In message <20000905074726.29598.cpmta@c004.sfo.cp.net>, Sean Donelan writes:
I think the IETF is valuable, but what do you tell investors when they ask what's in it for them?
Various folks make various arguments but I think the most successful one has been: * The IETF makes the standards (for good or ill) and the quality of those standards, and, indeed, the decision about what to standardize has an impact on operations. By attending, you can help avoid disasterous standards and help shape useful ones. * IETF is one of the better ways for groups of vendors together to influence standards (more powerful than one on one meetings). That said, you also need to be clear you don't attend unnecessarily. Don't go for the whole week -- go for the meetings you need (so book the hotel for the week, and then when you see the program of meetings, alter your reservation). Don't send a lot of people. Send a junior person if senior participation is needed. Craig [Side note: I was a founding member of the IESG at a time that I was providing technical & user support for NSFNET.]