Apug conference

[kwmullet]

I think the conference should be held at the same time as one of this big digital photography conferences in Vegas. A sure-fire way to get a lot of press, methinks. Hell... maybe it could even be held in conjunction with one -- sort of a yin/yang, republican/democrat, chocolate/vanilla, Ginger/Mary Ann, Bailey/Jennifer sort of thing.

-KwM-

[Shmoo]

How about San Diego? Great convention town. Beautiful city, 130 mi. south of LA. Weather's great all year around (except for the June gloom - overcast). If you want to get to Vegas, LA, SF, it's an easy hop...just a thought.

[John McCallum]

Any takers on Whangaparoa Peninsula, New Zealand. Nice beaches, fishing, sailing ..... anyone? ...... Sean ...... (kidding)

[David A. Goldfarb]

Vegas is hot in the summer, but it's usually thirty degrees cooler up by Mt. Charleston, and lots of good photographs to be had up there. Of course in the casinos it's always cool and about 9:30 in the evening, 24 hours a day.

[photomc]

just remember this is for more than just large format photographers.

Thoughts on Vegas, after May it is really hot until about mid Oct. Given other places in the summer, If it is not terribly hot, it is humid.

Could I suggest before labor day weekend? It is still reasonable temps if it were to be in vegas. The huge summer crowds have not started. Some places have not put in their high traffic prices.

I think having people who are apuggers speak is a great idea.

Not everyone is going to fit into a time frame that it would be held. Not everyone is going to make it to the country it is held in. That is why we can at least move it venue wise from year to year. It could shift from one group of apuggers doing the conf. to another. Kinda like the olympics. that way no one has to get burnt out doing the work.

I would also like to see about setting up a fund where if a person has a few extra (insert your currency) dollars they wanted to donate, that a we could use to help those who are in finacial straights in other countries make it to the conf. Kinda like a scholarship fund. It could be done a lottery basis. This is just a thought.

Great Idea Aggie, the idea of sending an APUG member from somewhere other than the host location (read country) is a super idea. Now everyone will not be happy if they don't get to go, but the idea of it becoming a regional thing does work. Europe/UK one year, South/Central America another, Aust/NZ the next, US/CA the next. Perhaps some of the speakers could be setup to do a tele/vedio conference - hell, maybe a web conference so that those that can't make it could still listen/see what is going on -- we could show the world that we accept the ditital technology, just choose to practice analog photography. Now that would be cool!!! (I cant believe I said that!). Now set this up so it occurs opposite some of the large format conference (like Photoarts Santa Fe) and I think we could pull in more people (or have it around the same time...just typing out loud.

[jd callow]

we could also have one conference date and 4 conferences, 1 each for N.America, AU NZ, Europe, and S/C America.

With video internet conferencing a couple times a day during specific events.

[John McCallum]

we could also have one conference date and 4 conferences, 1 each for N.America, AU NZ, Europe, and S/C America.

With video internet conferencing a couple times a day during specific events.

Now THERE's an idea. Guess that success would depend on numbers.

p.s. you'd put your cloths on for the cross-processing presentation eh(?)

[Aggie]

Do you know how much work is involved in just putting on one conf. at a time? I may have in house geeks, but I have no clue how to do the video conf. for the internet of the whole thing. This thing may turn into a major event where the last vestiges of analog are showcased. Look at how fast J&C stepped up to say they would support us. Given how many smaller manufacturers are mostly analog oriented, I think there might be a huge amount of interest in this. If all apug members talked it up in their are of the world, lots more would be interested. What we could do is video the whole thing so those who can't be there can see it. Sell the DVD's for a nominal amount to pay costs of making it, and a smal bit for donation to support apug. (can't tell my first degree was in marketing!)

[jd callow]

Do you know how much work is involved in just putting on one conf. at a time? I may have in house geeks, but I have no clue how to do the video conf. for the internet of the whole thing. This thing may turn into a major event where the last vestiges of analog are showcased. Look at how fast J&C stepped up to say they would support us. Given how many smaller manufacturers are mostly analog oriented, I think there might be a huge amount of interest in this. If all apug members talked it up in their are of the world, lots more would be interested. What we could do is video the whole thing so those who can't be there can see it. Sell the DVD's for a nominal amount to pay costs of making it, and a smal bit for donation to support apug. (can't tell my first degree was in marketing!)

As much as I think Apug is great. I would be happy and think the conference was a success if 30-50 members (plus friends) showed up -- surprised if it were more.

I suspect we'd get similar or slightly smaller crowds at the other locations.

I would think this whole thing could be done pretty informally, and without a lot of heart ache.

Setting up an internet video feed is easy and would only be used for talks or demos. It requires a fast computer on site to compile and a fat pipe to a server. This type of setup has a healthy lag time but produces porn site quality. :o

We aren't selling anything, success would be measured by the level of enjoyment. Although the thought of a door prize and wearing my name on my lapel is enticing, I would be going to meet the apugers and shoot pictures.

If we got Les and a few others to give a demo or a talk that would be great -- the same would go for JandC and any other venders. Neither item would make or break the conference nor would either item cause there to be a room shortage in Ferndale let alone Vegas.

[BWGirl]

My husband belonged to an international organization for 'nerds'. They have a conference every year in a different location. I always called it the largest gathering of nerds in the world. Spouses always came to this week-long event and there were tours and welcome receptions and just tons of fun (yep, even nerds have fun...odd fun, but fun none the less). If you want to check out the 'nerd herd' symposium site, it's http://www.emc2004.org/


That would be cool if we could have like sponsor cities/areas each year. It would require quite a bit of work to get it organized. I don't think Aggie's suggesting we all hop on a plane next week for Vegas, San Diego, or anywhere else, so it would have to be like maybe this time next year to give time for everything to fall into place. But it would be way cool & I'd really be interested in it!

Great idea, Aggie!!
Jeanette