We (the Board and several others from around the globe) are kicking around the idea of having a partially virtual event for 2009, with some live sessions in perhaps more than one location simultaneously, and live and/or recorded (preferably live) webconferences/webcasts from other parts of the globe, bringing in speakers we might not otherwise be able to get.
I'd like to solicit some thoughts on this, particularly insofar as technology for the webconferencing/webcasting is concerned, and also for sheer logistics related to the time differentials and how we could work scheduling for, say, live events held in -0400 EDT and -0700 EDT with speakers in GMT, +0400, and even +1200.
Thanks!!
I think this is an excellent idea. Perhaps charge a small fee to those who want to attend 'virtually' when they are unable to attend physically. It could offset the cost of the equipment and time used to set it up?
Why did someone not come up with this idea a long,long time ago; and, incidentally this is a similar idea that I have been kicking around for an "Annual Reunion Dinner" for the staff of an Development Bank in South America I used to work for.
Nothing before its time they say!
God willing... whenever this event takes place I will be there - either in person or virtually.
This is just great.
Thanks BigWarpGuy for posting on OS/2 World.
Cheers.
It is like those inventions that makes one think 'why didn't some (or myself) think of that before?'. 
Is there currently a listing of the member countries that are involved at this time who will be participating (or has indicated participating) in the proposed events. And, the below attached being of particular business to my company:
Re: "IDB, World Bank hail Americas free trade initiative"
[....."The World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank ( IDB ) today welcomed an initiative launched by 12 countries in the Americas to promote free trade in the Western Hemisphere.
The “Pathways to Prosperity Initiative” was announced Thursday after leaders from Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the United States met in New York...."]
http://www.iadb.org/NEWS/articledetail.cfm?artid=4776&language=En
The thinking here is the employment/adoption of some of these same "tools" that are being talked about. Hence, the emerging business opportunities..... that can be presented.
Also, it might be "neat" to get an financial institution such as the Inter-American Development Bank ( IDB ) on board with us. 
Will there be any topic of discussion on how OS/2 Consulting companies can benefit worldwide from the $700,000,000,000 financial package recently approved by the Government of the United States of America; also, given the fact that OS/2 once held its own in the banking and financial worlds. 
In addition to an earlier post with regards to this subject... the following article on some most interesting products should be of some interest:
Re:
"IBM puts 'Bluehouse' tinge on cloud computing"
"[....Other services introduced on Monday include Lotus Sametime Unyte, for Web conferences and document sharing;...]"
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10059361-92.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0
With the cost of traveling and the economy the way it is, a part live part virtual makes sense and allow more to be part of it even though they can not make it to the actual event. I think a small fee - less than the cost of attending the actual event - would help pay for the virtual meeting needs.
This is still just in the embryonic stage, and we haven't even tried any hardware. If we have video conferencing hardware available at the convention location, that would be the best way to get the Europeans and Australians to participate, though the time differential may make it difficult for live attendees to gather together for interaction with the remote presenter(s) and (if present) remote audience.
As for attending a virtual event (see, there are two sides to every coin), we would like to make it as OS/2-friendly as possible, and toward that end, we don't as yet have many choices on the viewing end, other than web browsers (and many cameras require streaming media plugins and such on the far end for any real fidelity, unless using a Java applet - and then, many require a newer JVM than we can currently plug into Firefox or SeaMonkey).
Many hurdles over which we must pass to make such a thing happen...
None of the content has been set in stone. Sheldon, if you have the ability to find volunteers to speak on the topics you would like to see presented, please feel free to submit the contact info to the Speaker Committee. Warpstock is an all-volunteer effort and we're all pretty much juggling way too many plates in the air as it is. We can use all the assistance with legwork that we can get. 
Thanks for your thoughts on this, guys. This is still a topic for discussion, and hopefully, we'll be able to phase some of this in for 2009.
Hi All,
Although we are fast approaching the end of January I would just wish to say Happy New Year 2009 to all fellow OS Users on this forum - particularly BigWarpGuy, LewisR et al... With that said, I now wish to say that during an very informative and fruitful discussion with a representative from IBM earlier today I learnt that resources can be available to facilitate the proposed "Part Live, Part Virtual Warpstock Event for 2009.
