fingerhu@ircam.fr (Michel Fingerhut) (06/23/91)
Now that I got your attention... I would much prefer Usenix to take place in the heart of a nice, populated city, with a convention center say, rather than in an isolated (i.e., suburbs) gigantic hotel which requires one to rent a car in order to go anywhere rather than use one's legs. Baltimore, Phoenix, Washington were good examples; Nashville, Dallas and Miami Beach were not. I understand that for some (obscure) reason international Usenix conventions have to be held in mainland USA (rather than in Canada or Mexico, say, or more exotic places). But I suppose there are plenty of nice US cities in which it could be held and that would still attract attendees; to name but a few: New Orleans (where I attended a POPL conf. in the vieux carre'), Santa Fe, Cleveland, Boston... I am sure there are many others. Just a wish.
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) (06/23/91)
If you look at the list of future conference sites I believe you will
be mostly pleased:
Winter '92 San Francisco
Summer '92 San Antonio
Winter '93 San Diego
Summer '93 Cincinnati
Winter '94 San Francisco
Summer '94 Boston
Winter '95 New Orleans
Summer '95 San Francisco
After that everything goes dark...
--
-Barry Shein
Software Tool & Die | bzs@world.std.com | uunet!world!bzs
Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLDbrad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (06/23/91)
Actually, If Usenix had been thinking ahead, they might have held this year's show a bit later (July 8-12) in Mazatlan, Mexico or Hilo, Hawaii and had the best attended Usenix ever. (As long as they didn't schedule any papers at the time of the real draw...) -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (06/23/91)
Good Lord, Barry, Summer in San Antonio? I have nothing against Texas, mind you, but in June? (Of course, I just suggested we should have held this year's in Mexico, but there was a special reason for that.) -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) (06/23/91)
From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) >Good Lord, Barry, Summer in San Antonio? I have nothing against Texas, mind >you, but in June? Ah, there ya go, killing the messenger... These decisions are made a few years in advance, I think the first one the current board voted on was Boston in Summer '94. Hmm, even that may have been at the joint old board + elected board meeting. San Antonio will be down on the river walk, I've never been there but I hear it is very nice and full of things to do (and remember the Alamo.) I am sure we will hear more about San Antonio shortly, right here... -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | bzs@world.std.com | uunet!world!bzs Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLD
fingerhu@ircam.fr (Michel Fingerhut) (06/23/91)
The list Barry Shein posts does not really indicate whether or not the place where the conference takes place is *in* these cities or in some suburb, like it was in Nashville or Dallas. That's what I really meant to address.
tbray@watsol.waterloo.edu (Tim Bray) (06/24/91)
As a simple heuristic for optimizing the quality of the conference facility, I suggest the following: Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". Tim Bray, Open Text Systems
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) (06/24/91)
>The list Barry Shein posts does not really indicate whether or not the >place where the conference takes place is *in* these cities or in some >suburb, like it was in Nashville or Dallas. That's what I really meant >to address. Hmm, intent on making me work for a living... Here's the ones I know about, I am sure the office can supply full details, apologies in advance for any errors: 1. Winter '92 - San Francisco Hilton, as downtown as you can get, I liked this hotel *a lot* the last time we had a conference there. Great location, fine hotel. With the whole Silicon Valley + SF + Berkeley crowd coming in (like last time) I'd say if you're going to only go to one USENIX in your life make it this one. 2. Summer '92 - San Antonio Marriott, on the river walk (maybe someone else can fill in details on where that is exactly.) 3. Winter '93 - San Diego Town & Country, in town, not quite downtown but a few minutes drive, certainly not "out in the suburbs" by any means. 4. Summer '93 - Cincinnatti Hyatt (no idea, maybe someone else knows.) 5. Winter '94 - San Francisco Hilton again! 6. Summer '94 - Boston Marriott (near the Hynes I assume, right downtown, 15-minute walk from the center of Boston and right on the transit system to get anywhere in Boston or Cambridge for, well, whatever they're charging in '94, around $1.) 7. Winter '95 - New Orleans Marriott, 5-minute walk from the French Quarter, Bourbon St and all that. *NOTICE - SITES MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS OUT ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE* It's not likely, but for all we know New Orleans might sink into the sea before '95, or the hotel go belly-up etc., or some other extenuating circumstance, in which case we'd obviously have to adjust and probably even change the city as suitable alternate meeting space may not be available for the dates we need in the same city. Actually, all sites are subject to change, of course, if something disasterous occurs. -- -Barry Shein Software Tool & Die | bzs@world.std.com | uunet!world!bzs Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: 617-739-0202 | Login: 617-739-WRLD
scs@lokkur.dexter.mi.us (Steve Simmons) (06/24/91)
tbray@watsol.waterloo.edu (Tim Bray) writes: >As a simple heuristic for optimizing the quality of the conference >facility, I suggest the following: > Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". Like, say, Disney-land? -- "FACT: less than 10% of the psychiatrists in the US are actually practicing cannibals." Rod Johnson
brian@ucsd.Edu (Brian Kantor) (06/24/91)
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: >1. Winter '92 - San Francisco Hilton, as downtown as you can get, I > liked this hotel *a lot* the last time we had a conference > there. And if they haven't fixed the goddamn fire alarm system in that hotel by now, I suggest we 1) issue a supply of earplugs 2) hold a bonfire in the lobby 3) wake up the manager at 4 am and ring his bell for 15 minutes straight 4) strew tacks all over the floor in the manager's office to simulate running down 15 stories of concrete steps barefoot 5) sue And no, it WASN'T pranksters, it was a brand new system, according to the security guard. Three times in one night, and not a single night without at least one false alarm. Phooey. Now I understand why people die in hotel fires - they learn to ignore the alarms. - Brian
jason@cs.utexas.edu (Jason Martin Levitt) (06/24/91)
