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WHOA HERE....    

Charley, am I hearing you, Bob, et al (don't let it throw you Bob) that
you're going to be wanting to handout a CDROM at the start of COMMON
instead of the handouts during the sessions?

Uh, this is going to REQUIRE each attendee to have a laptop with
CDROM...this means probably more seating space requirements and in all
liklihood require DESKS/TABLES where there are none...and what happens if
someone's battery goes dead in a session...?  I think that REQUIRING is
going to open a big can o'worms and additional costs that I'm not sure
COMMON is ready to deal with....

Also, iff it ever comes to this, PLEASE make the format easier to
read/scan/use than they are now and better than the 400 manuals CDROM's
are....

The alternative time table with varying length session tracks was my idea.
And I'll willingly submit that the 20 minutes between sessions was
arbitrary, as was the session lengths themselves...  It's totally a draft
version being sent up the flagpole to see if anyone would salute...so to
speak...  BUT, with the variable length sessions and strategic use there
of, you could actually ELIMINATE the need  potentially of several rooms
and save some more bucks....

Later on...

Don



On Sat, 13 Sep 1997, Charles L. Massoglia wrote:

> Bob:
> >
> >While I agree that we often do need to have the hand-out in front of us for 
> >certain highly technical sessions, like some of yours, one or two of 
> >Barsa's and some of the Client Server stuff I think the practice of putting 
> >the majority on CD-ROM _in stead of printing them_ is the direction in 
> >which we want to move. This is, by the way, a personal opinion, not 
> >anything I've heard about at COMMON.
> >
> I guess I have to agree with this.  If there is no code in the handout, most
> of the time I don't need the handout as long as I can get a seat close to
> the screen.  But if the session is very technical, I MUST have a handout.
> 
> >I've attended non-IBM conferences and most have moved to CD-ROM only hand 
> >outs. If there is a session where there's something that needs hard-copy in 
> >the hands of the attendees, then they pass it out at the session. Since 
> >it's also on the CD-ROM, 5000 printed copies, of which 4900 are disposed 
> >of, are not required.
> >
> I think we should explore this approach.  I'm not sure exactly how we would
> determine for which sessions we need handouts, but it is certainly worth
> considering.
> 
> >Survey's only show so much. Most of the COMMON surveys that I've read, were 
> >extremely poorly worded, scaled backwards, and repetitive. While I still 
> >think you can get something out of them, I think the results of COMMON 
> >survey's have often been meaningless.
> >
> Many surveys conducted by COMMON are drafted by well meaning volunteers or
> headquarters personnel.  Unfortunately, many of them do not have formal
> survey experience.  The surveys to which I referred were drafted or revised
> by a company (ours) with experience doing surveys for poltical campaigns,
> newspapers, and other groups.
> 
> The other problems with COMMON surveys is the analysis.  Virtually every
> survey report I have ever seen from COMMON is a simple frequency listing,
> i.e. 70% said YES and 30% said NO.  Rarely, if ever are cross tabulations
> done.  E.g., if we subset the responses for companies with 5 or less
> employees, does YES become 5% and No become 95%?  In addition to
> professional help in drafting surveys, we also need professional help in
> analyzing the results.
> 
> >Take the issue of 1 hour sessions vs. 1.5 hour sessions. Nearly every 
> >speaker I talk with wants the 1.5 hour format. It provides time for 
> >questions, a short break if needed, and more time for the topic should it 
> >run over. The current 1 hour format is to short for a good topic, and too 
> >long for others. The 20 minute break is interesting too, in that it causes 
> >us to start at the strangest possible time during the hour. I think the 
> >survey for this topic really showed that people want a big variety of 
> >sessions. I know most people don't have more than a 45-minute attention 
> >span, but if you plane for that, with a minute or two break in your 
