lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein) (12/08/83)
I've been talking with the Usenix board about the current Uniforum situation, and there's a point they've mentioned that apparently isn't very widely known. My friends, the Washington conference is almost totally under the COMPLETE control of /usr/group. Period. Usenix is really involved in name only and has no control over the operational aspects of the conference. Oh yeah, they can pick the papers to be presented in their sessions, but /usr/group is controlling the total environment. Apparently this business about requiring badges and such was first brought up by /usr/group some time ago -- Usenix screamed bloody murder and /usr/group backed down -- or at least CLAIMED to have backed down -- it looks like they changed their minds. I've also been warned that the hotel is grossly inadequate for the size of the conference -- with only one "big" room and 2 small additional rooms. It appears that it's going to be a real dog and pony sales show, friends. One possible way to approach this situation might be to NOT attend and wait for the SLC technical conference. Frankly, the last couple of Uni-conferences I attended were bad enough, so I'm not thrilled at the prospect of this one setting an all time low. --Lauren--
laura@utcsstat.UUCP (Laura Creighton) (12/10/83)
I don't htink that I could make usenix anyway, but everybody seems real upset about this /usr/group garbage. How about everybody ask for their money back and we can have a real usenix sopmeplace else? I vote for a big place with reasonable rates -- like a university residence rather than a convention centre. Of course, university residences tend to be full in the middle of the winter, but you know what I mean. As a side effect we will be able to separate the people who are interested in a technical conference from those that aren't. usenixes are huge these days. There is no reason why the non-technical people shouldn't have their own conference, but that was not what usenix started out to be. I will look around here for big places that are cheap. But you all went to Summer usenix here last summer, and are probably sick of this place. It is yuckky in the winter, too. how about you people who don't have snow looking around? (STRONG HINT TO THE PEOPLE IN SAN DIEGO, WHERE I WISH I WERE). Laura Creighton utcsstat!laura