In article <1991Jun23.181459.13052@watdragon.waterloo.edu>, tbray@watsol.waterloo.edu (Tim Bray) writes: > As a simple heuristic for optimizing the quality of the conference > facility, I suggest the following: > > Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". > That rules out San Antonio which is in Bubbaland. > bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > 2. Summer '92 - San Antonio Marriott, on the river walk (maybe someone > else can fill in details on where that is exactly.) The river walk is in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The polluted "river" [more like a stream really] is the Olmos or San Antonio river [can't recall which] that runs through downtown San Antonio. Some large hotels along with numerous restaurants and bars are lined up along a fairly long stretch [0.3 miles?] of the river which has concrete walls and sidewalks along it. At night, it's pleasant to walk along the river and check out the venues. ----Jason ----- Jason Martin Levitt email: jason@cs.utexas.edu "Since there are virtually no rules, the catalog of information includes voluminous pornography, along with advice on recreational drugs, satanism, paganism, and sex slaves." --the Houston Chronicle describing the "internet" to its readers. Sunday, June 10th, 1990
de5@ornl.gov (Dave Sill) (06/24/91)
In article <1991Jun22.192721.11468@ircam.fr>, fingerhu@ircam.fr (Michel Fingerhut) writes: >Now that I got your attention... I would much prefer Usenix to take place in >the heart of a nice, populated city, with a convention center say, rather than >in an isolated (i.e., suburbs) gigantic hotel which requires one to rent a car >in order to go anywhere rather than use one's legs. You can't please all of the folks all of the time. >I understand that for some (obscure) reason international Usenix conventions >have to be held in mainland USA (rather than in Canada or Mexico, say, or more >exotic places). It probably has something to do with the geographic center of gravity of the USENIX membership, i.e., most USENIX members are in the U.S.. I doubt I'd be able to get approval for international travel for a USENIX conference. I vote for Portland, OR, myself. -- Dave Sill (de5@ornl.gov) Tug on anything in nature and you will find Martin Marietta Energy Systems it connected to everything else. Workstation Support --John Muir
shore@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Melinda Shore) (06/24/91)
In article <1991Jun23.181459.13052@watdragon.waterloo.edu> tbray@watsol.waterloo.edu (Tim Bray) writes: > Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". We need a better heuristic - there has to be a way to filter out things like Rawhide. (I still think Rawhide was more offensive than Opryland.) Venue notwithstanding, I thought the last conference was excellent. And that, after all, is what counts. -- Software longa, hardware brevis Melinda Shore - Cornell Information Technologies - shore@theory.tn.cornell.edu
cgw@vaxb.acs.unt.edu (06/24/91)
In article <20809@cs.utexas.edu>, jason@cs.utexas.edu (Jason Martin Levitt) writes: >> Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". > > That rules out San Antonio which is in Bubbaland. it also rules out Disneyland, which might be interesting. at least, when something screws up, you could say, "now what kinda mickey mouse conference IS this, anyway??" ;-P > The river walk is in the heart of downtown San Antonio. The > polluted "river" [more like a stream really] is the Olmos or San > Antonio river [can't recall which] that runs through downtown San Antonio. > Some large hotels along with numerous restaurants and bars are lined up > along a fairly long stretch [0.3 miles?] of the river which has > concrete walls and sidewalks along it. At night, it's pleasant to walk > along the river and check out the venues. if you want a preview, get the movie Cloak & Dagger. granted, it doesn't show the riverwalk in the _best_ light, but i do believe it is the S.A. riverwalk. but i agree with the first guy (whose text i didn't include). it's ALREADY sweltering here (Denton) in june, can you imagine San Antonio? *phew*! -cgw- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- christopher williams, `gilligan', `dude', cgw@vaxb.acs.unt.edu, +1 817 565 4161 lead programmer/operator, the university of north texas, home of the _VaxCave_! `help stamp out and abolish redundancy!' my other .sig is boring too.
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (06/24/91)
In article <1991Jun22.192721.11468@ircam.fr> fingerhu@ircam.fr (Michel Fingerhut) writes: >Now that I got your attention... I would much prefer Usenix to take place in >the heart of a nice, populated city, with a convention center say, rather than >in an isolated (i.e., suburbs) gigantic hotel which requires one to rent a car >in order to go anywhere... There is a problem in that Usenix is a rather big convention and the number of places that can accommodate it is limited. (The limiting factor, I believe, is adequate space for all the tutorials -- which are very important both to the membership and to the conference finances.) This sharply limits the choices. >I understand that for some (obscure) reason international Usenix conventions >have to be held in mainland USA (rather than in Canada or Mexico, say... They've been in Canada in the past, and that may happen again. But it is primarily a North American conference and the bulk of attendees are from the USA. -- "We're thinking about upgrading from | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology SunOS 4.1.1 to SunOS 3.5." | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
rjg@umnstat.stat.umn.edu (Robert J. Granvin) (06/24/91)
|> >I understand that for some (obscure) reason international Usenix conventions |> >have to be held in mainland USA (rather than in Canada or Mexico, say... |> |> They've been in Canada in the past, and that may happen again. But it is |> primarily a North American conference and the bulk of attendees are from |> the USA. And, except for a few instances, the bulk of the attendees must be from regions geographically noted as "south" or "coastal." Sigh. -- Robert J. Granvin School of Statistics rjg@umnstat.stat.umn.edu University of Minnesota
dricejb@drilex.UUCP (Craig Jackson drilex1) (06/25/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > >>The list Barry Shein posts does not really indicate whether or not the >>place where the conference takes place is *in* these cities or in some >>suburb, like it was in Nashville or Dallas. That's what I really meant >>to address. > >Here's the ones I know about, I am sure the office can supply full >details, apologies in advance for any errors: > >3. Winter '93 - San Diego Town & Country, in town, not quite downtown > but a few minutes drive, certainly not "out in the suburbs" by > any means. Actually, as I remember, the Town & Country is in an area called 'Hotel Circle', which is a little valley which contains almost nothing except hotels & related restaurants, etc. This means that there are lots of other inexpensive hotels nearby, but there's really quite a bit of land so that they're all separated by large parking lots. Plus, half of the hotels are on the other side of a freeway. I've only been at a Town & Country convention once, but I didn't consider the site memorable. San Diego does have some nice downtown areas (love the cinnamon buns at Horton Plaza) but I'm not sure if there are any decent convention hotels there. Of course, since it's southern California, everyone is expected to drive. > *NOTICE - SITES MORE THAN A COUPLE OF YEARS OUT ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE* > >-- > -Barry Shein Just trying to help. -- Craig Jackson dricejb@drilex.dri.mgh.com {bbn,axiom,redsox,atexnet,ka3ovk}!drilex!{dricej,dricejb}
tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) (06/25/91)