Additionally, Mr. Ken Nowokunski from IBM has kindly agreed to offer assistance (including Demos) for the proposed "Part Live, Part Virtual Warpstock Event for 2009.
The content of his most recent email to me reads as follows:
"Hello,
Here is my contact information, I am available as a resource to answer any questions about Sametime Unyte as well as host demos of the product.
Regards
Ken Nowokunski
Account Executive, Lotus Online Collaborative Services (OCS)"
LewisR, should you require Ken's email address so that you can make direct contact with him I will be happy to make same available.
And, very interestingly, Ken has revealed that "Sametime Unyte" will run on OS/2.
This development appears very interesting indeed.
Best regards.
Sheldon.
Hi "BigWarpGuy". You have said among other things "With the cost of traveling and the economy the way it is..." This is indeed an most important and interesting point to note; and, from all appearances the economies of countries around the world are not getting any better and from some reports the worst is yet to come. So, I for one will be in agreement with your statement 100% that "a part live part virtual makes (and, I would add the words "plenty of" ) sense and allow more to be part of it even though they can not make it to the actual event".
BTW, I have received your email response to the one which was sent to you by me.
Regards.
Hi "BigWarpGuy"! In addition to the above post I think that you were right on the money as the reading of the below attached IBM's article echoes your sentiments "[...With the cost of traveling and the economy the way it is...]":
Re: "Saving Businesses Time and Money, One Online Meeting at a Time"
"In challenging economic times, the ability to collaborate with colleagues, partners and customers from around the world without ever leaving the office is a financial necessity. With the latest version of Lotus Sametime, IBM is helping businesses save time and money by participating in online meetings quickly and easily".
The rest of the article can be read here:
http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/26518.wss
Cheers.
Thanks for Ken's contact info, Sheldon. As soon as I have a grasp on what our connectivity possibilities are for Warpstock 2009, I'll touch base with him.
Cheers/2
Hi Lewis, Hi All,
Reflecting on "President Obama's Web 2.0 Experiment" it dawned on me that Lewis' idea for a "Part live, part virtual for 2009" was (like the OS/2 Operating System was in circa 90's) way ahead of the "game".... and, more so the continuing worst financial and economic crisis the world has seen in the last one hundred years.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/032609-obamas-web-20-experiment-draws.html?Inform=nl&netht=rn_032709&nladname=032709dailynewsamal
Can anyone say what are the latest developments with regards to this proposal as I had previously provided useful IBM's contact information for support with respect to this proposal for a "Part live, part virtual for 2009"
Kindest regards.
Sheldon Britton
Orion Enterprises and
Orion Resources International
New York, NY
We use Unyte at work. While I haven't had a chance to use it to verify it does indeed work with OS/2 (though it looks like it should) it cannot share the desktop as Windows does... you can join and view but not share out (Linux is not supported any better).
Will there be the 'part live, part virtual' at the Waterloo Ontario Canada Warpstock? It would be nice if it was at the Warpstock Europe event for 2010.
From this CNET NEWS Article which is headlined; re: "Microsoft scraps in-person Windows conference"
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-20003720-56.html?tag=mncol
It will appear that no one has told those on the Campus at Redmond that they could have had an "Part Live, Part Virtual Windows Conference" just like the one proposed here.
Well, then again they are perhaps not as "thoughtful" as some OS/2 Warp folks such as the person who came up with the idea for an Part Live, Part Virtual for Warpstock 2009. And, does anyone knows if the same proposal holds for Warpstock 2010; and, particularly so in that it has been announced that eComStation 2.0 is now expected to be GA in time for Warpstock Europe 2010. See the below attached link:
http://www.ecomstation.com/
Best regards.
Sheldon Britton
Orion Enterprises and
Orion Resources International
NY. NY.
If either of you want to put on the virtual event, you're welcome to come to Warpstock. Just let me know what you need, and I'll help get it lined up.
Neil
Maybe next year. It would be nice to go but with the possibility taxes going up and the cost of every thing going up with it, it might not be possible. A virtual Warpstock might be needed along side the actual one.
Topic split. See topic Possible sponsor groups.
Warpstock Corporation - Forum
http://www.warpstock.org/forum/viewtopic.php?showtopic=412