MUG Policies

• Author Acceptance Policy
• MUG Mailing List Usage Policy
• Membership Policy
• Monkey Award Procedure
• Advertising on SIG E-mail Discussion Groups
• MUG International Trade Show Policy
• Trade Show Prize Policy

Establish guidelines for the submission and selection of papers for MUG meetings and of articles for MUGazine.

Anyone, including non-members, may submit a paper to the program committee or an article to the MUGazine editor.

Papers and articles are normally selected on their technical content and potential interest to the MUG membership (users of Mentor equipment or software).

Papers and articles which focus more on some aspect of Mentor tools and less on the details of a specific design which may or may not be of interest to other users are particularly desirable. Papers which are tutorial in nature or describe a user's first-hand experience with Mentor products and services are likewise encouraged.

Papers and articles which exclusively discuss non-Mentor tools, details unrelated to tool usage, or similarly promote a product or service may be subject to rejection. Final authority for acceptance or rejection of a specific work will normally lie with either the Program Chairman or MUGazine editor as appropriate.

To establish a consistent policy for the use of the names and addresses collected as part of the MUG mailing list.

The MUG mailing list be limited exclusively for use by MUG, for the purpose of MUG, and not used as a source of revenue. All usage of the MUG mailing list will include appropriate information on or references to MUG. Examples include the MUG data sheet, business card or web page URL. All material must be approved by the MUG steering committee.

POLICY

To be eligible for MUG membership an individual must be using Mentor Graphics software and either:

1. employed by a company, consulting firm or service bureau that has the right to use Mentor Graphics software or;
2. a student, faculty member or staff of a university that has the right to use Mentor Graphics software.

Employees of Mentor Graphics Partner Programs (i.e. OpenDoor Program, Silicon Vendor Program) are equivalent to Mentor Graphics employees and are therefore not eligible for membership. Other individuals, including Mentor Graphics identified prospective customers, may be eligible for membership with the prior approval of the Steering Committee.

Membership can be revoked by the MUG Steering Committee if a member or member's company exhibits behavior detrimental to the fundamental objectives of the User Group.

Note: This policy is established by the MUG Steering Committee comprised of users of Mentor Graphics software and may not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Mentor Graphics Corporation.

Establish guidelines for Monkey Awards

Monkey awards come from the term 'having a monkey on your back'. They are occasionally awarded by MUG to MGC to focus attention on some broad issue of concern to the MUG membership. Recent examples are the perceived demise of Falcon Framework, Licensing, and Data Management. Monkey awards are given with a spirit of good nature but are meant to be taken seriously by MGC and MUG.

Monkey awards are intended to address general issues encompassing a broad scope. They are not intended to address specific issues of interest to a narrow group of users. While award suggestions might arise from a particular special interest group they should be embraced by most if not all the user community.

Monkey award suggestions may be made at any time but must be made in writing. Awards approved by the steering committee will be presented at the annual meeting. Awards will be retracted after one month following the end of the conference unless the following items are identified:

• a.A name for the monkey (e.g. 'Data Management')
• b.A brief summary of the issue
• c.Examples which clarify the issue and make it specific
• d.A monkey 'champion' from the MUG membership who is willing and able to follow up on the issue resolution
• e.A committee of interested users willing to work with the champion.
• f.A set of measurable goals which will be used to determine when the monkey will be retired.

The monkey's champion is subsequently responsible for working with the user committee and Mentor executive (or designee) on resolution of the issue. Although Mentor is responsible for putting forth the effort to 'get the monkey off their back' it is MUG's and the monkey champion's responsibility to track that effort and provide timely communication between Mentor and the user community. Such communication will take the form of informal conversation with the Mentor employee(s) designated to address the issue, participation in the relevant SIG discussion groups, formal reporting in MUGazine, and a report at the subsequent annual meetings. The monkey champion is responsible to ensure such communication takes place. Lack of interest on the part of the champion and user committee will be sufficient grounds to retire the monkey.

Establish guidelines for SIG discussion groups

Occasionally a user will make inappropriate use of one of the SIG email exploders. This usually takes the form of an advertisement for one of their company's products or a help wanted posting. It is generally agreed that SIGs should police their own discussion groups. This policy is intended to provide general guidelines for the SIGs.

