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

[Paul Ramsey]

We received some whining about no discounts for presenters (as opposed
to workshoppers and labbers) in 2007.  It has more to to with the
proportion of speakers to attendees than anything else.  With 120
speakers on 700 attendees, giving even a slight break on fees for
speakers can hit the budget hard.  Conferences like OSCON (which is
what the whiners were thinking of) give speakers free admission, but
they have a much smaller number of speakers relative to attendance.
They also have 100% higher fees to work with.

P

On 2/27/08, Gavin Fleming <GavinF at mintek.co.za> wrote:
>
>  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
> > >
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Conference_dev at lists.osgeo.org
> > http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/conference_dev
>
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