[Linux-aus] Re: Request for Change on how MiniConf's are handled.

[Silvia Pfeiffer]

I actually have a question about support for speakers at the miniconfs.

I'd be interested in running a audio/video miniconf with a strong
developer focus and not so much an artist/user focus as last year.
However, some of the people in that field are really far away overseas
and would only come if their trip can get support. Now, I understand
that there is trip support for regular speakers but not for miniconf
speakers. Is this still true? It it is, it's fair enough and I am not
asking to change it.

However, I will then instead want to run a workshop before the
conference where we can organise separate sponsorship for the speakers
and get our heros to come to Australia and join our local heros.

In digital media we need another linux/open media developer conference
that includes video people since the only other one that exists is the
linux audio developer conference. Doing so in conjunction with LCA
will be awesome.

Cheers,
Silvia.

On 7/3/06, Simon Lyall <simon at darkmere.gen.nz> wrote:
> Comments on some point, from a first time Miniconf organiser last year.
> AFAIK, IMHO, YMMV, etc
>
> On Sun, 2 Jul 2006, Tim Ansell wrote:
> > Firstly, I would like to see the Miniconfs separated from the
> > Papers/Tutorial process. Miniconfs would be better served by a process
> > which a proposal is put forward and made public. The final selection of
> > Miniconfs would still, of course, be by the LCA committee.
>
> One problem in this area I found last year was the acceptance of my
> Miniconf wasn't made until fairly late in the process (when main papers
> were accepted). On the other hand I found that the day that everybody's
> papers were rejected by the main conference they resubmitted the same
> papers to the Miniconf.
>
> > This would prevent the case where multiple people propose similar
> > Miniconfs which would be better served by a combined Miniconf. For
> > example say "Gnome Office", "Open Office" and "KDE Office" put forward
> > proposals, it could be merged into an "Open Source Office" Miniconf.
>
> This happened a little in 2006, at least one of the Miniconf's was a
> merger of two proposals.
>
> > Secondly, I would like to see more structure for the Miniconfs given by
> > the organisers. What I mean, is that the LCA organisers would give
> > guidelines for when to start/have morning tea/break for lunch.
> > Suggestions on how to plan the timetable would also be useful.
>
> This happened in 2006. Lunch and morning and afternoon breaks were all
> scheduled. Within those times there will always be some Miniconfs that
> have a two hour talk vs 2 * 1 hour at the same time in other though.
> Having the Miniconf programme on the same sheets as the main one would be
> good though.
>
> I actually found that running a Miniconf was a pretty straightforward
> process. The main LCA conference really does do 90% of the work which
> means the Miniconf organisers just have the do a little website, create a
> programme and show people how to use the microphone. Compared to
> organising a separate conference it is a great system and I think the
> wider range of content the Miniconfs produce really helps LCA too.
>
> --
> Simon J. Lyall  |  Very Busy  |  Web: http://www.darkmere.gen.nz/
> "To stay awake all night adds a day to your life" - Stilgar | eMT.
>
>
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