From the keyboard of cgw@vaxb.acs.unt.edu: :but i agree with the first guy (whose text i didn't include). it's ALREADY :sweltering here (Denton) in june, can you imagine San Antonio? *phew*! Depends on your idea of sweltering: it hasn't really popped into the triple digits here yet, for which I'm quite thankful. I was comparing the Nashville temperatures with San Antonio's during the conference, and found that San Antonio averaged around 10 degrees warmer each day, that is, upper 90s instead of upper 80s. It will not be quite so humid there as it was in Nashville, which will help, plus San Antonio is also less of an aerial mold farm than was Nashville, a blessing for those of us who had to choose between a clear nose and a clear mind. Best of all, we won't be utterly immobilized at the hotel. This is more important to me than the possibly high temperature. (Of course, this being my 5th summer in Texas, perhaps I've become inured to it.) I grew exceedingly weary of Rachel's Kitchen by the end of the conference. Whether we're going to get looked down at by the hotel staff as much in Texas as we were in Tennesee is yet to be seen, but I can't imagine it being worse. Three friends and I walked into Rhett's one night looking for an alternative to Rachel's, and the maitre d' asked, "May I help you with something?" Come on, we didn't walk into a restaurant just looking to use their john! I heard other reports of this sort of treatment as well. --tom -- Tom Christiansen tchrist@convex.com convex!tchrist "So much mail, so little time."
terri_watson@cis.ohio-state.edu (Elfling) (06/25/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > 7. Winter '95 - New Orleans Marriott, 5-minute walk from the French > Quarter, Bourbon St and all that. This one should be fun -- now all we have to do is move the dates to coincide with Mardi Gras and for once we Usenixer's won't look out of place at all! <grin> (Of course don't expect to drive anywhere on Mardi Gras -- it's a lost cause.) > It's not likely, but for all we know New Orleans might sink into the > sea before '95 Entirely too likely as those of us who grew up there well know... Terri
tower@buita.bu.edu (Leonard (Len) H. Tower Jr.) (06/25/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: |6. Summer '94 - Boston Marriott (near the Hynes I assume, right downtown, | 15-minute walk from the center of Boston and right on the transit | system to get anywhere in Boston or Cambridge for, well, whatever | they're charging in '94, around $1.) It's on the other side of the Prudential Center from the Hynes on Huntington Avenue (a block southwest of Copley Square (which is also the closest subway stop)), in the Copley Place development. The Marriott is about a block walk from the Back Bay Amtrak railroad station and about a three block walk from the Hynes through the Prudential Center. All the good restaurants, night spots and sights are under a half hour trip on the transit system, and many are within walking distance. Boston is a world class city that is very compact and walkable. Come and enjoy. enjoy -len PS: The weather in June is either hot/muggy/miserable or warm/dry/comfortable (more likely). You are likely to see both in a few days, as our weather changes rapidly.
marc@dumbcat.sf.ca.us (Marco S Hyman) (06/25/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > 1. Winter '92 - San Francisco Hilton, as downtown as you can get, I > liked this hotel *a lot* the last time we had a conference > there. Great location, fine hotel. With the whole Silicon > Valley + SF + Berkeley crowd coming in (like last time) I'd > say if you're going to only go to one USENIX in your life > make it this one. > > ... > > Actually, all sites are subject to change, of course, if something > disasterous occurs. The next Bay Area quake is scheduled for the Hayward fault south and east of the city. Sometimes in the next 20 years. In the east bay -- don't give it a thought. // marc -- // home: marc@dumbcat.sf.ca.us pacbell!dumbcat!marc // work: marc@ascend.com uunet!aria!marc
peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) (06/25/91)
In article <1991Jun24.191705.23847@convex.com> tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) writes: > Three friends and I walked into Rhett's one night looking > for an alternative to Rachel's, and the maitre d' asked, "May I help you > with something?" Come on, we didn't walk into a restaurant just looking > to use their john! I heard other reports of this sort of treatment as well. Were you dressed in the latest BSD fashions? Ah, you should try going to a Science Fiction convention some time. Not to condone this sort of behaviour, but mundanes will be mundanes... -- Peter da Silva; Ferranti International Controls Corporation; +1 713 274 5180; Sugar Land, TX 77487-5012; `-_-' "Have you hugged your wolf, today?"
keves@meaddata.com (Brian Keves - Consultant) (06/25/91)
In article <29073@drilex.UUCP> dricejb@drilex.UUCP (Craig Jackson drilex1) writes: >In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: >>3. Winter '93 - San Diego Town & Country, in town, not quite downtown >> but a few minutes drive, certainly not "out in the suburbs" by >> any means. > >Actually, as I remember, the Town & Country is in an area called 'Hotel >Circle', which is a little valley which contains almost nothing except >hotels & related restaurants, etc. ... This is not exactly accurate. Being a San Diegan (not native, but wish I was) I can tell you a little more about Mission Valley. The Town & Country is in Hotel circle, but Hotel Circle is in Mission Valley and it is not a "little valley." Mission Valley keeps going East for quite a few miles. Anyways, one parking lot to the North is the Fashion Valley shopping center, which has just about anything you can think of including one of the city's largest bus terminals. Right across the street (West) is a Golfing Range and one hotel past that is a huge theater, which usually has one of the big movies playing. Fashion Valley also has a 4 plex. If we go East we have a maze of shopping centers, restaurants and movie theaters. All of these things are a "medium-long walk", a short bus ride or an inexpensive taxi ride away. Personally I prefer Mission Valley to downtown. Nothing happens in Downtown, outside of a couple Jazz bars, after 10 PM. Mission Valley isn't much better, but that is the nature of San Diego. If you want action try La Jolla, for those who want to mingle with the "upper crust", or Pacific Beach for those who don't. These places are both on the water. And above all, have fun. But don't let those California beaches or blondes divert you from your reason for being there. Brian -- Brian Keves | Opinions/Ideas presented | Mead Data Central P.O. Box 149 | here are not necessarily | Engineering Productivity Miamisburg, OH 45343-0149 | those of Mead or Mead | keves@meaddata.com (513) 865-1121 x5767 | Data Central | ...!uunet!meaddata!keves
paul@taniwha.UUCP (Paul Campbell) (06/25/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: >Actually, all sites are subject to change, of course, if something >disasterous occurs. A good earthquake ? :-) Actually, seriously, talking about really nice places to hold Usenix, how about Portland again? - I think I enjoyed that one the most. Paul -- Paul Campbell UUCP: ..!mtxinu!taniwha!paul AppleLink: CAMPBELL.P Tom Metzger's White Ayrian Resistance has been enjoined to stop selling Nazi Bart Simpson t-shirts - Tom of course got it wrong, Bart is yellow, not white.
