Sweet Balls Of Fire

Oh gads — I hope you have better luck with verizon than we have! Have you ever noticed that none of my e-mail comes from my vanity addresses (but rather our.username@verizon.net)? That's a Verizon mandate — you can't use any other SMTP server than theirs.
We don't have Road Runner access up here in the 'burbs yet, so they're our only high-speed access and we're stuck with it. The only way we've found around it (echoed by their tech support, one of which happens to be a friend) is to use Outlook and Entourage and make the “reply to” field our vanity addresses. I hope you have better luck with them out on the left coast!

Speaking of CPU, I subscribed and got my April issue in a few weeks ago. I have to tell you, it's a GREAT magazine and I recommend it to everyone. I haven't found a single page in it that doesn't have an interesting article or review.
No, I don't work for the magazine! =)

Well, I would love to go to Gnomedex, but I get the feeling that by the time I will be able to commit there will be no spots open. I would suggest a new location or city if your current choice cannot accommodate the need. Nothing against Des Moines, but it looks bad to turn people with money in hand away, especially when you begin hinting at it month's in advance.

Geek – It's not a matter of Des Moines not being able to hold it all, it's a matter of the venue. Gnomedex is being held at the Marriott, which I'm sure has a large capacity, but in the end you do have to turn some people with money in their hands away. Happens at concerts and other events, it's all about capacity. Who knows, maybe if this Gnomedex hits it big Gnomedex 3 will have to be EVEN BIGGER ;)

It's not a matter of if Gnomedex hits it big. It will and in my humble opinion is the best event I have ever been to. There is no if though!

I hate being a poor college student. I really wanted to go to Gnomedex last year. I really want to go to Gnomedex this year. Chances are, I'll really want to go to Gnomedex next year too. But…alas…I can't even pay my way to the movies unless I'm using a college discount. I envy every single one of you…I also hate you all! But in a kind and friendly way.

I just dropped form College. I know the financial situation it causes, no matter the country you study in. I just think that it is bad planning to not expect huge numbers and plan for it. What will it hurt if you are a few shy of what you expected? I dunno, I guess I am just bitter. I can never go to Comdex in Vegas because hotel rooms are too expensive, and now that I found a convention that is possibly a little more reasonable, I will pry not be able to go because of their choice of city to hold it in. Oh well, I guess I wait for a serious tech convention to hit my home town.

I made a point to tell my client in Des Moines who is a techno geek that he had BETTER go to Gnomedex this year, especially if I don't get to go! He said he went last year, and we even chatted about the fact that you have a radio show. Unfortunately, he said he had never seen TechTV there in Des Moines, so he didn't know that you were on TV too! (I made sure to educate him, of course!)

Geek, regarding the convention: with Gnomedex only being in its second year, it's almost impossible to predict the turnout for this year. Last year, they planned for a lot more, and Sept. 11 happened. It was rescheduled, and the turnout was very disappointing as far as numbers (but definitely not disappointing as far as the energy and enthusiasm of the participants!).
From the planner's perspective, if you plan for a certain number of people and end up being “shy,” you lose money. Because, after all, you've paid for the capacity, food, supplies, etc. If you're able to fill that capacity, GREAT. You know then that there is demand and can take that into account next year and look for a bigger venue.
From the potential attendee's perspective, assuming that it fills to capacity and you're turned away, yeah, it's not cool. But like Tyler said, concerts, movies, etc., have capacities too. And legally, you have to abide by those capacities. And also to echo his last point: if Gnomedex this year really DOES sell out, then yes, it WILL have to be bigger the next year! That would be great.
The fact that Gnomedex is held in Des Moines probably will not change… (if bigger venues than this year's Marriott are needed, Des Moines can handle that). It's there for the very reason that that's Chris's hometown—and that's where the LG employees are, and there's a need for the state of Iowa to recognize the technology work that goes on within its borders.
People don't think that Des Moines is a destination city… it has a few attractions, but it's definitely not a Las Vegas or Orlando or New York or whatever. And it doesn't want to be or need to be. Again, if the choice of city is a concern for you… well, it's probably not going to change, so… I dunno what to tell you. There's an airport with several major and discount carriers there… so it's not like it's inaccessible. So… well, like I said, I don't know what to tell you.

In defense of Des Moines and the Marriott, it is far better to be a big fish in a little pond.
Its a weird balance which is skewed even more by reasonable attendance fees. I'm sure things could be made absolutely lavish, and then even fewer college students could afford it.
Somehow, after one has been trapped at a recent Vegas show with fat old clones of Telly Savalas leering at the creepiest big-boobed chics and making snide comments to the cocktail waitress about the size of their steaks, well, how bad could the Des Moines Marriott be?

As I said, Gretchen, I have nothing against Des Moines. I have never been there so I cannot think positively or badly about it. If I do go, and there are spots open, I will be happy to travel by bus, for however long it takes. This is the only way, as I have no vehicle or license, and refuse to fly for many reasons.
I do really hope I am able to make it so I can meet a few of the gnomies I have met in the blogging community, but from what I have read on Chris's blog there will likely be no spots left by the time I will know, which will be late summer.
I understand the reasons behind planning small after being burned last year, but you are not the only organizers who got burned badly, and all the others have realized it was simply bad timing, and we all know Comdex and all the other shows will be better next time around.

I live in Iowa…on the east side in the Quad-Cities and would love to make it to Gnomedex…but, alas, financial situations take priority in the matter and I doubt I'll be able to make it…even though I drive through Des Moines about every month on my way up to Ames to visit a friend that goes to ISU.

Geek, no problem. I understand the financials always have to come first! :) We've been there/are there, too.
Hang in there re: registrations. It's hard to say when people will decide to register or not; people like to wait until the last minute so you may be OK anyway!

Just a suggestion….
If the Marriott does run out of rooms, what prevents someone from staying at the XYZ hotel/motel and still attending the show?
Safe to assume the rooms for the speakers are not tailored to fit only the number of guests in the hotel….
After it is sold out, maybe some alternate housing arrangements could be made “off-site”
Just an idea.

To comment on Chris's post: Absolutely nothing! :) Anyone can stay wherever they want… as with any other convention. The Marriott is ideal, of course, because it's where the convention is. There may not be enough rooms there for the number of people coming, that's a possibility—an exciting one to consider that there would be that many people coming.
If enough registrations come in and it looks like that hotel is filling up, I imagine Lori and the other planners will consider setting up some other deals with other hotels downtown. Hotel Ft. Des Moines, Savery, Kirkwood, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn and Best Western (although those two are a little far away) are either in the skywalk system or within walking distance.