European APUG Meeting

Go back to the first post: this is just a call for interest. Obviously, no one is going to arrange a conference that will dilute the Toronto APUG conference (as if!)...

BTW, Return fare London <--> Toronto = 250 GBP, London <--> most places in N. Europe = around 125 GBP. Given all the other expenses: accommodation, meals out etc, it makes little difference from the UK perspective.

Bob.

I'm in! A great idea!

I am hoping this is just an English language thing....

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Yes, I think it is.
This thread is going to be a threat (I made already this mistake :confused: )

I apologize for this inconvenience. We fully understand that two APUG conferences (same year) is something which is out of the question.
We call it a meeting, combined with maybe a seminar or so. But that does not mean that we can not offer an attractive weekend for some APUG members. So far we count approx. 15 positive reactions together with some response on some German forum.

For the APUG conference it is indeed a good idea to organize it on different continents in a time period. I am sure it is going to be a succes.

Best regards,

Robert

I for one would attend an European Conference in 2007. In fact John Eric and myself will be making available all our notes, discussions, contacts bla bla bla to anyone interested in holding a conference elsewhere after ours. Let me assure you that organizing this event is a lot of work and requires a 2year planning stage. John Callow has and is doing an amazing amount of work getting the groundwork started on this. I am excited to already know that Europeans (Denmark) are confirmed to be here as well give an lecture. Also an instructor from the UK is also onboard.
I honestly think every two years is more practical as we analog people move a bit slower and just by being involved in this project since last May (John vistited Toronto and the idea was formed then) has given us an insight on how to organize this conference and workshops. Passing on our experiences will be a pleasure, but be warned it is a lot of work and commitment.
As of yet we have all our ducks in a row, but we now need commitments from APUGers from North America and abroad.

Art by the way is working on the committie organizing field trips to the many photographic shows that are on at the same time as our planned event. I went on a day trip with him and must say had an excellent time.

I also would be interested in a European ... meeting if traveling and accomodation is not too expensive. I would prefer having a meeting over a weekend, or three days Friday-Sunday.

-- Rüdiger

Hi count me also in.
Köln would be good especially at the Photokina in 2006 for a get together!
Otherwise I would be for Switzerland or Munich.

I´d vote for Berlin, good airport with possibilities to cheaper tickets / budget lodging and a nice visit to Fotoimpex. www.fotoimpex.de. Going to Köln at the same time as Photokina would make accomodation both expencive and hard to find, sorry.
eva

gr82bart said:

Hans,

I am confused why you would want to even ask this question then and pose it as a 'conference' when all the effort should be put into the APUG Conference in Toronto and finding ways to get as many people there as possible.

Seems like a red herring that is diverting the attention to where it should be and that's the APUG Conference. You can ask this question after the conference is finished or just ask for a get together without calling it a conference. Call me suspicious of the intentions....That's all.

Art.

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Many of us don't have the chance to get to Toronto for the conference, and a European conference/get-together/whatever is our chance to meet each other...I don't see any problems with that.

The APUG Conference in Toronto is for US, Canada and apuggers from anywhere else with the money to get there.

Morten

I would prefer it takes place in the middle of Europe as it will be central for all of us. Germany would be great.

I'd be in.

For most of us Germany would be the best choice ... though I'd prefer Southern France;-) but I'd travel elsewhere.

Wether it'll become "only" a get-together or perhaps growing to a conference, we'll see. I like the idea of roaming conference for the future.

Horst

modafoto said:

Many of us don't have the chance to get to Toronto for the conference, and a European conference/get-together/whatever is our chance to meet each other...I don't see any problems with that.

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Maybe it's a matter of English language. Putting together a get-together is fine. Putting together a conference is a different matter.

The APUG Conference in Toronto is for US, Canada and apuggers from anywhere else with the money to get there.

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Morten, let be clear. The APUG Conference is for EVERYONE. When the next APUG Conference is in Europe, are you going to say "the APUG Conference in Europe is just for Europeans and APUGers from anywhere else with the money to get there" ? Would you not want to have as many APUGers from around the world as possible to attend? Wouldn't you be a bit pissed if another group of APUGers decided to organize an APUG Conference in North America when you have expended a lot of energy and resources to get cheap rooms, get great speakers, organize gallery tours, organize photo trips, plan for food and drink, get vendor sponsors, etc...?

All I am asking you as one APUG member to another is to help us a bit by uniting in finding ways to get all APUGers, especially Europeans and also those that don't have the resources, to the APUG Conference. It happens to be in Toronto next year.

Think of it like the Olympics. It happens in a different country every so many years and everyone makes an effort to attend it. They don't start organizing their own thing to 'compete' and draw resources from the Olympics.

If APUG is to become a community we have to unite when it comes to a few things. We already have people here who want to divide APUGers by making some other members feel unwelcome because their workflow is not 'pure'. Are we now also going to have another division of people based on regionalism? Or on economic status? I hope not.

In the end, if you guys in Europe feel that the APUG Conference is 'regional', then I can't make you see that it is not. It really is for everyone and I hope that we help you and others in Europe find a way to get to Toronto and meet other APUGers as well. I know that John, Eric, Bob and I are doing everything we can to get as many APUGers there as possible and to make this event very successful.

Regards, Art.

Hello Art,

If you like change the heading of this thread into "meeting" anf let's get this over with.
Regards
Hans

clogz said:

Hello Art,

If you like change the heading of this thread into "meeting" anf let's get this over with.
Regards
Hans

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I can do that.--Done.

That said, I think it would be great if the APUG Conference could move around the world from year to year. It's not too expensive to fly to London or Paris from major US airports (cheaper from New York than to many US destinations). Berlin would be great, too. Hotel rates in Eastern Europe are often quite attractive, particularly if you try to travel in the early spring, in the last few weeks of the low season (i.e., after the snow is gone, but before it gets more expensive).

I want to go to Copenhagen in 2007 , we will pass on all our notes to the European conference group after ours in 2006.
Does Europe have any decent Beer?????

He he Bob, correct me if I´m wrong but the (north) European beer is the best in the world. Just to mention one - Carlsberg (danish), I´ve had that from Cape Town to Stavanger and also seen it in San Fransisco. Even a non-drinker like me can think of a glass of dark south German beer preferably Bavarian. Maybe a meeting in Munic during the October (beer)festival

Count me in...

I would be happy to be with you.....
A good place for the EU meeting of APUGERS could be the Lake of Garda.
It is in a strategic position and a wonderful place with three airports (Villafranca-Verona; Montichiari-Brescia; Orio sul Serio-Bergamo), with cheap flies from most Europe capitals and big towns, will work very well for most of Europeans.
The time for low hotels prices could be October or March when tourism is a little bit sleepy. From the Garda lake you could reach some very fine Italian towns (Verona, Mantova, Venezia and others) and the landscape of the lake is very interesting.
Send you comments......