SIG email discussion groups are meant to be a forum to exchange ideas and solve problems, not an advertisement source for company products and services.

If a user posts to the SIG with a particular question and a vendor has a product that may meet that person's needs, the vendor may post a GENERIC message to the group. Generic is defined as:

My company provides tools/services which may address your needs. If you would like to know more contact me at...

The vendor is more than welcome to send particulars to the individual who initiated the question but the entire group is not to be subjected to anything other than the Generic statement if a posting is made to the entire SIG. Posting by vendors must be in reply to a posting by a user and not by way of generic bulk mailings.

Offending companies would receive one warning before being sanctioned. Please note that the last item is offending companies and as such a warning to employee A does not allow employees B,C,D,E,...to each have their own warning.

SIGs may sanction a user or all users from a specific company for inappropriate postings. The term sanctioned is understood to mean that email posting privileges will be disabled for six months for the first offence. A second offence may result in suspension of MUG membership including all rights and privileges for a period of one year. Requests for sanction will be made by the SIG chair to the SIG Committee chairman and approved by the steering committee.

PURPOSE

To update and expand the Trade Show Policy dated March 20, 1997 to include policy on how companies will be selected to participate, and be invited to exhibit, at tradeshows associated with the International Mentor Users Group or Mentor Local Users Group conferences.

MGC platform partners and participants of their OpenDoor and Silicon Vendor Programs, have traditionally been invited to participate in user group conference tradeshows at the local and international level. A policy is needed to ensure consistency in the management of the tradeshows, management of the vendors participating and in the interest of maintaining a focus on MGC and MGC related products.

Organizers of international and local users group conferences may elect to have a vendor tradeshow as part of that conference. The intent of the tradeshow is to provide an opportunity for vendors to demonstrate their interoperability with MGC software. Vendors are not to use the tradeshow to compare or position their products against MGC products.

Vendors will participate by invitation only. The list of invited vendors will be determined jointly by the Trade Show Committee consisting of, at a minimum, the Conference President/Chair and the Mentor Graphics designated tradeshow liaison, shall oversee the management of the trade show including the task of determining the list of invited vendors.

The vendor list may include MGC OpenDoor Partners, MGC Silicon Vendor Partners, MGC Development partners and MGC Platform Partners. Other vendors, not part of any recognized MGC partner program, may also be invited, if approved by the Tradeshow Committee. These vendors might include Service Bureaus, Design Houses and other hardware/software related vendors. Note: Distributors and VARs of partners are not eligible to participate unless approved and invited by the Trade Show Committee.

The Trade Show Committee will assemble an overall list of potential exhibitors and jointly review the list to arrive at a final invitation list. Companies may be excluded because of the sensitivity of their competitive status with Mentor Graphics. Written invitations will be sent to each approved company via US Mail. The Mentor Users Group will cover expenses of mailing. When appropriate Mentor Graphics will manage the mailing of the invitations. No invitations will be posted on external MUG or LUG web sites. Web sites may include information promoting the trade show with contact information for inquiries. The web site should clearly state that participation in the trade show is by invitation only at the discretion of the Trade Show Committee.

There will be a charge for exhibiting in the tradeshow. The respective MUG or LUG Steering Committee will determine this cost. All monies are used to defray costs associated with the tradeshow and conference.

The following items pertain to the organization and execution of the trade show. This section will serve as official policy statements and be provided to each exhibitor.

Third-party vendor demos must focus on their products' integration and interoperability with Mentor Graphics products. Demos are not be used to compare/position products against Mentor Graphics in the areas of features, price, performance, or usability. Vendors shall not allow other vendors to access software that is proprietary to their company. Vendors that violate this policy will not be invited to subsequent MUG/LUG trade shows.

The MUG Trade Show is for paid MUG Conference attendees only. This event is not to include attendees' spouses, children, or any other non-conference attendees. Non-conference attendees attempting to visit the trade show will be asked to leave.

Booth cancellations must be submitted in writing to the MUG Trade Show Manager 10 days prior to the trade show event for a full refund. Vendors canceling a booth after this 10-day period forfeit their booth registration fee.

There will be no alcohol permitted during the trade show, in any booth or in the trade show area.

