[OSGeo-Conf] Re: [Foss4g2009] Setting schedule in stone for labs/workshops/tutorials for Foss4g2009 - please vote

[shoaib]

I thought labs were being dropped coz of:

1. Logistic nightmare due to the presentations running at the same time

2. they added little value (over Workshops) because they are same as
workshops except in length.

Workshops presenters delicately balance time, material covered and
attendees participation. In my experience 90 minutes do not do justice
to this format. Even 3 hours disappear pretty quickly. Unless there is
additional criteria differentiating Labs and Workshops the material
covered in Labs can be done in a presentation with speaker-attendee
follow ups or even the integration-showcase. I'm open to being
persuaded otherwise.

So far I think 1.5 or 2 days of workshops make more sense like they
had in foss4g2006.

Shoaib Burq



On Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 3:41 PM, Mark Leslie <mrk.leslie at gmail.com> wrote:
> Frank Warmerdam wrote:
>>
>> Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>>
>>> 3. To replace the labs, we will introduce "tutorials" and or "bring your
>>> own laptop labs". Details can be worked out by the conference committee
>>> later, but from the our venue organising point of view, all will will
>>> provide is a room and laptop for the presenter.
>>>
>>> Could the FOSS4G committee and conference committee members please vote,
>>> or voice your reasons for alternatives.
>>
>> Cameron,
>>
>> I'm not clear on how bring-your-own-PC is better than utilizing the
>> machines already rented for the one day of workshops.  Does it cost
>> significantly more to keep the machines for several days rather than
>> one day?  If we are passing out live-CD's for bring your own laptop
>> sessions, is that really less problematic than using the same live-CD's
>> on a consistent set of desktop computers from the workshops?
>>
>> I believe part of the rationale for the labs was to get more utilization
>> out of the already rented and setup workshop PCs.
>>
>> Perhaps we could have 1.5 days of workshops with the opening plenary in
>> the afternoon of the second day?
>>
>> Anyways, I guess my main point is that I don't see the
>> bring-your-own-laptop
>> plan providing value over using the pre-existing PCs for the same sort of
>> session.
>>
>> Best regards,
>
> My understanding was that the labs were problematic mostly because they were
> run during the conference.  This meant additional room rentals and setup
> (will workshops be off-site?), so having bring-your-own-laptop during the
> conference would reduce the cost of moving equipment, but introduces it's
> own logistical issues.  The advantage is that most of those are squarely on
> the shoulders of the poor bastard running the tutorial instead of the
> organisers.
> My personal preference is to have two full days of workshops, with both 1.5
> and 3 hour time slots to cater to those of us with MTV influenced attention
> spans.
>
> --
> Mark
>
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