From: "madodel" <os2-wireless_users@2rosenthals.com>
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Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 09:22:25 -0400
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Subject: Re: [OS2Wireless]Re: Video Conferencing for WarpStock
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On 10/01/06 Rick R. wrote:

Hopefully my last response on this.

> Your "reasoning" makes ABSOLUTELY no sense.
> The Linux folks are able to do this stuff on a regular basis.
> Heck, even the Amiga people have themselves real time video feeds.

They have people interested in overcoming the hurdles and doing all the 
work involved and for free.  They also have large user groups to draw from. 
  That's great, but this is the OS/2 community which just doesn't have the 
warm bodies to help bring it to fruition.

>  
> And online attendance would provide >no benefit to the event<?
> So its OK to bitch at people who can't attend WarpStock, but if 

Excuse me but who is doing the bitching here?  You have said nothing about 
the event other then what demands need to be satisfied for you to make the 
effort to attend.  I am just trying to answer your questions from my 
experience.  You seem to think you are the first person to ever bring this 
idea up.  You are not and it has been looked into just about every year.

> someone makes a reasonable suggestion to allow folks to participate 
> online, then its just refused outright?!

It wasn't refused outright, in fact Andy who is on the current board said 
he would bring it up with them for the future.  It just was presented to 
you that it isn't as easy as you seem to think by someone that has actually 
put on a few events.  And as I said it was tried before.  The issue is that 
Warpstock is put on entirely by volunteers who are stretched very thin as 
it is.  And all volunteers who pay their own way and even their own 
registration.  I ran it for 4 years and was involved for 7 years and 
frankly I'm worn out.  But that is of no concern to you or your demands, 
just a fact you are free to ignore or ridicule as you see fit.  If you feel 
this strongly about it, then volunteer to handle this project.  I've done 
well more than my share and we managed to put on some very successful 
events.  My time has passed now for running the event but I still make 
myself available to the current board for advise, so I'm still involved.

>  
> To be brutally honest, after my VERY negative experience with 
> WarpStock Dresden, where they silently(!) oversold the after hour 
> events and then told people like myself "sorry, no more room left. 
> you have to stay outside" THE MINUTE BEFORE THE EVENT WAS TO START, I 
> really don't feel that motivated to drive all the way up to Canada in 
> the 1st place.

Warpstock has no direct relationship to Warpstock Europe except the name 
which they are allowed to use with Warpstock's permission.  I can't speak 
for them (or for the current Warpstock board for that matter).  I can only 
speak to my experience with Warpstock the past 7 years.  In North America 
there are usually one or two social events that require registration since 
they have to be planned months in advance and usually require a contract 
and usually a sizablle down-payment. And we have to give an expected 
attendance figure so the place knows how many to accomodate.  The people 
who run these events are not psychics, so that involves a best guess.  What 
Stan was actually referring to was the groups of people that meet in rooms, 
the hotel lobby or in the bar and discuss things well into the night. 
Those are some of the most productive hours I have spent at some events.

>  
> And one more time, since even the Amiga people can afford live video 
> feeds (I downloaded some of those myself and they are damn good) I 
> really don't accept your excuses.

You just want what you want.

>  
> If its a cost issue, then ask for donations. I said many times that 
> I'm ready pay an attendance fee for this - and I'm sure would many 
> others.

Cost is only part of it unless you are willing to sponsor a professional to 
do the job.  Its mostly about people to do the job.  That includes planning 
for what is needed, setting up, manning and monitoring the equipment and 
cleaning up and taking responsibility for it. The handful of people 
involved don't have the time for this.  If there were a large local group 
that would put in a bid and could organze it that would be great.  No such 
group has stepped forward to put in a bid in a long time.

>  
> But if WarpStock simply refuses to go with the times and modernize, 
> then well maybe it should no longer exist. Who needs a conference of 
> Dinosaurs?!

As I said if that is important to you then step up and offer to help.  Just 
making demands is just not going to get it done.

Mark


-- 

  From the eComStation Desktop of: Mark Dodel

  Warpstock 2006 - Windsor, Ontario, Canada, October 12-15th, 
http://www.warpstock.org
  Warpstock Europe - http://www.warpstock.net


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