> >session, the 1.5 hour format works wonderfully, I think.
> >
> I am not sure I have ever seen this question on a survey.  As a speaker and
> an attendee I personally prefer 1.25 hour sessions.  I can't tell you how
> many sessions I have attended in which the speaker has to rush in the last
> 10 minutes, must skip a number of pages, or just does not finish.  I like
> the idea someone else on Midrange-L suggested having some blocks of sessions
> as 1 hour and others as 1.25 hours.
> 
> While the 20 minute break does make for wierd starting times, it is much
> better than the 10 minute break at CRE's which is too short or a 15 minute
> break which is also to short when you have to cross two streets and go
> through an intermediate hotel to get from one session to another.
> 
> These are issues I hope the CET/CAT addresses.  It would DEFINITELY be an
> appropriate topic for a survey.  Why can't we do one in San Antonio?
> >
> >I think it may be a comfort level too. I mean, if you get comfortable using 
> >a CD-ROM to read materials on-line, and perhaps you bring it to the session 
> >and load up the sessions hand-outs, it works very good.
> >
> >The only issue we, as COMMON, has is that we still don't set up every room 
> >in classroom style. We still use theater style for 90 percent of the 
> >sessions. CD-ROM only hand-outs means they'll be note taking. You really 
> >should have a table in front of you for that. (I like that set up better 
> >anyway.)
> >
> >But who knows, perhaps we'll be pumping out copy after copy forever. If 
> >that's the case, then so be it. I'd just like to see us reduce the waste 
> >and the cost.  You can always print a copy from your CD-ROM if you need 
> >hard copy.
> >
> >Bob Cozzi
> >Bob@RPGIV.COM
> >www.rpgiv.com
> >AS/400 Books:  http://www.rpgiv.com/as400Books.html
> >
> >
> >On Wednesday, September 10, 1997 9:27 PM, Charlie Massoglia 
> >[SMTP:cmassoglia@voyager.net] wrote:
> >> Bob Cozzi wrote:
> >> >
> >> >I can, however, see the day where hard-copy hand-outs are a chargeable
> >> >item. While there is currently know plans nor is there even a discussion 
> >of
> >> >it that I'm aware of, why continue to print millions of copies that end 
> >up
> >> >in the garbage or on a shelf? Why not just go to CD-ROM as the base
> >> >hand-out and charge an extra fee of, say $50 to $100 for hard copy of 
> >the
> >> >hand outs. Remember, with the CD-ROM, you can print your own copies.
> >> >
> >> The reason attendees need to have hard copy handouts is to take notes in
> >> context.  When you take a session chock full of information (e.g. an Al
> >> Barsa System Values session), you can not possibly keep up with the 
> >speaker
> >> without having a handout on which to take notes.  In addition, it is
> >> virtually impossible to see the screens clearly in some of the larger 
> >rooms.
> >>
> >> Remember, COMMON previously did a survey of the membership in which the
> >> overwhelming majority indicated they wanted handouts for sessions at the
> >> sessions even if it meant increasing the registration fee by $50.  The 
> >lack
> >> of handouts (or having to p--ay for them) is a frequent criticism at
COMMON
> >> Regional Events.  I sincerely hope noone makes the decision to eliminate
> >> handouts at COMMON conferences or to charge for the handouts separately
> >> without a formal survey of the membership.  If you think the reaction to
> >> charging for drinks at CUDS was bad, that reaction will be mild in
> >> comparison to what will happen if anyone messes with copies at the 
> >conference.
> >>
> >> As a side comment regarding the previous discussion of advertising in the
> >> agenda, while I personally do not like the idea, COMMON previously did a
> >> survey of the membership in which the overwhelming majority indicated 
> >they
> >> wanted COMMON to sell advertising if it would reduce or prevent increases 
> >in
> >> the conference registration fee.  The action take by the Board to permit
> >> advertising is not only in accordance with the Code of Ethics, it was 
> >also
> >> in accordance with the wishes of the majority of COMMON members.
> >>
> >>
> >> Charlie Massoglia, Massoglia Technical Consulting, Inc.
> >
> 
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