] [Thread] [Date] [Author]

["Bill Polhemus" <polhemus(--nospam--at)insync.net>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Roger Turk [mailto:73527.1356(--nospam--at)compuserve.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 1999 11:29 AM
> To: seaint(--nospam--at)seaint.org
> Subject: Re: Is anyone interested? You Bet!
>
>
> ...These are just a few of the organizations that used
> to disseminate information to engineers and which don't any more.  I have
a
> slew of this free information, however, now that *everyone* is charging
> for it, I have to be *very* selective in requesting what I want, and then
it is
> only after I *really need* it!

Roger, I agree with this assessment. Though I entered the profession only in
the early 80s, it does seem to me that "free" information is harder to come
by.

I'm not suggesting writing your congressman or having Clinton propose the
"Free Engineering Data Accessibility Act," but I do have to wonder why such
industry groups no longer think it worthwhile to disseminate such
information freely.

I remember when you could get a free AISC Manual from your friendly
neighborhood steel fabricator, just a few years back. Now, nothing doing.

Seems like the cost of such literature, when put up against the benefits of
promoting your products, is miniscule, but perhaps I don't have the whole
story.

We've got members of such organizations present. Perhaps they can give us
the point of view from their side.