>is it
>the proper route for a professional organization?  Particularly one whose
>members are noted (famous? infamous?) for being eclectic in their
>interests and responsible for maintaining expertise in a large number of
>professional disciplines at once.
 
The difference here is between the ideal and the real.  While Compuserve may
not be the _ideal_ place for ASTC, I do feel that CIS is a realistic way for
ASTEC to get ts feet wet in the onlne world (althogh they seem to be getting
more muddy than wet).  Once the organization and its members have tried this
easy to use service, they may discover they want to reach a different
audience through another venue.  For now we should be applauding their
efforts to get online and encouraging them to think about broadening that
access.  The "proper" place to provide the service is not something I am
willing to judge.
 
>it just seems to
>be a shame to impose a single access point to a community that uses such
>a wide range of service providers.
 
Again, I applaud ASTC's efforts to provide _any_ access--epecially as one of
their goals is to reach the smaller institutions among their membership.
Yes, we may have to pay to participate, but we pay for many things that have
value to us, not just cable TV.
 
We really have to look at what ASTC is trying to acheive and what resources
they have to achieve those goals.  I am willing to give ASTC some room for
good intentions, learning curve, and differeing objectives.  This stuff is
still too new to many of us--lets try to look at the positive side.
 
Just BTW, How many of those concerned about paying for access to ASTC's
service are actually paid members of ASTC?
Guy Hermann    | Mystic Seaport Museum |  "Technology is Lust removed from
[log in to unmask] | Mystic, Conn., USA    |  Nature."  Don Delillo, WHITE NOISE