Re: Update on Summit Preparation Vietnam

[Shane Martin Coughlan <shane opendawn com>]

Hi Mario

I've missed a lot of the conversation so please forgive me for asking 
questions that have probably already been answered.

(1) Does the conference have a theme and focus? (I read the overview and 
objectives on the website http://live.gnome.org/GnomeAsia/2009 but this is 
more like a list of items wanted rather than a theme and focus)
(2) What is the target audience demographic?
(3) How many participants are expected?
(4) Is there an estimated cost?
(5) What specific outcomes are wanted? (deeper than the overview and objectives 
on the site, an understanding of certain specific items that need to be 
accomplished would be useful to focus planning)

Mario Behling said:
> * Ongoing process about suitable venue finding

I had a look at the photos online (thanks Emily):
http://live.gnome.org/GnomeAsia/2009/Venue

The University venue sounds good.  It really does make sense to keep costs 
down.  

> * Website: Will Lashell and me have outlined a plan for the website
> and discussed details already. Will is setting up a fresh site based
> on the system of last year. The new color will be a bluish theme - or
> any other suggestions?

It depends on whether any meaning is infered through the colours, or if the 
blue theme is simply intended to match the primary gnome.org site.  Looking 
similar to the gnome.org site might be good to help foster perception that the 
GNOME.Asia event is central to GNOME.

> * Event organization: Hong Phuc Dang is collecting information about
> visa requirements and hotels. Information will be constantly updated
> on the wiki here: http://live.gnome.org/GnomeAsia/2009/

Last time I went to Viet Nam I found the visa on arrival system to be simple 
and effective.  I got mine from the commercial service myvietnamvisa.com.

> * As discussed it is a good idea to organize an excursion after the
> event, I think probably a two day trip. Or would more days be fine?
> Hong Phuc already talked to agencies/hotels about an excursion as
> well. A nice spot close to Ho-Chi-Minh City is Mui Ne (See:
> http://live.gnome.org/GnomeAsia/2009/Excursion and
> http://wikitravel.org/en/Mui_Ne)

An excursion is a nice idea if the audience will have free time.  However, 
when I have travelled for conferences I don't usually have any extra days in 
the location.  My suggestion is to ensure that all conference business (and 
primary networking) is done within the event days, and this excursion is 
purely an extra treat.

Regards

Shane

-- 
Shane Coughlan
Business and Technology Consultant
Opendawn
Phone: +81 (0) 909 7742404 / Fax: +81 (0) 878890288
shane opendawn com
www.opendawn.com