Date: Wed, 28 Jun 95 16:12:57 CDT
Subject: For the Cameca SX50 community; input please!
From:

Status: O



To: Cameca SX50 community

From: John Fournelle

Re: Two items of some importance



Item #1

As someone who has, to some varying extent, been 'on top' of the

operation of this semi-moderated internet-facilitated users group, I

have been put in the position of having to make some decisions about

"who can join", and would like some advice from you, the users.



I have had, a while ago, and then in the past few days, requests to

"join" our SX50 internet users group, from individuals who are not, in

the strict sense of the word, SX50 users, i.e., potential owners (labs

who were evaluating the SX50/100), and former employees of Cameca Inc.

The main question, with this feedback coming from Cameca Inc, has to do

with the latter category,and seems to boil down to a) whether these

individuals might give 'bad' advice to users that might not be recognized

as such, and b) whether letting into the users group these individuals

(who are in business for themselves) might be detrimental to Cameca Inc.



I see the point a) as valid, but who is the one determine that? Re

point b) there is a certain line I think we want walk; while we would be

the last to want Cameca to stop selling/servicing our instruments, at the

same time I think we recognize the benefit of competition and testing/

development of improved hardware and software by 3rd parties.



What to do? I think we need to formalize membership to some extent.

What do you think? Should we draw the line somewhere? Where?



Item #2: For an Advanced SX50 users' workshop:



There has been talk amongst some of the users, on and off over the past

couple of years, supportive of some kind of advanced class or workshop for

sx50 users; something perhaps along the lines of the European users group

meetings, meeting at a lab where an instrument can be used, with

presentations both by users (demonstrating 'neat things' they've done) and

Cameca (with both an engineer and an applications person present). It would

probably last a couple of days, with time for hands on training and testing

out new routines, troubleshooting equipment, etc.



Cameca Inc is interested and asks that we poll the users and see if

we can come up with something now.



Some possible times would be GSA (early Nov in New Orleans) and AGU

(early Dec in San Francisco). San Francisco would appear more promising

as there are SX5's not far away. Then there is next Spring AGU (May in

Baltimore) with SX50s not far away. And it wouldn't necessarily have to be

associated with a national geological meeting....



If you would be seriously interested in attending such an advanced

workshop, let me know. If there is enough interest, we can start

start making plans with Cameca Inc in the near future.



johnf





John Fournelle

Electron Microprobe Lab Internet:johnf@geology.wisc.edu

Dept of Geology & Geophysics Telephone: (608) 262-7964

University of Wisconsin Fax: (608) 262-0693

1215 West Dayton Street Amateur radio: WA3BTA/9

Madison, WI 53706