Re: BOF schedules [was Re: User demands]

[Esther Filderman <ecf@psc.edu>]

Ruth Milner sez:
> Receptions have always been exclusive on the schedule, and nearly always
> held somewhere else, at all the computer conferences I've ever been to

Well, what can I say?  This was my fourth LISA & the only one where the
reception was held away from the "home hotel".  This is the only one of those
four that, as far as I can recall, only two BOFs were scheduled the same night
of the reception primarily because of the overlap.  When I went to schedule on
Wednesday I was even asked, "Are you *sure* you want to do that, because of the
reception you'll likely get a poor turnout..."

[...]
> it difficult to choose. There are more hostil^H^H^Hpitality suites than
> there used to be, too, mostly confined to the same evenings.

Yes, BOF time and vendor time evilly overlap as well.

> So, what to do? The trouble is that a fair number of LISA attendees (what
> fraction?) don't come for tutorials/workshops, so starting BOFs sooner
> misses people; and many leave on Friday, so Friday evening is even worse
> (plus those who are left are conferenced out by then anyway). What about
> lunchtime BOFs? Running later (assuming 10-11pm isn't late enough :-) )?
> Any other ideas we can come up with for next year's organizers to consider?

I don't think people will come to lunchtime BOFs if it means them missing a meal. 

I'm not quite sure what the solution is, but I will ponder further.

e.
----------------------------------------------------------------
     ecf@psc.edu     Esther Filderman    moose+@cmu.edu
        Senior System Mangler, News & AFS Dominatrix  
               Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center