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From: herzog@dogwalk.Sun.COM (Brian Herzog, Sun Microsystems, GPD)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: minor Siggraph question
Message-ID: <116290@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Date: 18 Jul 89 21:33:51 GMT
References: <1840@ucsd.EDU> <116023@sun.Eng.Sun.COM> <60881@uunet.UU.NET> <4900@alvin.mcnc.org>
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> 
> It isn't the information on the badge that is of interest.... it is what
> sessions that I may attend or not attend that may be of interest to the
> marketroids -- whether my name is attached to that information or not.  Are
> you telling me that SIGGRAPH *isn't* planning on using all of that juicy
> marketing and demographic information?  With or without my permission?

That's right.  Unless (as previously mentioned) you give permission,
your name is not released outside ACM, and even then, only your name,
address and (at your option) phone number are released.

The funny thing is that it never even occurred to any of us involved in 
the experiment that the information be used in the way you mention, until
attendees assumed that was how it was being used, and complained about it.  
The data we *were* interested in collecting were aggregate only, and for
internal use only to help plan future conferences that best meet
attendee needs.  An example is that we wanted to collect aggregate stats 
on how many paper/panel sessions people attended, over how many days (of
the three days the sessions are held), in consideration of whether we would 
better serve attendees by offering single-day options in addition to the 
single three-day registration (this is non-trivial - every reg option is 
really six options, allowing for early/late & member/non-member/student 
combinations).

The reality is that there *is* potential for abuse, and you have every
right to demand concrete evidence (beyond my altruistic assurances :-)
that the system has adequate safeguards against abuse.  But it's not
as if no information is available without a mag stripe, just less
information.  Have you not been concerned that that more limited info
from the badge alone was being abused?  I would be sincerely interested 
in comments that argue that a badge with a mag stripe is inherently more 
invasive/offensive and a badge with inserts, or inherently more 
invasive/offensive than a credit card or ATM card.  Please reply directly; 
I'll be happy to summarize to the net.

Since the cat has been let out of the bag:  it's true that there is no
mag stripe on this year's badges.  To those who made rather personal
remarks in response to my defense of last year's experiment, it may
interest you to know that it was my decision to not continue the
experiment this year!  The decision was made on the basis of the results 
from last year, the logistics of this year's conference, and not in the
least on the basis of the comments and criticisms of attendees.  Whether
the experiment is continued at future conferences will be up to others
to decide; I'm confident attendee input will be given great consideration
then, too.

I'd like to point out that SIGGRAPH is not operated or supported by, or 
beholden to the NSA, as someone (frivolously?) implied. SIGGRAPH is its
membership, no more and no less; the conference is run by volunteers from 
the computer graphics community.  To anyone who would condemn the 
organization or conference as uncaring, arrogant, or too big to listen 
to the comments and criticisms of its membership or attendees, I say it's 
just not so.  Many improvements in conference operations have been made as 
a direct result of attendee input.  But don't take my word for it.  I invite 
any and all skeptics to spend a day with me in the registration area in
Boston, and see for yourself the efforts we make to treat 30,000 attendees
individually, efficiently and courteously.  You may come away with a whole 
new perspective.  Comments, criticisms and suggestions are welcome, as
always.

Brian Herzog
SIGGRAPH '89 registration chair
herzog@sun.com
"Badge?  I don't need no stinking badge!" - Cheech & Chong
(The above comments, of course, do not represent Sun.)