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From: timr@hpwarcz.wal.hp.com (Tim Rice)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: Are Undergrads, more valuable then working professionals?
Keywords: Controversy, Policy, Stipend.
Message-ID: <1826@hpwala.wal.hp.com>
Date: 18 Mar 91 17:16:41 GMT
References: <1991Mar14.001156.15961@grebyn.com> <1991Mar14.202303.5159@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <1991Mar15.001142.10113@grebyn.com>
Sender: netnews@hpwala.wal.hp.com
Reply-To: timr@hpwarcz.wal.hp.com (Tim Rice)
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Laboratories
Lines: 50

There are a few aspects here that haven't been mentioned, of course,
around costs.

    1. Cost of enrollment for conference
    2. Cost of airfare, room, etc.
    3. Loss of work
       1. viewed as company/course time
       2. viewed as vacation time
       3. viewed as leave of absence

I have been in the industry for what is considered an eon by most.  When
I first attended
a conference in was on company time and expense, didn't cost me a penny.
All I needed to do
was put in a request, paperwork also done on company time, and fill out
a trip report after-
wards.  This is the best of all.  From here it gets more complicated, it
becomes personal!

I am certainly on the other side of the fence from students today, from
what I'm hearing.  
My school and personal situation never allowed me the oportunity you now
have.  Those that
are unemployed and employed may have never attended a conference for the
same reasons. 

Apparently, if you're good (at what you do) you've been to a conference.
Most likely this
was at someone else's expense.

The dam was opened for students...

Now you have a delima...

Students
Un-employed
self-employed
consultants (not all make big bucks, some make less than you)
employed (professionals?  Where do professor's fall in?)

Personally, I'm one of those high paid consultants.  I must say though,
I have to look real
hard at the benefits before I spend $4-5k on a week conference.  If the
companies I'm
dealing with can even spare me the time, after all, I'm supposed to know
it all ;-)

P.S.  I've never been to this show.  I leave it to you to decide what
professionals do attend.
      Maybe, there is a technical base being left out???