[Viscom-dev] Budget stuff...

[Tyler Mitchell]

On 26-Feb-07, at 10:13 AM, Chris Holmes wrote:

> Tyler Mitchell wrote:
>> On 26-Feb-07, at 9:37 AM, Chris Holmes wrote:
>>> What happened to all the booth stuff from where 2.0 last year?   
>>> Or foss4g for that matter?  Can't we re-use that?  I mean,  
>>> obviously not the hand-outs, but at least have a table that we  
>>> can talk at.
>> We do have some things Chris, you are right.  I think the signage  
>> may be gone but that we have the black banner and/or table skirt  
>> with the old logo on it.  And also a pop-up banner.  Michael, can  
>> you tell us what you have on-hand?
>> My requests are mainly to develop more of a pop-up booth that can  
>> be easily shipped around.  And to also cover other costs like  
>> sundry bits and pieces required at an event - power, internet,  
>> tables, carpet, etc... which can quickly add up.  Unfortunately  
>> those are not very reusable :[
> Do we really need power and internet?  Aren't tables provided?  We  
> should be able to get in-kind donations for booths at most  
> conferences we go to.  No they won't be huge, but they are place to  
> sit where people can find us. Carpet?   We need to bring our own  
> carpet?
>
> I admit that a unfunded booth will be a bit more ghetto than some  
> corporate glowing lights and carpeted waterfall.  I know we want to  
> have a flashy presence where ever we go, but the black banner  
> identifying us as OSGeo and some people sitting around is far more  
> helpful than nothing.  ...

I think you have some fine ideas, but I bring this is up in the  
context of following up with the VisCom budget and along the vein of  
the OSGeo budget (http://wiki.osgeo.org/index.php/ 
Budget_2006-2007).    Both of these budgets were developed for a  
reason and to set a target for something to aim at - including not  
just big booths but also support for smaller, less formal efforts.   
Of course we can change the target but this what's been stuck in my  
head (for good or bad) ... trying to replicate what we've done in the  
past.

> Of course if we have the funding to do bigger I say go for it, by  
> all means, I understand the value of it.  But to not have any  
> presence just because we can't do a pop-up booth that we ship  
> around seems silly.

Fair enough but probably a bit simplistic. I look at it and think  
that if there isn't enough money to cover recreating a few new booth  
components then there won't be enough to bail me out what I get hit  
with other event related costs, or other items we end up needing  
covered.  Might seem silly, but not risks I want to take on after  
such a gracious donation and with my own time being quite limited.

I am just starting to realise that I am a little nervous about  
planning this event off the corner of my desk, without any budget,  
with little time and only a theoretical understanding of the costs -  
at the same time I have to sign a contract to commit to it all.

  I'm not totally ignorant of the cost issues but just need to know  
that the financial support is there so I can get the job done easily  
and on time.  Regardless of whether there are reusable components, I  
still see too many risks for not meeting my plan for the event.   
That, coupled with other pressing workload items, the need to find  
enough volunteers to set up and manage the booth space, etc.. leaves  
enough questions for me to see this as a bit more work or high risk  
than I can (personally!) handle effectively at the moment.

Would anyone else like to own the LI event?  It's mainly the booth  
space and volunteers that really haven't been fully lined up.

Tyler