rwa@cs.athabascau.ca (Ross Alexander) (06/26/91)
dricejb@drilex.UUCP (Craig Jackson drilex1) writes: >Actually, as I remember, the Town & Country is in an area called 'Hotel >Circle', which is a little valley which contains almost nothing except > [more hotels :-)] >San Diego does have some nice downtown areas (love the cinnamon buns >at Horton Plaza) but I'm not sure if there are any decent convention >hotels there. Of course, since it's southern California, everyone >is expected to drive. A friend and I walked from Hotel Circle out to the harbour and marina Sunday afternoon (Winter 89, as I remember - it was -45 C at home is the part that sticks in my memory). It was a pleasant stroll. -- Ross Alexander rwa@cs.athabascau.ca (403) 675 6311 ve6pdq `You were s'posed to laugh!' -- Zippy
ken@opusc.csd.scarolina.edu (Ken Sallenger) (06/26/91)
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) writes
+>Good Lord, Barry, Summer in San Antonio? I have nothing against Texas, mind
+>>you, but in June?
bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes:
=>San Antonio will be down on the river walk, I've never been there but...
=>I am sure we will hear more about San Antonio shortly, right here...
At least it shouldn't be as humid as Nashville---for the benefit of
those from milder climes such as Canada (:-) Personally, I felt right at
home there.
The great benefit of Nashville for me was that I got to go at all.
I had to pay my own way this year, so driving over made it a
reasonable excursion. Of course, I'd have done the same for any
southeastern location.
NB: if you want humid, wait'll you get to DC in the summer! I was mildly
amused at the open board meeting by the juxtaposition of
(1) complaints about the heat/humidity; and
(2) the number of hands that went up in approval of DC as a site.
I'll freely admit that there's more to do in DC and a wonderful
transit system to get you there. I'm looking forward to it,
since I'm already acclimated...
--
Ken Sallenger / ken@bigbird.csd.scarolina.edu / +1 803 777-6551
Computer Services Division / 1244 Blossom ST / Columbia, SC 29208brian@ucsd.Edu (Brian Kantor) (06/26/91)
dricejb@drilex.UUCP (Craig Jackson drilex1) writes: >Actually, as I remember, the Town & Country is in an area called 'Hotel >Circle', which is a little valley which contains almost nothing except >hotels & related restaurants, etc. This means that there are lots of >other inexpensive hotels nearby, but there's really quite a bit of land >so that they're all separated by large parking lots. Plus, half of the >hotels are on the other side of a freeway. I've only been at a Town & >Country convention once, but I didn't consider the site memorable. It's sort of central, and the smaller and cheaper of the two convention centers in town. There are lots of low-price motels around, restaurants, and shopping centers, but the reason there's lots of land is that it's really a usually-dry riverbed on the exit end of a 100-year flood plain. Few who have moved into San Diego in the past decade or so realize that that means, but I remember a 20-year flood that had more than 6 feet of water covering roads, basements, and other structures in that valley. Amazingly enough, people still build there and they still can get flood insurance. CAMF. One of these days we'll get some rain, and the dam will burst, and most of the contents of Mission Valley will wash out to sea. If only we could convince all the lawyers to move their offices there first.... - Brian
bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) (06/26/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun22172048@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > >If you look at the list of future conference sites I believe you will >be mostly pleased: > .... >After that everything goes dark... And I beleive it was the latest "login" that said that ALL future winter conference after New Orleans will alternate between San Diego and S.F. No more miserable snows like Wash or Dallas. -- Bill Vermillion - UUCP: ...!tarpit!bilver!bill : bill@bilver.UUCP
ed@mtxinu.COM (Ed Gould) (06/26/91)
>Actually, seriously, talking about really nice places to hold Usenix, >how about Portland again? - I think I enjoyed that one the most. Everyone I've talked to liked Portland. Judy DesHarnais, our conference coordinator, looked into holding the Summer '95 or '96 meeting there. The problem is that we've outgrown the facilities that we used last time, and the new larger facilities there are logistically inconvenient. In particular, the convention center where we'd have to hold the meetings is on the other side of the river from the hotels. Transportation, in addition to being expensive (if we charter busses), would make a major impact on the gestalt of the conference. More, I expect, than even the Opryland Hotel did. There are lots of considerations that go into selecting a site. Judy is very good at finding places that can accomodate us. Not all of them are interesting. We're trying to go back to the interesting ones more often, but there's considerable interest among the membership in moving the conferences around the country. -- Ed Gould No longer formally affiliated with, ed@mtxinu.COM and certainly not speaking for, mt Xinu. "I'll fight them as a woman, not a lady. I'll fight them as an engineer."
