Re: Bang!Linux 2001 March 05-07 a rip off ? -The real facts

["jf_wroxindia" <jf_wroxindia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wow...Open Source...conferences...stress.
I've got to interrupt on this thread just to inject some facts
Firstly, BangLinux this year *was* expensive. Last year, I had (correction,
my CEO) to write cheque for USD$70k+ to dig out the costs of
BangLinux2000. With the plan for this year ...we simply had to put prices
up to cover our - -ses. Well, since then, I've had a heap of LUG guys and
others saying that it's too steep. So, in the past 10 days I have been
around the sponsors once more, and got some new people into the
bargain and upset them all by pleading poverty and bombing their mobiles
every morning. That, together with more cash from my CEO means I can
get the price down to something more digestible. You'll see
announcements going out on the newsletter today and changes on the
banglinux.com website. Prices are now 2250 for day, 5,400 for the 3
days. I don't think there's any juice left in budgets to go further ...if we
do
make a few paise , at that new rate, then rest assured I'll donate it to the
Earthquake fund or to a deserving Open Source project.

BangLinux doesn't make profits (that'll be the day :-)  it was started by us
to inject a different focus into the nascent Indian Open Source community,
get a bit of Wrox publicity and generally get the ball rolling (with help
from,
the then healthy, Suse) I want everyone to realise that it should be as
much about other Open Source efforts (PHP,GNOME etc) as the OS ...
and, also, that it starts to address Linux usage in active businesses as
well as in Universities etc.

As usual, the fees from other Exhibitors means we can give a free booth
to LUG(s). BLUG always end up hosting ...so it would be good if
Chennai/Mysore and I hope Puna could chock in with some show of
bodies this time around.

In answer to a few points:
1. If anyone can genuinely get an all-in break in Goa for Rs9500 - give me
 the name of the agent. My kids don't get much seaside in Bangalore
2. >STUPID M$ like corporate promo
     It's not that, I think that's plain ...if I could get Bill to pay the
entry fee for
everyone, I would though.
3. >mails from Linux businesses to Linux fans
     I don't control the politics of who sends the to best list etc. etc. I
just bust
my - - - - - trying to get a good thing flying. If anyone wants to encourage
attendance in a positive way - and can do it better, then please do so.

That's my 2 paise-worth. The gig is on, the arguments will fly, the speakers
 will speak, the lunch will be better. I hope some of the people on this
thread come along and give me their opinion personally on how I should
do things in the future.
John Franklin - GM, WroxIndia