The Page

Susan M. Johns
CODI President's Report
10th Annual CODI Conference
Seattle, WA
February 12, 1999

Some of you may have heard this week a bit of a buzz about a joint conference, something about a joint conference on the "horizon"?

In July, Ameritech approached both the CODI and Horizon Boards and urgently petitioned them to hold a joint conference in the year 2000. While the CODI Board is not opposed to a joint conference, after preliminary study and discussion, both Boards rejected this proposal but began dialogue with Ameritech to understand their issues. As of this Wednesday (February 10, 1999), the urgency and burden of crisis and immediacy has now been removed on Ameritech's part. The CODI and Horizon Boards, however, have agreed to continue to talk and meet to forge positive ways in which to begin a relationship with one another.

The past several months have provided a time for both Boards to examine priorities, issues, and mutual concerns of their members, boards, and organizations.

A successful joint conference will only be achieved after a successful relationship is built with the Horizon organization. As we look to develop what Chris Hannan, CODA Representative from Australia, called the "best of breed" in the Sunrise product (or whatever we decide to call it), the best melding of Dynix and Horizon functionality will occur as dialogue and participation with the Horizon Board and user group increases. We do want to expand our "Horizons".

In order to build, to create a new relationship, we must begin slowly and deliberately: one person at a time, one JAD at a time, one project at a time, building strength on trust and thoughtful dialogue. When both Boards and groups have reached a mutually respectful and amiable understanding of each other, we will then be positioned to undertake a satisfactory and highly successful conference.

When this relationship has been achieved, we know that both user groups AND Ameritech will together have built a process and a product that will indeed give us cause for celebration in a joint conference setting.

CODI and Horizon are both independent user groups. CODI will continue to partner strongly with Ameritech on future product development, but so long as Dynix customers remain, CODI will advocate strongly on behalf of all CODI members -- small or large, resource rich or pour, academic or public, private, school, or consortia. Foremost throughout our negotiations with the Horizon Board will be keeping the best interests of all our members as our primary concern. We began 15 years ago as a handful of users. There will always be a user group that will represent the needs of the Dynix users, even down to the very last handful, whenever that may occur.

We know that when both user groups are emotionally ready for such a conference, we will know the moment. We will embrace the moment. Our Microsoft speaker yesterday told us, "It's not about looking pretty, it's about working right." We will know the right moment, and we will work towards that right moment.

Some have called us one big family, and CODI conferences one big family reunion. I have heard others refer to the unique synergy on Dynix_l that so many of us enjoy as describing us as a creative, collective "borg", where someone always has at least one answer or solution to share with all the others. When it's time to have a joint conference, this collective borg is going to do more than celebrate, we're going to boogie. Any half-hearted or forced attempt to meet without relationship is unacceptable and doomed to fail.

Today, we all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon. Our international guests have reminded us further that the "sunrise" does indeed occur at different times for different folks all over the world.

The CODI Board will continue to work, to listen, and to development relationship with both Ameritech and the Horizon Board throughout the coming year.

Send comments to: suzyq@pittstate.edu

Susan M. Johns-Smith
Axe Library
Pittsburg State University
1605 South Joplin Street
Pittsburg, KS 66762
Phone: 620-235-4115

This page last updated 28 October 2002 03:58:26 PM