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Re: 49th-IETF conf room planning

2000-12-19 13:40:03
Speaking for myself, but I'm sure this applies to more than just me: I read
the relevant RFCs and drafts ("did my homework"), but I am not "active" by
the strict definitions some have used in this thread (at least not yet). I
pre-paid the meeting fee (in good faith that in return for accepting my
meeting fee, the IETF would provide meeting facilities commensurate to
enable my participation), I paid for travel and went. I followed all IETF
policies and procedures. Therefore, do I not have the "right" to be able to
sit comfortably in a meeting room and be able to hear the speakers, and
participate if I chose to, as much as anyone else?

You did your homework, so I don't see why not.

What I was objecting to is the notion that merely paying the meeting
fees and travelling to the conference location entitles one to participate,
or even to attend.

What happened in San Diego happened. Oops. What we are talking about is
future meeting planning.

right.  and perhaps the planning for future meetings should consider how to 
discourage attendance for those who are not willing to come prepared.

If you strictly limit attendance to a meeting room based on previous
participation, you will have no new participation, or "cross fertilization"
of ideas (as someone stated).

of course.  I agree that lack of "previous participation" is not a good 
reason to limit attendance.

Plus, who defines the strict attendance laws? 

I think it will be difficult to *prevent* anyone from attending, but it 
might be possible to *discourage* attendance from bottom-feeders.
(or similarly, to encourage prospective attendees to do their homework)

Will the IETF refuse to accept pre-paid applications
based on these rules

I think it might be sufficient to warn applicants that they are expected
to be prepared for the meetings by reading the drafts, and that those who
do not demonstrate familiarity with the material may be asked to leave 
in order to make room for those who came prepared to get work done.

Nothing other than fair, open access is practical. 

what you call "open access" is not "fair" to those who invest their time
and money attempting to accomplish useful work and find their efforts
thwarted due to those who think that merely paying money entitles them 
to a seat in the room.

Keith



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