There will be no music or entertainment allowed in the trade show booths as this is disruptive to other exhibitors.

Vendors are not allowed to set up audio equipment in the trade show area. The trade show microphone is for use by the steering committee members only. MUG will determine the location of booths at least one week prior to the event. Booth space for general exhibitors is granted by a random drawing with concern given to competitive issues. MUG will assign a common location for all Mentor Graphics booths. Due to last minute addition and cancellations, MUG will not guarantee any specific floor location.

Booth size will be a minimum of 8x10, and a maximum of 10x10 depending upon trade show location and available floor space. All booths will be sized consistently at each annual trade show. Furnishings will include one 8' draped table, two chairs, one 500-watt electrical outlet, one trash can, and a company identification sign. Any additional booth requirements shall be at the expense of the booth owner.

Booth decor must fit within the confines of the booth, including the height of the booth. Decor must also be in good taste; unusual requests must be approved by the MUG Steering Committee.

At the discretion of the platform vendors, hardware demo loans may be available. Vendors should discuss this directly with their representatives. Vendors will be responsible for any and all charges associated with loan equipment.

Exhibitors using equipment acquired through a third party are responsible for all shipping and handling arrangements and expenses. MUG will not be responsible for any exhibitor's expenses related to loaned or leased equipment.

Prize drawings and giveaways are governed by MUG's Trade Show Prize Policy.

PURPOSE

To set a policy on how prizes awarded by vendors and MUG at the MUG Trade Show are to be handled in a standard and consistent manner useful to vendors, users and MUG administration.

At the MUG Trade Show, MUG and the participating vendors traditionally award prizes. The method of awarding prizes has ranged from a drawing at an individual vendor's booth to a central drawing and announcement via the public address system. The method of entry has also varied greatly. Some vendors have required business cards while others have distributed tickets or forms of some kind. (MUG has used numbered tickets in a blind drawing.)

The result has been a confusing mix of entry and drawing methods, many of which are not in accord with some company's ethics structures. Side-affects of the prize awarding as it has stood also included unwarranted disruption of vendor/customer discussions and a waning of interest during the day.

A policy is needed to spell out how prizes will be awarded during the trade show to keep the interest and attendance high, the disruption to a minimum and the rules consistent so that all may participate.

The aim of this policy is to benefit all parties (MUG attendees, vendors and MUG). It is intended to provide MUG attendees with a simple procedure to have a little extra fun in the form of prizes while not distracting them from their primary focus of the Trade Show: gathering information. It is intended to provide MUG and its attendees with a consistent, simple prize distribution that meets ethical standards tests from all companies involved in the MUG conference. It is intended to help vendors attract MUG attendees for the duration of the Trade Show in a way that minimizes interference with discussions with potential and/or existing customers.

• No drawings are allowed at vendor booths. All drawings shall be conducted by MUG in a central location.
• Vendors must register all prizes with the MUG booth during Trade Show vendor setup. Drawings must be registered prior to the start of the Trade Show. The prizes for each vendor will be displayed on a bulletin board at the MUG booth. Vendors can make up an A-size sheet advertising the item and inviting participants to stop at their booth.
• Winners names will be posted on the bulletin board or on a white board.
• A sign at the MUG booth will list the schedule of drawings and which prizes are to be awarded. Order of drawing will be determined by MUG to balance the prizes and to distribute prizes from one vendor across the session.
• Numbered tickets with no personal identification on them will be used for the drawings. The numbered tickets will be supplied by MUG to all vendors and will be available at the MUG booth.
• Vendors and/or MUG may display prizes they are contributing.
• Vendors and/or MUG will distribute tickets to interested participants. The vendor may require a business card or contact information in return for a ticket.
• Tickets received are to be deposited at the MUG booth.
• The MUG booth should be centrally located and is the location for the drawings.
• MUG will conduct the drawings on the hour.
• Winning tickets will be removed from the ticket pool; non-winning tickets will accumulate throughout the day.
• The winner must be present to win and a winner can win multiple prizes. If they are not present for the drawing and their ticket is pulled, it is removed from the ticket pool.
• The public address microphone is to be controlled by MUG and is only used for the drawings and special announcements. No additional announcements about vendor events or prizes will be made. MUG will be the sole arbiter on the choice and manner of announcements.