peter@sug.std.com (Peter Salus) (06/26/91)
In article <876@taniwha.UUCP> paul@taniwha.UUCP (Paul Campbell) writes: >In article <BZS.91Jun23184600@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: >>Actually, all sites are subject to change, of course, if something >>disasterous occurs. With all the discussion of the heat and humidity and surroundings, I'd like to insert an entirely different criterion into the decision process. After the barbaric behavior of the Chicago police at the 1968 National Convention, the Modern Language Association, the Linguistic Society of America, and many other organizations refrained from meeting in Chicago until Mayor Daley (Sr.) and his cronies were gone. Similar action was taken where the states voting against the ERA were concerned. I'm horrified that USENIX will be meeting in New Orleans, in a state that has the most repressive view of women's right to choice of all the fifty states. I'm as uncomfortable as everyone else in the heat, but I find socio-political attitudes excessively chilling. Peter -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun User Group, Inc; Suite 315; 1330 Beacon St.; Brookline, MA 02146 voice +1 617 232-0514 fax +1 617 232-1347
pat@grebyn.com (Pat Bahn) (06/26/91)
In article <1991Jun24.095259.1@vaxb.acs.unt.edu> cgw@vaxb.acs.unt.edu writes: >In article <20809@cs.utexas.edu>, jason@cs.utexas.edu (Jason Martin Levitt) writes: >>> Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land". >> >> That rules out San Antonio which is in Bubbaland. > >it also rules out Disneyland, which might be interesting. at least, >when something screws up, you could say, "now what kinda mickey mouse >conference IS this, anyway??" ;-P I personally agree with the land heuristic. Anyone who wnet to anaheim could explain it. Sounds like nashville was almost as bad.... -- ============================================================================= Pat @ grebyn.com | There is a fine line between art and insanity. 301-951-5180 | DoD # 2**10 Pat Bahn =============================================================================
tower@buita.bu.edu (Leonard (Len) H. Tower Jr.) (06/27/91)
In article <5027@meaddata.meaddata.com> keves@meaddata.com (Brian Keves - Consultant) writes: ... |If you want action try La Jolla, for those who want to mingle with the |"upper crust", or Pacific Beach for those who don't. These places are |both on the water. Not to mention Hillside which is up the hill to the south. They are a lot of interesting stores and restaurants (including Kung Food, one of the world's best vegetarian restautants). Hillside is a quick cab ride, or a short hike from Hotel Circle (you can climb the hill through one of the Medical Center's parking garages). enjoy -len
grob@chorus.fr (Lori S. Grob) (06/27/91)
After the last Usenix at the Town and Country a number of people, including myself expressed concern at the general layout of the hotel, which consisted of campus like grounds with people staying in buildings scattered around. There was generally poor lighting outside and many areas where people felt insecure, returning to their rooms in the evening. There was also the layout in the section of rooms that I was staying in where you reached your room by climbing up stairs that went around outside the building so that it was obvious to anyone outside or in the parking lot that you were going back to your room alone or that you were leaving it. Speaking for myself alone this didn't make me feel real comfortable and I remember several women coming and going in groups because of that. Can the board say if these conditions have been in any way improved by say the installation of more lighting on the ground in remote places? L.S. Grob Chorus syste`mes phone +33-1-30-64-82-17 6 avenue Gustave Eiffel fax +33-1-30-57-00-66 F78182 Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines email grob@chorus.fr FRANCE grob%chorus.fr.uunet.uu.net -------- -- L.S. Grob Chorus syste`mes phone +33-1-30-64-82-17 6 avenue Gustave Eiffel fax +33-1-30-57-00-66 F78182 Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines email grob@chorus.fr FRANCE grob%chorus.fr.uunet.uu.net --------
kdb@intercon.com (Kurt Baumann) (06/27/91)
In article <1991Jun25.194457.8695@opusc.csd.scarolina.edu>, ken@opusc.csd.scarolina.edu (Ken Sallenger) writes: > (1) complaints about the heat/humidity; and > (2) the number of hands that went up in approval of DC as a site. Having lived between two rivers in Illinois for half my life and in DC for a large portion of the rest. I think I can catagorically state that DC isn't bad at all. At least here when a fly lands on you it doesn't drown. Kurt Baumann 703.709.9890 InterCon Systems Corp. Creators of fine TCP/IP products for the Macintosh
henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) (06/28/91)
scs@lokkur.dexter.mi.us (Steve Simmons) wrote:
->tbray@watsol.waterloo.edu (Tim Bray) writes:
->>As a simple heuristic for optimizing the quality of the conference
->>facility, I suggest the following:
->
->> Rule out any venue whose name contains the suffix "-land".
->
->Like, say, Disney-land?
that's a good start.
--
# Henry Mensch / Advanced Decision Systems / <henry@ads.com>henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) (06/28/91)
tchrist@convex.COM (Tom Christiansen) wrote: ->Whether we're going to get looked down at by the hotel staff as much in ->Texas as we were in Tennesee is yet to be seen, but I can't imagine it ->being worse. i thought the last SF USENIX was pretty bad; at exactly some hour (closing hour) the waitresses streamed through the lobby bar (SF Hilton?) and TOOK DRINKS FROM CLIENTS and forced them out. as the son of a man formerly in the bar business, i know it's usually customary to let folks finish their last drink ... this wasn't an isolated incident, either; the attitude from the staff was obviously "these people couldn't possibly have enough money/stature-in-the-community to be worth our time." -- # Henry Mensch / Advanced Decision Systems / <henry@ads.com>
sef@kithrup.COM (Sean Eric Fagan) (06/28/91)
In article <uguofyag5a@ads.com> henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) writes: >the attitude from the staff was obviously "these >people couldn't possibly have enough money/stature-in-the-community to >be worth our time." What, just because most of walk around in T-shirts and jeans, wearing sneakers or tennis shoes or no shoes at all, and are on the youngish side? Yeah, *none* of us could *possibly* have any money worth mentioning... 8-) -- Sean Eric Fagan | "What *does* that 33 do? I have no idea." sef@kithrup.COM | -- Chris Torek -----------------+ (torek@ee.lbl.gov) Any opinions expressed are my own, and generally unpopular with others.
jordan@tcs.com (Jordan Hayes) (06/28/91)
Henry Mensch <henry@ads.com> writes:
i thought the last SF USENIX was pretty bad; at exactly some
hour (closing hour) the waitresses streamed through the lobby
bar (SF Hilton?) and TOOK DRINKS FROM CLIENTS and forced them
out.
