[Foss4g2008loc] RE: [OSGeo-Conf] Question from the back of the room

Gavin Fleming GavinF at mintek.co.za
Wed Feb 27 15:12:41 EST 2008


 We have budgeted for a percentage of comps of which the workshop presenters will likely be beneficiaries. See accouncements and calls for papers and workshops coming soon. 
 
Gavin Fleming 
 
FOSS4G2008 conference chair
________________________________

From: conference_dev-bounces at lists.osgeo.org on behalf of Tim Bowden
Sent: Wed 2008/02/27 03:03 AM
To: Michael P. Gerlek
Cc: conference_dev
Subject: RE: [OSGeo-Conf] Question from the back of the room




On Tue, 2008-02-26 at 09:02 -0800, Michael P. Gerlek wrote:
> OK, I've got the info I need -- thanks to all.
>
> (I ask this because of another conference I'm involved in, and we were
> wondering what prevailing attitudes on the topic were across the
> industry.  It seems to range from "no discount" to "some discount" to
> "complete discount".)
>
> -mpg

Perhaps some of the difference is in motivation.  Open source conf's
tend to put inclusion at the top of the agenda and keep it cheap as
possible anyway.  Commercial conf's (some anyway) tend to try and
squeeze as much profit out of delegates as they think they can get away
with.  Anything they can do to get better speakers they will.  The cost
of discounting for speakers is minimal if it means they can attract 5%
more full fee paying punters.  Then there's a full range in between.

For me, I know which approach makes for a more rewarding experience.
I'd rather have the chance to listen to an enthusiastic hobbyist or
passionate professionals who've been free to find new and better ways to
do something, rather than the same old industry hacks who are pushing
the same old vendor line they have been for years.  At open source
conf's I get the former.  At traditional industry conf's, I mostly get
the latter.  I vote with my feet.  See you at FOSS4G.

Tim Bowden
>
> 
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Frank Warmerdam [mailto:warmerdam at pobox.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:16 AM
> > To: Michael P. Gerlek
> > Cc: conference_dev
> > Subject: Re: [OSGeo-Conf] Question from the back of the room
> >
> > Michael P. Gerlek wrote:
> > > Did FOSS4G 2007 provide any sort of discount on
> > registration fees for
> > > presenters?  Will the 2008 group (or the 2009 group) provide any
> > > discounts?
> >
> > Michael,
> >
> > As noted, presenters for 30minutes presentations have not
> > normally received
> > any discount.  But workshop presenters have in 2007 (and
> > perhaps before).
> > Workshops are quite a bit more work to prepare, relatively
> > few are done,
> > and they actually generate revenue.  So I hope we will keep offering a
> > discount or free registration for workshop presenters with
> > the understanding
> > that this helps get better workshop proposals, and isn't a
> > huge hit on the
> > budget since we can host relatively few workshops anyways.
> >
> > Best regards,
> > --
> > ---------------------------------------+----------------------
> > ----------------
> > I set the clouds in motion - turn up   | Frank Warmerdam,
> > warmerdam at pobox.com
> > light and sound - activate the windows | http://pobox.com/~warmerdam
> > and watch the world go round - Rush    | President OSGeo,
> > http://osgeo.org
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Conference_dev mailing list
> Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev

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