Re: Access to Conference

[Audrie Krause <audrie@netaction.org>]

  Jamie,
  
  Is there any possibility of setting up a Webcast for some or all of the
  conference so people who can't attend in person can participate?  I'm sure
  some of the corporate participants would have the resources; perhaps they
  would donate the technology and services needed for this.
  
  Audrie
  
  At 01:57 PM 10/31/97 -0500, James Love wrote:
  >Matthew's points are well taken.  As indicated earlier, and users who
  >can get to the conference and who don't have funding for the fee should
  >drop a note to Donna Colvin (dcolvin@essential.org), and she will make
  >sure they will get a ticket.
  >
  >The second point, regarding the organization of the conference itself,
  >it a more difficult problem to solve at this point.  I think Matthew's
  >suggestions for longer term planning, opportunities for debate about a
  >program agenda, structured opportunities for participation, are very
  >good.  We'll have to see what can be done at this Conference, and think
  >about a longer term strategy.    Jamie
  >
  >
  >Matthew Benjamin wrote:
  >> 
  >> At least one person on this list has asked why there seems to be no
  >> provision for providing inexpensive registration for members of
  >> non-profit groups, such as his Linux Users' Group.
  >> 
  >> I believe this raises a more general point:  If this conference is about
  >> providing consumer alternatives to the Microsoft monopoly, then why is
  >> it ignoring obvious opportunities to solicit, formally, the opinions of
  >> the literally millions of advocates of non-aligned supporters of Free
  >> Software, Linux, FreeBSD, the WWW, etc?
  >> 
  >> For instance, how were the participants in this conference selected?
  >> Was there a call for papers or panel suggestions?
  >> 
  >> When was this conference announced?  How long did people have to arrange
  >> financing, absence from work, etc?
  >> 
  >> If I pay my $500.00 to attend the conference, in what sort of framework
  >> will I be able to participate?  How will the messages of those not in
  >> some celebrity anti-Microsoft factions be heard?
  >> 
  >> Last week, I sent messages to both of the email addresses listed on the
  >> Appraising Microsoft web site, politely requesting information on ways
  >> to participate in the conference--I never got a response.
  >> 
  >> Forgive me if I sound agitated.  As a software developer living the
  >> nightmare of doing "Only Microsoft" every day, this means a great deal
  >> to me, as it must to many others who find their way to this list.
  >> 
  >> To us, Mr. Nader's conference is the first--perhaps it will be the
  >> only--real popular endorsement of our views.  We are burned by the irony
  >> of going unheard, unlistened to, in an era of unprecedented access to
  >> communications media.  _That_ is the damage being done by the Microsoft
  >> monoply.  _That_ is why all this matters, IMHO.
  >> 
  >> We don't dare miss this chance to be heard.
  >> 
  >> Matthew Benjamin
  >> Developer, Comshare, Inc.
  >> 
  >> --My views certainly do not represent the views of Comshare, Inc.  --
  >
  >-- 
  >James Love | Center for Study of Responsive Law
  >P.O. Box 19367 | Washington, DC 20036 | http://www.cptech.org
  >voice 202.387.8030 | fax 202.234.5176 | love@cptech.org
  >
  >
  
  --
  Audrie Krause  <<NetAction>>  E-MAIL: audrie@netaction.org
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