Hi, Dave Crossland wrote: > I'd generally agree with this, but I think LGM has been consistent at > packing out 3+-1 days with quality presentations the last few years. > > I think JP's suggestion about more focus is worth thinking about, > though; perhaps we could have 4 days but only one track, so that we > don't have to make hard choices between what to see? :-)
FWIW, I think that some of the best things about the first LGM were: - One track, with mostly invited speakers (no call for participation) - 3 days, with 2 days scheduled presentations, 1 day completely "unconference". - 2 hour lunch break - 9am start, 5pm finish - Lots of space in the schedule to absorb conference over-runs, and allow chat time between conferences (some people said too much - 40 minute presentations were scheduled at the top of each hour). I don't think that most people are there for the presentations, so I don't think "packing out" the schedule is important. It's important in conferences where attendees pay a lot of money to go, and need to justify the expense to their bosses by pointing out all the great content that's scheduled. We're not in that situation. Those 4 or 5 points were core principles when I was organising with David Odin. I missed both Montreal 1 and Wrocklaw, so I don't know how much they carried through; but if they didn't I'd suggest reverting back and avoiding once again the temptation to cede to pressure from people who want to put their thumbprint in the ice. I had people tell me they wouldn't travel if they didn't have a presentation, I offered a ligtning talk. I had people say they couldn't justify travelling for an unscheduled day, I told them maybe the conference wasn't for them. I had people insist that hearing a 40 minute presentation on their project would be great, vital, a huge boost to the project - sorry, but the chances are that most people won't be captivated for 40 minutes by a presentation of (say) Art of Illusion in the same way they would be by a presentation on design principles, on free content & remix, or on Inkscape. So to the organisers: Decide what content you want, set the tone, don't let the weeds grow and end up with a hairy 2 or 3 track schedule with presentations titled "MyGraphicsProject.org: Cool stuff we have done this year". Make sure all the presentations are useful to most attendees, and all the presenters are good. Cheers, Dave. -- Dave Neary [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: +33 9 51 13 46 45 Cell: +33 6 77 01 92 13 _______________________________________________ CREATE mailing list CREATE@lists.freedesktop.org http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/create
