Given that the overcrowding at this IETF was the worst ever, and really
interfered with work, not to mention the social event ...
Building on a previous suggestion:
* When you register for the IETF, you specify which WGs you are
interested in in priority order.
* Simultaneously WG Chairs submit lists of people who are active. This
includes chairs for new WGs and BOFs.
* The agenda and room assignments coalesce based in part on expected
attendance -- this probably continues to require hand-crafting.
* Software magically takes registrant WG preferences and fills rooms,
giving priority to those who have been active (purely according to WG
chairs). Once a room is full no one is added. OK, this is the
cruddiest part, but leave the details for now.
* People receive mail saying which WGs they have been granted access to.
They can apply for more, but they probably won't get in, which means
there is a strong incentive to have specific reasons why they want to
go to the IETF when they register in the first place.
* When they come to the IETF their packets contain not only a receipt
(the point being that the packets are already individualized) but an
authenticated (anything, a little ink stamp, even) schedule, which
they have to show at the meeting room door to get in the room.
* "Standby" entry is allowed if there are seats not taken 5 minutes
before the meeting starts.
Details can be explored based on what you think of this in principle.
...Scott