From: grob@chorus.fr (Lori S. Grob)
Newsgroups: comp.org.usenix
Subject: Re: bringing family to Usenix
Date: 15 Dec 92 10:06:45 GMT

In article <Bz9C3L.H7A@news.iastate.edu>, john@iastate.edu (John Hascall) writes:
> tommy@boole.att.com writes:
> }henry@ADS.COM (Henry Mensch) writes:
> }$ tommy@hilbert.att.com (Tom Reingold) wrote: 
> }$ ->I'll be at the January Usenix in San Diego.  Since my company pays my
> }$ ->airfare, I figure I'll take my family.  It's a good time for a vacation
> }$ ->and I've never seen San Diego.  How do people manage this?
> 
> }$ you don't.  a conference is not vacation (unless you are defrauding
> }$ your company); it is work.  
> }$ [...]
> 
> }It seems that both Henrys misunderstood me.
> 
> Not everyone is as gung-ho as the Henrys.  My wife (no kids yet) came
> with me to Usenix in San Antonio and we had a great time.  First,
> I had all day Tuesday free because the tutorial I wanted to attend was
> on Monday, and there was one afternoon in which none of the talks were
> about anything my employer or I was vaguely interested in (so we went to
> the zoo).  Also, I found the evening BOFs to be just about worthless
> (Sorry, Henry S., this includes yours), in my opinion, you can get twice
> the information in one evening on Usenet (so perhaps it has value for those
> without Usenet).
> 
> I also don't understand those who say that Usenix is so draining ...
> maybe they just don't work so hard regularly.  ;-)
> 
> So, if your wife can stand the kids during the day I would take her along.

I think the problem that many people have faced is that it always
seems like a great opportunity to take a vacation and then you are tied
up all day and frequently in the evening as well.

It is possible that you found the bofs worthless but many people
not only want to go but have to go to the evening events for their jobs.

Also for many people the "people contact" is an important part
of the conference. Perhaps there are customers or suppliers there
that they can talk to. They can establish some personal contact
with people that are important to either them or their companies
or both. They may have coworkers from their own groups or other divisions
that they need to talk to. There may be people from other research
projects in the same area there. They may be looking for a new job
or hiring.  All this takes place after hours. Many employers,
who send someone to a conference are sending them there equally for
the people contact and the after hours stuff, as opposed to just hearing
the papers. 

So while it is clear that for you, the conference ends at 5pm, I
think that you are being a little quick to assume that this is the 
case for everyone. This is not to imply that you won't have any free
time at all.

I have seen people have some terrible marital disagreements
at conferences and tradeshows. The person who is attending the
conference or working at the trade show feels conflicted and
the spouse feels neglected. 

The best solution to this is to take your vacation just before
or just after the conference. This way you still get your planefare
paid but you are sure of being able to enjoy yourself with
your spouse and children.



--
L.S. Grob
Chorus syste`mes			phone +33-1-30-64-82-17
6 avenue Gustave Eiffel			fax   +33-1-30-57-00-66	
F78182 Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines	email grob@chorus.fr	
--------

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