This is California law. Bars can lose their license for this. The
business about getting forced out is rude (though if you only got paid
until 2am, would you want to hang out and babysit a bunch of drunk
hackers?), but the "take the drink ay 2am" syndrome is pretty
widespread in California.
"Get used to it"
/jordanwoods@ncar.ucar.edu (Greg Woods) (06/28/91)
In article <9106272051.AA09395@dwight.tcs.com> jordan@tcs.com (Jordan Hayes) writes: >Henry Mensch <henry@ads.com> writes: > bar (SF Hilton?) and TOOK DRINKS FROM CLIENTS and forced them > out. > >This is California law. Bars can lose their license for this. The law is the same in Colorado, but the practice is different. Here there is usually a last call announcement at 1:20-1:30 or so and no drinks will be served after this point. Only if someone really takes more than 30 minutes to finish a drink (more than a reasonable amount of time, IMHO) do they actually have to take drinks. Here the clients do not have to be out, but the alcohol does have to be off the tables by 2am. --Greg
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (06/28/91)
In article <3O5C=8C@xds13.ferranti.com> peter@ficc.ferranti.com (Peter da Silva) writes: > >Not to condone this sort of behaviour, but mundanes will be mundanes... The most amazing thing about this Usenix was that we were the ones in ordinary clothes, by and large, if a bit more casual than the ordinary conference going world, while the hotel was full of people who have never roped a steer in their lives in cowboy costumes. In other words, we were the mundanes at that hotel, Fanfare people were the "fen." Strange feeling. -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
geer@crl.dec.com (Dan Geer) (06/28/91)
> I'm horrified that USENIX will be meeting in New Orleans, in a > state that has the most repressive view of women's right to > choice of all the fifty states. i'd agree that we cannot simply do nothing, for, as always, silence kills. short of the enormous dislocation of moving the conference, what might be some suggestions? --dan
acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng) (06/28/91)
>> I'm horrified that USENIX will be meeting in New Orleans, in a >> state that has the most repressive view of women's right to >> choice of all the fifty states. > >i'd agree that we cannot simply do nothing, for, >as always, silence kills. USENIX is a computer association and I would prefer it stay that way. Every city is either too conservative, or too liberal, or too left, or too right, or too middle to someone.
sblair@upurbmw.dell.com (Steve Blair) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.123120.20479@crl.dec.com>, geer@crl.dec.com (Dan Geer) writes: |> short of the enormous dislocation of moving |> the conference, what might be some suggestions? |> --dan Why Dan, You've already provided us the answer, at Winter USENIX in DC: (*sold*) we wear our Sterling Silver coathanger pins the whole week there !!! -- Steve Blair DELL UNIX DIVISION sblair@upurbmw.dell.com ================================================================ *Notice: "/earth is 98% full, please delete anyone you can...." -anonymous @dell.com
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (06/29/91)
This is a joke, I hope. I'm about as pro-abortion (not merely pro-choice) as you can get, but I also understand how divisive an issue abortion is, and would never expect the entire Usenix organization to agree on the issue, or expect it to make its business decisions based on an opinion about abortion laws. If a state had some strange anti-computer laws, I could see advocating some action relating to that, but it is hardly the role of Usenix to lobby on non-unix related political issues. -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
karl.kleinpaste@osc.edu (06/29/91)
geer@crl.dec.com writes: > I'm horrified that USENIX will be meeting in New Orleans, in a > state that has the most repressive view of women's right to > choice of all the fifty states. i'd agree that we cannot simply do nothing, for, as always, silence kills. If Usenix is going to start adopting political viewpoints on every subject that comes along, I'm just going to drop out entirely and take up carpentry again. Usenix, a technical association designed to foster use of and understanding among users of the UNIX operating system, establishes a policy on abortion? To be followed by what? A policy on the Brady Bill, and with just as much basis? A heavy-duty endorsement of or objection to the Fully Informed Jury Amendment? Where's the Usenix position paper on solutions to the acid rain problem? On starvation in Ethiopia? On the morality of the Gulf War? When does Usenix start funding CPSR and/or EFF? At least the latter two bear some resemblance to the association's raison d'etre. Pick convention locations because of what it'll do for Usenix, please, not for what it'll do for your feelings and political views. Pick your personal and political views as you see fit, as always. Don't attend the New Orleans Usenix Conference, if you wish, as your personal statement against Louisiana's habits. And before you adopt any position of such a magnitude, purporting to represent the views of the Usenix Association, kindly poll the membership to find out what view it is you should be endorsing on our collective behalf. Then you're liable to find yourself in the uncomfortable position of having to explain why you're bothering the membership with, and spending the membership's money on, such things rather than fostering UNIX. It really disturbs me to find what I perceive as an arrogance to assume such a position on behalf of an organization which exists for no such reasons. --karl
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.144741.6090@ncsa.uiuc.edu> acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng) writes: >>> ...state that has the most repressive view of women's right... >>i'd agree that we cannot simply do nothing, for, as always, silence kills. > >USENIX is a computer association and I would prefer it stay that way. >Every city is either too conservative, or too liberal, or too left, >or too right, or too middle to someone. I'm afraid I have to agree with this, although for slightly differing reasons. "Silence kills", yes... so how many of us said something -- or, more to the point, *did* something -- when the Soviets were butchering the Afghans? How many of us have helped (as in, real investment of time and effort) to set up a recycling program? How many of us have at least protested destructive logging practices, or sexual harassment of bank employees, or the lamentable level of science education in our schools? Is it because we do not think these are worthy, even important, causes? Or because we don't think we could help? The fact is that you could spend your whole life on worthy causes, with no time left to eat or sleep, much less accomplish anything technical. In real life, you *have* to set priorities, with no more than a regretful glance at all the important issues that you simply cannot spare time and effort for. The question is not whether Louisiana's record on women's rights is awful, or whether Usenix is a computer association, or whether "silence kills". The issue is whether Louisiana's record is important enough *to Usenix* -- to the association, not just its individual members -- to justify significant time and effort. There are real costs involved in changing a conference location, especially given how far in advance facilities bookings have to be made for a conference this size. Does Usenix, required both by its charter and (I think) by general consensus of its members to be primarily a technical group, have enough interest in this non-technical issue to take trouble over it? Is this issue *so much more important* than *all* the others that it is clearly important enough when the rest aren't? I doubt it. If enough of Usenix's members care enough about this issue to take some trouble over it -- say, by refusing to attend a conference that they would really have liked to go to -- Usenix is going to listen. If not, one must conclude that Usenix, as an association, has higher priorities and must, alas, give this problem no more than a regretful glance. -- Lightweight protocols? TCP/IP *is* | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology lightweight already; just look at OSI. | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
