pIEEEdmont
potential
A PUBLICATION OF THE PIEDMONT SECTION OF THE IEEE
September, 1997
Articles:
Chairman : Next Meeting
: Editor : Officers
Glenn Bishof
"The telephone is the rudest instrument ever invented." My father used to say
this every time he stopped working on a project to answer the phone (and he was always
working on something). "Think about it", he would say, "I'm expected to
interrupt a conversation with someone who went through the trouble of coming to talk with
me in person to talk with someone who literally only lifted one finger". But, he
always answered the phone because it might be someone in need of help.
Today, we have an alternative to the "rudest instrument ever invented": e-mail.
It has many advantages over the telephone, even those equipped with "caller ID"
or answering machines. For one, you don't have to respond immediately to unexpected
questions. You can review what you are saying and change it before you send the message.
You are forced to state your ideas succinctly (unless you type faster than you speak,
which excludes most of us). It hones your writing skills. Many people probably can't
remember the last time they wrote a letter that was not an ultimatum or other last resort
response to a lack of satisfactory telephone conversations. You can include pictures as
attachments to many recipients of messages ("a picture speaks a thousand words,
remember?). You can schedule meetings in person with a planned agenda without interrupting
the "target". Your "conversation" is not likely to get side-tracked.
Best of all, the receiver can respond after giving your statements some thought, not with
the first thing that comes to mind. If you interrupt someone to discuss something of less
importance over the phone, you may receive a quite undesirable response.
Next time you get ready to use the phone, think about this: Would you walk up to the
"target" in person and interrupt an on-going conversation to discuss what you
are calling about? Would this person answer your call given that he/she has caller ID and
has talked with you before? Do you need an immediate, short response? If you are prepared
to leave a "voice mail" message, would it be just as easy to leave an e-mail
message?
Only real disadvantage of e-mail that I can think of is you can't say "I didn't say
that" - it's in writing! By the way, my father never had a beeper and never worked in
an environment with a paging system. Otherwise, the telephone may not have won his
"rudest instrument" award.
Next Meeting
September 18, 1997
"How Does the IEEE Help Me?"
Nancy Gunderson
Did you know there is an employment database just for IEEE members? Or that if a large
company downsizes its engineering staff, a group of IEEE members will help those affected
find new jobs?
"How does the IEEE help me?" is an often asked question, and for non-technical
benefits, IEEE-USA is probably the most personal part of the IEEE. Within that
organization is PACE, or the Professional Activities Committee. PACE develops programs for
career enhancement and employment assistance. This month our speakers will be Lee Stogner
and Nick Pasquerilla who both attend the PACE Conference over Labor Day weekend. They will
update us on IEEE-USA, PACE activities, and most importantly, try to answer "What's
in it for me".
Both Lee and Nick are members of the Piedmont Section. Nick is the section representative,
and Lee is the representative from the South Carolina council to the regional PACE
organization.
Meeting details:
Date: Thursday, September 18, 1997
Location: Colonial Inn, 755 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville.
Social: 6:30 pm
Meal: 7:00 PM (cost is $10 per member/non-member, $5 per student)
Meeting: 7:30 PM (no cost if you attend the meeting only)
PLEASE contact one of the officers listed at the end of this newsletter to indicate you
will be attending the meeting and/or the meal.
Next Month: Plant tour of E.E.E.A., a printed circuit manufacturer in Mauldin. October
16, at 7:00 PM.
From the Editor
Mark Stokes
Don't forget to let me know what method you would prefer to receive the newsletter. Three
are available:
- USPS mail (paper only)
- Electronic mail
- View via the WEB (with e-mail notices)
If you would like to receive the newsletter via some other method than USPS, please email me your full name and e-mail address.
CHAIRMAN Glenn Bischof (864) 638-3601ext 4357 bischof@oconee.em.slb.com
VICE-CHAIRMAN Nancy Gunderson (864) 882-2414 ext. 357 n.gunderson@ieee.org
SECRETARY Bob Richardson (864) 587-4435 bobr@wspa.com
TREASURER Mark Stokes (864) 647-2065 m.stokes@ieee.org
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Allen Thomas (864) 862-5718 a.thomas@ieee.org
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES Nick Pasquerilla (864) 882-2414 ext.271
n.pasquerilla@ieee.org
STUDENT ACTIVITIES Dr. John Komo (864) 656-5916 john.komo@ces.clemson.edu
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES Lee Stogner (864) 281-8276 l.stogner@ieee.org
NEWSLETTER EDITOR Mark Stokes (864) 647-2065 m.stokes@ieee.org
AWARDS Dr. Randy Collins (864)656-5920 randy.collins@ces.clemson.edu
Use this space to reach over 500 IEEE members in this section!!
The Piedmont section of the IEEE is still offering sections of its newsletter for
advertising space. If you are interested in supporting this effort, please contact one of
the officers listed above.
-Mark