ISUG - Benefit Changes

[Former Member]

Hi Everyone;

  I just wanted to let everyone know that the International Sybase User Group has some amazing changes coming. If you are an ISUG member, then you may have already heard about some of these. If not, you might want to join ISUG at the free "Associate" member level just to get into the information loop so that you don't miss out on ISUG's big plans for 2013  ....

Benefit Change High-Lights

• ISUG will be launching a new electronic version of their Technical Journal that will be available free to everyone, but only in a new eReader format.  This will allow you to read articles, but you will not be able to download them, or print them, or even copy them.  Full online access to the all Journal archives will be available to all of the three benefits pacakges that come with paid membership or website subscription.  Free members will not receive this access. 

• ISUG will also be making some of our Special Interest Group (SIG) mailing lists available externally in a read-only format.  The goal here is to allow contributing members an opportunity to demonstrate to the whole community that the SIGs are beneficial, and that the subscribers and members are experts in their respective fields.

• One of the key focuses moving forward is providing more educational and training materials.  ISUG are expanding their partnership with eLearnIT (details to come), and have agreed to special member discounts for eLearnIT's offerings. ISUG will also be offering more 1/2 day and full day training opportunities online. 

• ISUG chapters will be holding full day events each year that will provide more learning opportunities.  Those members with our top benefits package will be able to attend chapter meetings for free; all other members will be required to pay to attend (pricing may vary by chapter).  Please note: these chapter meetings are not the same as local user group meetings which will continue to be accessible as they are today.

• ISUG are also planning to bring back the ISUG Techcasts in 2013.  These were presented in conjunction with Sybase a few years back, but sadly were eliminated as part of Sybase's cost-cutting measures.  ISUG will be bringing these back with assistance from some of our partners and key members. 

• All members will be able to purchase a subscription to the print copy of the Technical Journal.  Pricing for this will depend on where you are located (due to mailing costs), but will remain free for Regular Members with the top benefits package.

There's more to come!  Stay tuned for more details as they are released or better yet, log in to the ISUG website and check out the blog section or sign-up to me an ISUG member: http://my.isug.com/join

Regards ... Chris