tower@buita.bu.edu (Leonard (Len) H. Tower Jr.) (06/29/91)
In article <uguofyag5a@ads.com> henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) writes: |i thought the last SF USENIX was pretty bad; at exactly some hour |(closing hour) the waitresses streamed through the lobby bar (SF |Hilton?) and TOOK DRINKS FROM CLIENTS and forced them out. as the son |of a man formerly in the bar business, i know it's usually customary |to let folks finish their last drink ... * If you like USENIX to formally discuss this with the Hilton, ask Ellie or Judy. The Bar is an important part of the conference. * I suspect they aren't paid for the time after closing. * The hotel management might be mandating the prompt closing. Being SF, I doubt it's local law forcing them to close promptly. But being California it might be state law. |this wasn't an isolated |incident, either; the attitude from the staff was obviously "these |people couldn't possibly have enough money/stature-in-the-community to |be worth our time." Did you see them NOT hassle people who appeared to "have enough money/stature-in-the-community to be worth our time"? * I find that if a crowd tips well the first time they are at Bar, they are remembered and treated well in the future. Fact of life. It also helps to have polite conversation with one's server, while not holding them up, if they want to hussle on. It helps to try and get the same server every night. * Perhaps people who dress like the USENIX crowd who live in SF are behaving in an offensive manner that is rubbing off on us. * Bar servers are people, are underpaid, often have horrible management, and usually have families to get home to. Be kind to them. thanx -len
tower@buita.bu.edu (Leonard (Len) H. Tower Jr.) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun26.135657.21093@world.std.com> peter@sug.std.com (Peter Salus) writes: |I'm horrified that USENIX will be meeting in New Orleans, in a |state that has the most repressive view of women's right to |choice of all the fifty states. | |I'm as uncomfortable as everyone else in the heat, but I find |socio-political attitudes excessively chilling. I concur with Peter. Inserting millions of dollars into the economy of a state whose government (and people) has one of the most repressive view of women's, non-white race's, homosexual's, et al rights is insensitive and irresponsible. Such choices should not be rewarded. I urge the Board to reconsider this decision and select a site elsewhere. And let other organizations know why. Hopefully, it's not too late to break the contract. thanx -len
amanda@visix.com (Amanda Walker) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.165006.713@oar.net> karl.kleinpaste@osc.edu writes:
If Usenix is going to start adopting political viewpoints on every
subject that comes along, I'm just going to drop out entirely and take
up carpentry again.
I agree. I belong to "political" organizations, and I belong to
"technical" organizations; they are different, and I belong to them
for different reasons. As much as I might sympathize with or share
Peter's concerns, I am not interested in USENIX becoming a lever for
anyone's political agenda, even if it happens to agree with my own
feelings. We have enough internal politics already. Let's not add in
external politics as well...
I think that selection of USENIX sites should be a matter of cost,
services, and convenience for the members, and that's about it. It
should not be a political soapbox for anyone.
--
Amanda Walker amanda@visix.com
Visix Software Inc. ...!uunet!visix!amanda
--
"Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than from the arguments
of its opposers." --William Penn, _Fruits of Solitude_lamaster@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Hugh LaMaster) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun26.011537.23197@bilver.uucp>, bill@bilver.uucp (Bill Vermillion) writes: |> In article <BZS.91Jun22172048@world.std.com> bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: |> And I beleive it was the latest "login" that said that ALL future |> winter conference after New Orleans will alternate between San |> Diego and S.F. No more miserable snows like Wash or Dallas. SF has been a great place for the *Summer* USENIX, since the weather is *almost* always clear and dry and fairly cool (as I write this, it is raining in the Bay Area). A more southerly location is appropriate for winter. Of course, Summer in SF and Winter in San Diego might be a bit much for the corporate bean counters back east... -- Hugh LaMaster, M/S 233-9, UUCP: ames!lamaster NASA Ames Research Center Internet: lamaster@ames.arc.nasa.gov Moffett Field, CA 94035 With Good Mailer: lamaster@george.arc.nasa.gov Phone: 415/604-1056 #include <std.disclaimer>
jgreely@gun.cis.ohio-state.edu (J Greely) (06/29/91)
In article <84865@bu.edu> tower@buita.bu.edu (Leonard (Len) H. Tower Jr.) writes: >I concur with Peter. Inserting millions of dollars into the economy >of a state whose government (and people) has one of the most >repressive view of women's, non-white race's, homosexual's, et al >rights is insensitive and irresponsible. Well, let's see. California, DC, and Massachusetts are busily gutting the Second Amendment (well, what's left of it), and Cincinnati doesn't recognize the validity of the First (those pesky museum directors!), so I guess we should hold all future conferences in Bismarck, North Dakota. Do they support the war on drugs there? "Who's it *this* time?" "Concert promoters who have gone broke organizing charity benefit concerts. We call it Aid Aid." -- J Greely (jgreely@cis.ohio-state.edu; osu-cis!jgreely)
sef@kithrup.COM (Sean Eric Fagan) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.165006.713@oar.net> karl.kleinpaste@osc.edu writes: >Pick convention locations because of what it'll do for Usenix, please, >not for what it'll do for your feelings and political views. That's fine, except for: >Pick >your personal and political views as you see fit, as always. Don't >attend the New Orleans Usenix Conference, if you wish, as your >personal statement against Louisiana's habits. If enough people boycott the New Orleans Usenix Conference (as I would, but that's just *my* opinion), then either too few people will come for usenix to bother getting the rooms for the conference, or usenix will reserve more rooms than people rent, and will have to pay the difference. Either way, it is not good for usenix, and will damage the conference and possibly proceeding ones as well. I can't think of a solution. I do not believe that the UseNIX Association should boycott certain areas for political reasons, *unless the membership votes on it and agree*. On the other hand, if individuals are going to do so, then the UA does have to take that into consideration when choosing sites. -- Sean Eric Fagan | "What *does* that 33 do? I have no idea." sef@kithrup.COM | -- Chris Torek -----------------+ (torek@ee.lbl.gov) Any opinions expressed are my own, and generally unpopular with others.
