When will D1 be finished?

[Andrei Alexandrescu]

BCS wrote:
> Hello Brad,
>>
>> Two or whatever years ago, I was _lucky_ to get enough speakers to
>> justify having the conference.  I see no reason to expect that there
>> will suddenly be a wealth of them such that proposed talks could be
>> rejected.  That'd be a wonderful place to be.
>>
> 
> Tell someone they might not be good enough and sometime they will be 
> even more willing to try.
> 
>> Given the cost of attendance (airfare, lodging, etc), I'm reluctant to
>> put additional barriers in place.  But I wouldn't say no to the idea.
>> I'll point out that last year some of the speakers who couldn't have
>> otherwise attended were assisted flown in.  What you're really saying
>> is that there needs to be a budget.  That doesn't imply cost to
>> attend, though it would certainly help.
>>
> 
> If $20 keeps someone out, they aren't that interested in the first place

Yes. No doubt the first conference was an unqualified success (thanks, 
Brad!) but this time around the novelty factor has worn off. It's not 
the first step on the moon, it's going again on the moon.

We must have quality to offer. And at the risk of annoying BCS and 
others, let me point out that I don't think this is the best way to go 
(although it does work and God knows I've done it): "I might (note I 
said might, I'm not committing to anything... yet) be able to put 
together a talk on something."

The way it ideally goes is not starting from giving a talk on 
"something"  and then figuring out the "something". Ideally /you have 
something specific to say/ in the first place, and completing a 
submission is a matter of chipping the extra marble away.

About money: if the conference is free the perception is that you get 
what you paid for. Remember how many people said "yeah, I might make it" 
and then didn't show? I think people should get a lot this time around, 
and that the organizers and participants should make a mutual commitment 
by putting a monetary value on it.


Andrei