Subject:
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Re: .datFest Update
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.datfest
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Date:
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Sat, 11 Mar 2000 16:35:09 GMT
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Viewed:
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2325 times
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In lugnet.cad.datfest "Suzanne D. Rich" <suz@baseplate.com> wrote:
> Tim Courtney wrote:
> [...]
> > I am greatly dissappointed that I haven't had a lot of support from
> > the community on this milestone event. It seems that Lugnuts are
> > anxious to consume the end result, but don't want to volunteer their
> > own time and resources to help out. Sometimes I wonder why I persist
> > at such outlandish projects.
>
> :-[ Please don't get discouraged. I know how hard it is to organize
> these things (since MindFest). On our team, we found one way to make
> progress was to have a list of people interested in helping. Then a
> person with authority would hand out assignments (small-medium sized
> specific tasks) with a due date. Sounds like a bully way, but it
> helped us to really get things done. even if slowly but surely. The
> less ambiguous things are, the simpler it is for folks to know that
> they're doing what will be helpful.
Yeah. But at this point of the game there really isn't a springboard
to base those efforts from. At this point, though, the people
interested in helping would be:
Tom (tomkmit@aol.com)
Zlatko Unger
Chris Thompson
you?
> After just now re-reading your announcement of planning the event, I'd
> have to suggest a scaled down version, at least for this year. It
> would be much less expensive and easier to control if you need not
> answer to sponsors. Sometimes crazy things happen, like they squabble
> between each other, with your event taking the hit. I also would cross
> the Media Lab off any list.
>
> A smaller event, well documented, could be presented later to
> potential sponsors as an educational or creative convention to bring
> to their town.
>
> this is just my opinion here, of course.
Hmmm... In what ways should it be scaled down? Attendance, course
materials, exhibits?
I'd still like to hold on to the idea of several hundred in
attendance, unless we really concentrated the event into serious
hardcore educators, university students who use Lego as a part of
their courses, and AFOL's.
Regarding sponsors and $$, what do you suggest to be the best way to
go about getting money to fund this event? We'll still have to pay
for renting facilities, catering?, literature/signage, and I'd like to
be able to contriubte to speakers' airfare.
The encouraging bit is the Jessimans have expressed great interest and
would like to attend regardless if financial support is available for
their airfare. I would love to meet them and honor them by putting on
such an event.
> [..] The last place I talked to for
> > sponsorship/hosting was the Boston Museum of Science. The good news
> > is they said they would look into it, but I haven't heard back from
> > them in about a month.
>
> Hmm, you might run into a bureaucracy there.
It seemed like we would have to alter a few of the plans for it -
because their only meeting space large enough (the Blue Wing) would be
right in the middle of the museum, where the general public could
access it. And Fridays the wing is closed, too. If they were to roll
out the red carpet it could work, but I don't see how else. I'm
judging by there being no reply meaning that our chances are slim.
> For functions/meetings, another place which Todd, I and others are
> familiar with is the Charles River Museum of Industry. An old mill
> building, newly reopened as historic. A very quiet, relaxed place.
>
> It's a bit away from Boston/Cambridge but still accessible via public
> transportation from the airport and train station. It is 2 or 3 blocks
> away from The Construction Site toy store (convenient) in Waltham, MA.
> Many good places to eat and hang out within walking distance. I'm not
> sure about cheap hotels. I can only think of one..not cheap.
Sounds like a good option. Are cheaper hotels accessible via public
transportation?
> The link below outlines space available. Note, whole weekdays are
> pretty cheap and it mentions "special rates for non-profit
> organizations." A weekday would also mean that the museum would be
> open to public, so if advertised to schools or other groups, you may
> gain an audience without much trouble. no need for registration
> because they'd just pay at the door like anyone else.
>
> http://www.ultranet.com/~crmi/function.htm
Looks like good arrangements. The only thing I see is weekends might
be a challenge - they only list rates for 5pm-Midnigt, vs. all day
rates. A Fri-Sat event would attract schools for field trips on the
Friday, and people driving/flying out for the weekend on a Saturday.
But I don't know how it would work out if we were limited to
5pm-Midnight on a weekend.
> The Museum of Industry also houses a dedicated room full of computers
> with super-fast net connections (a public internet access room). If
> they allowed use of that, then there'd be no icky setup required
> (bonus).
Great! Do you think they would let us install LDraw software on them?
By the event, installing the software should be a breeze as the CD-ROM
should be complete, with a Windows installation wizard.
> Anyway, if this sounds at all interesting to the group, I can inquire
> about a .datFest event for you. With my digital camera, I can take
> some better pictures of inside too. I'd be happy to do this.
That would be great! Thanks!
> One last thought: there may be some exhibit potential for you if
> attendees were to bring models of manufacturing machines (physical or
> virtual). I could ask. Let me know!
Another good idea. That could be incentive for people to experiment
building with Lego/LDraw and would encourage the creative nature of
the event itself.
> and hang in there.
> -Suz.
That's the hardest part. Honestly throughout project after project I
feel like I'm trying to make an airplane without wheels take off by my
running power alone.
-Tim
http://www.zacktron.com
http://www.ldraw.org
AIM: timcourtne
ICQ: 23951114
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: .datFest Update
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| Tim Courtney wrote: [...] (...) :-[ Please don't get discouraged. I know how hard it is to organize these things (since MindFest). On our team, we found one way to make progress was to have a list of people interested in helping. Then a person with (...) (25 years ago, 11-Mar-00, to lugnet.cad.datfest)
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