sfreed@ariel.unm.edu (Steven Freed CIRT) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun22.192721.11468@ircam.fr>, fingerhu@ircam.fr (Michel Fingerhut) writes: > could be held and that would still attract attendees; to name but a few: New > Orleans (where I attended a POPL conf. in the vieux carre'), Santa Fe, ^^^^^^^^ You've got to be joking. It's a nice town, I go there often, but it's not nearly large enough for a Usenix convention. It doesn't even have an airport. (at least with commercial service) Albuquerque, on the other hand, with its new airport and convention center could be a possibility. -- Steve. sfreed@ariel.unm.edu
sfreed@ariel.unm.edu (Steven Freed CIRT) (06/29/91)
In article <BZS.91Jun23014416@world.std.com>, bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > San Antonio will be down on the river walk, I've never been there but > I hear it is very nice and full of things to do (and remember the > Alamo.) Indeed, it is. I must say, however, that I have been to many places around the world and most of the major cities in the US, and San Antonio is the only place I have ever been mugged 8-{ -- Steve. sfreed@ariel.unm.edu
jason@cs.utexas.edu (Jason Martin Levitt) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun29.005543.8011@ariel.unm.edu>, sfreed@ariel.unm.edu (Steven Freed CIRT) writes: > In article <BZS.91Jun23014416@world.std.com>, bzs@world.std.com (Barry Shein) writes: > > San Antonio will be down on the river walk, I've never been there but > > I hear it is very nice and full of things to do (and remember the > > Alamo.) > Indeed, it is. I must say, however, that I have been to many places around > the world and most of the major cities in the US, and San Antonio is the > only place I have ever been mugged 8-{ > The River Walk has some hotels, some bars, and some restaurants. You can also take a slow boat ride down the narrow, polluted river [more like a stream, really]. It *is* a nice place to visit bars, restaurants, and hotels, but offers little besides that. If you have a car, though, you can visit Mexico [2 hour drive], the Gulf Coast [2.5 hours], or Austin [1.2 hours]. Be sure and visit Snake Farm on the way to Austin! :-)))) ---Jason jason@cs.utexas.edu
shore@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Melinda Shore) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.214536.21138@visix.com> amanda@visix.com (Amanda Walker) writes: >I think that selection of USENIX sites should be a matter of cost, >services, and convenience for the members, and that's about it. It >should not be a political soapbox for anyone. Maybe, maybe not. I do find it deeply problematic that we will be spending a lot of money in a state that is choosing to deprive women of some fundamental rights. Unless things in Louisiana start to turn around, I will not participate in any Usenix-sponsored event down there. -- Software longa, hardware brevis Melinda Shore - Cornell Information Technologies - shore@tc.cornell.edu
jay@silence.princeton.nj.us (Jay Plett) (06/29/91)
In article <1991Jun28.123120.20479@crl.dec.com>, geer@crl.dec.com (Dan Geer) writes: > short of the enormous dislocation of moving > the conference, what might be some suggestions? Move the conference. It's not impossible. ...jay
pjg@acsu.buffalo.edu (Paul Graham) (07/01/91)
ken@opusc.csd.scarolina.edu (Ken Sallenger) writes: | |NB: if you want humid, wait'll you get to DC in the summer! I was mildly |amused at the open board meeting by the juxtaposition of | |(1) complaints about the heat/humidity; and |(2) the number of hands that went up in approval of DC as a site. DC was a wonderful place for the last usenix held there. of course it *wasn't* the summer meeting. then again some things can balance a poor climatic choice just as some things can exacerbate it. -- pjg@acsu.buffalo.edu / rutgers!ub!pjg / pjg@ubvms (Bitnet) opinions found above are mine unless marked otherwise.
amanda@visix.com (Amanda Walker) (07/01/91)
shore@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU (Melinda Shore) writes:
Maybe, maybe not. I do find it deeply problematic that we will be
spending a lot of money in a state that is choosing to deprive women
of some fundamental rights.
I do, too. However, I also know that other members will feel just as
deeply about other issues, or for that matter the same ones in other
directions. What I do *not* want is for USENIX to become a forum for
issues that are not materially related to the business of the
organization, however strongly I may feel about them.
I might choose not to go to USENIX in Lousiana. Someone else might
choose not to go to a USENIX meeting in New Jersey because of their
legislation on gun control. Another person might not go to Georgia
because of their sodomy laws. Yet another might not go to California
because they don't want to be around "ecofreaks." The list is very long.
We all have overriding issues, and we will take them into account. If
few people show up for a USENIX conference in Lousiana, it will have
political effects, and will probably affect future site selection.
However, I think that the issues should be addresses solely by how they
affect the functioning of the organization, not "preemptively" by means
of explicit political positions held by USENIX itself. If we start down
that road, there will soon be no place for us to meet.
Unless things in Louisiana start to turn around, I will not
participate in any Usenix-sponsored event down there.
This, I have no problem with. It's asking USENIX to take an official stand
on the matter that I object to. Of course, there's nothing stopping anyone
from forming political groups, such as the CPSR, EFF, or FSF. I just don't
want to see USENIX become one.
--
Amanda Walker amanda@visix.com
Visix Software Inc. ...!uunet!visix!amanda
--
X Windows: It could be worse, but it'll take time...