[FOSS4G2016] defining "ice breaker"

[Jeff McKenna]

Hello everyone!

(I just went through this with the Seoul committee, and I have to 
explain every year)

FOSS4G local committees focus on social events, but are always, until 
the last minute (and usually an email from me asking), only focused on 
these events:

  - what they refer to as "ice breaker" the night after the first day of 
talks
  - "gala event" usually the night after the second day of talks

But there is a huge missing hole there: the night after workshops (or in 
fact the night that about 1,000 attendees arrive to your town).  They 
check into their hotels, don't know the area, but want to walk to 
somewhere where they can run into friends, and have a beer and eat. 
Nothing organized, just, a place.

To me, that is the actual "ice breaker".  And yes, FOSS4G attendees 
arrive in your town, the day before the talks begin, or take a workshop, 
and then expect the local committee to point to where to meet, for a 
beer, to network, to see friends.

Do attendees expect a formal organized event for the night before the 
first day of the conference? Of course not.  But they do need to know 
where they can possibly meet at.

So for the local committee, a reservation is not required, or an 
organizing, no, all that is needed is some recommendations.   I really 
feel that FOSS4G 2007 did a great job for that: "Need a place to meet, 
say hello to community friends at any time during the event? Meet at the 
Sticky Wicket, on xxx street".  What happened was that that place became 
the central meeting spot of the conference, easy way to see your friends.

Each year, FOSS4G committees are so focused on organizing what I'd 
rather call the "Welcome Party" (just after the first day of talks) and 
the Gala event, that there is no thought to the real "Ice Breaker".

Sorry to sound lecturing, but, I see this problem each year at FOSS4G.

I really feel that the local committee should be recommending a place 
for the ice breaker, as well as fully organizing a welcome party and 
then gala.

Your nanny,

-jeff

(by the way, I don't see myself as the "OSGeo nanny", but, I have played 
the role of "FOSS4G nanny" for over a decade)

Have a good weekend! :)