Re: [boost] BoostCon 2011 Dates and Hotel Discount (this week only!)

Subject: Re: [boost] BoostCon 2011 Dates and Hotel Discount (this week only!)
From: Nevin Liber (nevin_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-05-19 21:52:44

On 19 May 2010 09:44, Rene Rivera <grafikrobot_at_[hidden]> wrote:
>>   1. atmosphere counts, and the conference just wouldn't be the same
>>      anywhere else.
>
> Which assumes you can't get a similar atmosphere some place else. Note I
> don't consider the scenery the same as the atmosphere ;-)

Aspen is isolated, which works very well for BoostCon.

For instance, if you walk to a restaurant in town (and you can walk;
you don't have to drive or cab it), it is very likely you'll run into
other BoostCon folks.  And given that it is off season, you can get in
just about anywhere w/o a reservation.

There are no other evening distractions, so people come back for the
after dinner sessions, and wake up for the morning sessions.

If you hold it near a big city, you may lose that.  Big cities have a
night life.  Many of us traveling to big cities have friends we rarely
get to see face to face that we'll take time at night to visit.

Even for locals, they don't tend to stay at the hotel, as it is hard
to justify the cost.  And it is also easier for locals to get sucked
back into work projects because they haven't actually travelled
anywhere.

Those things go against the intimacy of BoostCon.

> OK, perhaps a poll is in order at this point. I'll set one up for people to
> fill out.. Do people have suggestions as to good places to consider for
> holding some future BoostCon at? My shorts list is:
>
> * New York
> * New Jersey
> * Toronto
> * Chicago

It isn't just picking a city.  Someone needs to commit to being the
point person to make sure that things happen, even if the other
volunteers have to bail.  I've put on minor events, and I've watched
friends put on major events, and it is a lot of work.

And if we skip Aspen, it may hurt the relationships we've built up
with the Meadows and the Physics Center.  Changing the venue has
consequences.

Personally, I vote for keeping it in Aspen.
-- 
 Nevin Liber  <mailto:nevin_at_[hidden]>  [phone]