VCF Midwest update?

[Patrick Finnegan]

On Tuesday 02 August 2005 16:36, Julian Wolfe wrote:
> I actually have a few problems with how the show was run, speaking
> mainly as an exhibitor, I think it was run quite backwards.  To
> charge to exhibit, then not charge for admission, is a slap in the
> face to the individuals who hauled their stuff out to show.  This
> wouldn't be so bad, except that the promised T-shirts were never
> delivered, and without notice to anyone.  It may only be ten dollars,

T-shirts?  Ask Sellam about that.  I never promised T-shirts to 
anyone. ;)  That was probably a side-effect of some website content 
that didn't get updated properly.  There was at least one other 
inconsistency there which caused problems.  

It's really hard to run a show correctly the first time, and the one 
reason we "didn't charge admission"[1] was because we didn't have the 
manpower to enforce it.

> but it's a matter of principal.  Way to show appreciation for your
> exhibitors by ripping us off.

The amount of money it cost to run the show was nearly equal to the 
$10/exhibitor fee.  I don't see how I ripped you off.  Other than 
vendors and consignment sales, no person got paid for the event.  In 
fact, people who ended up with >1 table paid *less* than what it cost.

If you want, I can send you a receipt for your $10 fee and you can write 
it off as a tax deduction, as you were paying a Purdue student club, 
which amounts to a non-profit organization...

Because of my oversight, we didn't even have prizes for exhibitors until 
Hans stepped forward and donated some (Thanks Hans!).

> I may attend next year, but I certainly won't exhibit - you know the
> old saying...screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice, shame on
> me.

I'm sorry but I don't think that you were screwed (except maybe for not 
getting a t-shirt, which wasn't done on purpose).  Charging more for 
exhibitors than attendees is the standard in conferences.  I had no 
manpower to enforce collecting admission fees (the only people there 
working were me and about 2-3 other people), and I was trying to do 
attendees a favor.

I guess if you try to help someone out (increase attendance), someone 
else just feels like you were trying to screw them. :(

Anyhow, Julian, if you (or anyone else in attendance) felt mistreated or 
wronged by me, please let me know.  I really would like to make the 2nd 
Midwest VCF a better event than this was.  I know there were some 
problems, and not being able to reliably collect admission may have 
been one of them.  I would have appreciated it if you had told me 
during or during the cleanup or something.

To respond to your other post...

On Tuesday 02 August 2005 17:27, Julian Wolfe wrote:
> I think the line between exhibitor and vendor is being blurred here. 
> The vendor tables were $50, and the exhibitor tables were $10, plus
> you were supposed to get a free T-shirt.  

Actually, $40 vs $10, not that it makes much difference.  Again, the 
T-shirt thing was completely accidental.  I haven't heard this 
complaint from anyone else.

> Why not only charge those that are making money? 

That's not how it's usually done.  I was copying (as much as possible) 
how Sellam has done VCF (west) and VCF/Easts in the past.

> This is what makes no sense to me...and the 
> whole lack of a T-shirt thing for the people displaying just puts the
> nails in the lid of the "screwjob" coffin in my opinion.

I'm sorry that you feel that way, Julian, I never intended to screw 
anyone over.

Hell, I'd return your $10 exhibiting fee out of my own pocket if it'd 
make you feel better about being an exhibitor next year.[2]

[1] We instead asked for a $5 donation from each attendee, most of whom 
paid it.  As Evan noted, that's how we got the number "70 paid 
attendees".  I know that the attendance was higher than that, as others 
have pointed out.

[2] My pocket is not to be used as a get-rich scheme.  Don't expect to 
get a response or refund from me if you haven't alread expressed 
dissatisfaction with the event.

Pat
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