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From: jsq@ut-sally.UUCP (John Quarterman)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: ideas for conferences
Message-ID: <8379@ut-sally.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 30-Jun-87 21:04:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: ut-sally.8379
Posted: Tue Jun 30 21:04:36 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jul-87 07:19:34 EDT
Organization: Somewhere in Worldnet
Lines: 75

Those of you who went to the Phoenix USENIX Conference will remember
the daily newsletter, /etc/motd.  There will be a final edition
distributed by mail.  It will include the following article,
which is relevant to some of the discussion that has been in this
newsgroup lately.  -jsq


          /etc/motd - Final Edition for Phoenix Summer 1987

          WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT...

          The USENIX Association tried several experiments at the
          Phoenix conference.  Please let us know what you think of
          each of them.  Please send your response to Peter Salus at
          usenix!peter or at:

               USENIX
               P.O. Box 2299
               Berkeley, CA   94710

               The experiments tried at the Phoenix conference include

          the Face Saver,

          the /etc/motd daily conference newsletter,

          the Work in Progress sessions,

          pre-scheduled BoFs (Birds of a Feather sessions),

          the panel discussion on UNIX Directions,

          and a well-known keynote speaker.

               Please give us your opinion of each experiment.  Can
          you suggest any improvements?


               The USENIX Association is also considering several
          experiments for the next conference in Dallas, Texas in
	  Winter 1988.  Please give us your opinion of each possible
	  experiment.

          1.  BoFs - Running BoFs during the day while technical ses-
          sions are occurring; in effect, a partial double track.
          This will allow more BoFs to be held.

          2.  A USENIX-sponsored hospitality suite for USENIX members
          -  This would be a suite in the conference hotel for USENIX
          members to meet with other members in a quiet environment,
          rather than in a restaurant or hotel lobby.  However, this
          proposal will incur some costs to the association, including
          the cost of renting the suite, stocking it with soft drinks,
          and finding volunteers to admit members to the suite during
          the day or evening.

          3.  Graphics Exhibit - This experiment may be tried at the
          San Francisco conference in Summer 1988.  This exhibit would
          include film and video graphics presentations.  All USENIX
          members would be invited to submit exhibits.

          4.  Previous USENIX conference exhibit photographs - This
          experiment may be tried at either the Dallas conference or
          the San Francisco conference. This exhibit would include
          photographs from previous USENIX conferences. All associa-
          tion members would be invited to submit photographs.

          Now, we'd like to ask you for your ideas.  Can you suggest
          anything that you think would improve USENIX conferences?
          Can you think of anything new or interesting to try this
          year?  Please let us know.

                                                       Donnalyn Frey
                                                       Editor
                                                       /etc/motd