POSIX, IPv6,
etc.) is:
  a. Not important.
  b. Of minor importance.
  c. Very important.
  c. No opinion.

7 SAGE publishes articles on varying topics in ;login:.  I:
  a. always read or review the SAGE articles in ;login:.
  b. occasionall read or review the SAGE articles in ;login:.
  c. never read or review the SAGE articles in ;login:.

8 I find the SAGE articles in ;login: to be:
  a. extremely valuable or informative.
  b. sometimes helpful or worth reading.
  c. not usually valuable or informative.

9 The "Short Topics in System Administration" series is a collection of
booklets designed as reference information, not necessarily technical nor
"how-to".  They do not cover topics that are likely to require constant
update as technology changes.
  a. I would like booklets that cover "how-to" on technical subjects.
  b. I prefer to cover technical subjects by other means or publications.
  c. No opinion.

10 Please suggest topics you would like covered by Short Topics booklets.

11 A series of "How-To Notes" is being contemplated, where small teams of
SAGE members would write up basic directions on what to do to get, install
and configure basic software packages, operating systems, etc.
  a. This is of value.
  b. This is not of value.
  c. Undecided.

10 Please suggest topics/packages you would like covered by How-To Notes.

11 The SAGE Code of Ethics is currently a document with explanatory text,
available from the SAGE web page.  It carries no "requirement" status, nor
enforceability.
  a. The Code of Ethics should be given increased visibility and emphasis.
  b. The Code of Ethics should be kept to the position it currently holds.
  c. The Code of Ethics should be given decreased visibility and emphasis.
  d. No opinion.
-- 
| Hal Miller (HAM10) System Administrator | President, SAGE-US              |
| Tera Computer Company      hal@tera.com | voice: +1(206)490-2063          |
| 2815 Eastlake Ave E                     | fax: +1(206)325-2433            |
| Seattle, Washington 98102-3027          | page: 800-759-8888 PIN: 1106182 |