RE: First Annual COMMON conference - Spring 2007

["Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > Was there updated material in the sessions?
> > New sessions on latest stuff?

Pretty much the usual mixture I think.  I had a new one on PHP for RPGers
and there were many other new sessions in the Course of Study that I was
responsible for this conference.  

Of course as is normal at many conferences there are always folks who will
change the name to make a session look "new" while most of the material is
fundamentally the same.  I prefer to update the content while keeping the
title the same if the basic aim of the session remains the same.

> > More hands on or lab sessions?

Lab sessions are down.  There just aren't enough people going to them.  Even
those that are "full" only have 30 folks in the room - not the 60 - 90 we
used have with three people sharing a workstation.  The WDSC/HATS open labs
were very popular as were a few others but I'm less and less convinced that
running labs is worth the time and effort.  Perhaps if COMMON got rid of
labs altogether at the annual conference they/IBM could afford to equip all
the rooms at the new Fall workshop event with PCs.  Right now it is a shared
Lab environment which is why I opted not to submit any sessions for the
fall.


Jon Paris
Partner400

www.Partner400.com