Subject: RE: a simple solution to the room crowding problem...

From: Peter Ford <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 18:17:55 -0800

Most people who show up are lurking.  Many would be willing to lurk in other
ways such as on a conference call or on an MBONE session (if they really
worked reliably all the time ...).

Why not press technology into the solution space (although I do like the
secret key idea).

For many, it would be quite useful to have alternatives to attending the
meetings.  If we can solve their problem, then we can reduce the number of
people in the rooms.  This would require offsite access for all meeting
rooms.

peter

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From: Keith Moore <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 19:29:12 -0500

> Most people who show up are lurking.

do we really know that?  at least in Orlando, when I took the trouble to 
poll a few sessions to see what people were there for, the majority of 
attendees were actually there in hope of contributing useful input.
admittedly this is limited data, but I wouldn't want to base a policy
decision on the the belief that most people are lurkers without more
evidence to support that belief.

there may be a group dynamics effect at work here - if you get more than
say 30 people in a room, most of them will keep their mouths shut unless
called on.  only the most bold/obnoxious, or those elected as leaders 
or speakers, are likely to speak.  so it may appear that there are 
large numbers of lurkers, when this is really not the case.

maybe we need to find better ways to give voice to the silent majority
of would-be contributors, rather than implicitly favoring the bold/obnoxious.

Keith

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From: Keith Moore <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1998 19:29:12 -0500

Keith

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From: "David W. Morris" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 13:46:09 -0800 (PST)

> people in the rooms.  This would require offsite access for all meeting

Might even be worth having decent coverage in alternate rooms ... for some
of the time filling lurking I've done over the years, being able to
follow the discussion in another room via closed circuit TV within the 
Hotel would have been sufficient.  Or an expanded terminal room with 
the meetings on a local 'MBONE'.

Dave Morris

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From: "David W. Morris" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 19 Dec 1998 13:46:09 -0800 (PST)

Dave Morris