Alan Clegg wrote:
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> Paul Ferguson wrote:
>
>>-- "Koch,Christian" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Surely I understand situations arise where you have to fire up your vpn
>>>and do something, and that's foreseeable, but if you're going to just go
>>>to the con to be on your laptop all day, what is the point?
>>
>>If people are paying to attend, then why do you care?
> Unfortunately, like those darned kids that are disruptive in the back
> row of church, it annoys those around them that are trying to pay
> attention.. loud keyboards, inappropriate giggles, etc.
I agree that people need to learn manners, but that's an epidemic that
won't be solved by restricting network access. You won't fix it with
announcements, or with requests by the speakers (although a reminder to
keep the noise to a dull roar never hurts).
> I understand why it's annoying... and it is disrespectful to the
> speaker. Nothing like being the guy standing up there and 1/2 of the
> audience not paying attention. I'd rather they not show up at all.
Even rock stars don't get 100% attention. It may be frustrating to look
out over a sea of faces that are mostly looking at keyboards, or
chatting with friends, rather than paying attention to you, but...
If what you say is worthwhile and engaging, they'll listen. The speaking
style that works well at a business meeting is going to leave a
technical audience desiring another cup of coffee, or the opportunity to
catch up with a friend in the row behind them. It's hard, in current
times, to gauge where the audience is, and to keep them attentive and
involved, but it isn't impossible.
> If you are so important that you need to be working while listening,
> stay in your hotel room and listen via the net feed. That will allow
> you to talk on the phone at the same time.
Phooey on that. Sometimes I bring a laptop to meetings, and sometimes
just a small notebook and pen. I really love being able to follow along,
or even read ahead, and to note questions I might have, or points that
were especially worthwhile. I don't even notice the sound of other
keyboards when I'm in something interesting. If it isn't interesting,
then at least I can makes notes, or do other things, while I'm waiting
for the current speaker to be over.
Maybe I want to stay where I am because the fellow right after you is
the reason I'm in the room. Maybe I'm researching some point you just
made because I think you're wrong, or I don't understand it (or both).
> Sean Figgins wrote:
>
>>When I manage to go, I notice that the only attendees that pay
>>100% attention are usually the people from abroad.
>
>
> Perhaps the folks from abroad are trying to do a mental translation of
> what is being said. Or maybe they just aren't as rude as the folks that
> have been to every meeting and have seen all this stuff before (and yet
> continue to attend every time).
I've seen a lot. Sometimes it feels like I've seen everything, and more
than once for most of it. On the other hand, I just attended a talk on
the UNIX Command Line, and learned a couple of things I hadn't known
before. Many presentations are the same. Just because the audience has
seen the same presentation a dozen times, doesn't mean that there isn't
going to be an Aha! moment that made the trip worthwhile.
Let this be a vote for *no* on shutting off net access.
--
In April 1951, Galaxy published C.M. Kornbluth's "The Marching Morons".
The intervening years have proven Kornbluth right.
--Valdis Kletnieks
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