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[Thomas Gramstad <thomas AT ifi.uio.no>]

On Tue, 9 Jul 2013, Per Andersson wrote:

> > > 2. What about tickets for children? Can we allow people under X years
> > > of age entrance for free? What is X?
> >
> > While we did not decide on the specific age limits, I think it would be
> > fair to let young children in for free and that older children pay a
> > children ticket. As for the age limit, perhaps a discussion on the list
> > is in order. My suggestion would be that we regard school children as
> > older children, i.e. that every child going to school will have to pay
> > the childrens ticket (and also receives the Arduino).
>
> I am a firm believer that children of all ages should be regarded full
> visitors. Serengeti is also focusing on a children/parent/education
> track this year.
>
> Having said that, letting children from age seven (7) pay a ticket is
> unreasonable IMHO.
>
> My assumption is that visitors don't fully partake and enjoy in the
> conference until they at least reach their early teens. This of course
> this is a floating limit with high individual variance.
>
> A solution is to have free tickets until visitors are, say, thirteen (13)
> years old, and then let them pay a youth ticket up to eighteen (18), and
> then full price. I also think that it should be optional to select
> between a free ticket or a youth (arduino) ticket until, say, eighteen
> years old. This option would better suit visitors (and families) economy
> and individual variance in interest and knowledge.
>
> Remember, age is just a number and should be treated as such.

I agree with Per in principle.

But FSCONS has a limited number of tickets/attending people, and I
believe they have been sold out well in advance of FSCONS the last
few years? Then it is difficult to have a category of "variable"
or uncertain tickets -- unless the free tickets are also numbered
or determined in advance, in coordination with the other tickets.

> > Since we're selling alcohol at FSCONS, it may be that no person under
> > the age of 18 can enter without being accompanied by an adult. If so,
> > that sets the upper limit, and perhaps we should rename it to youth ticket.
>
> This really, really sucks big time.
>
> I request having a separate area or beer garden where alcohol is sold
> and also consumed. There is no point in allowing alcohol everywhere in
> the conference area. Not everyone enjoys this, and it can make the
> conference inaccessible to some people; not only children.

I support this; I'd prefer to have teens and kids rather than beer
bottles in the general conference area. I would also like to be able
to go to a beer garden as part of the conference though.

> > > 4. Café. Will food suitable for children be provided?
> >
> > If you mean baby food, that has not been discussed, and I think it would
> > be easier for the parents to bring it themselves, concidering the
> > different children ages and viewpoints on what is suitable. If you mean
> > non-baby food, then I don't know what would be unsuitable.
>
> Having a few cans baby food, that most babies can eat would be great.
> Even if it is only five cans with a selection of vegetables, such as
> potatoes, carrots etc, it can be a real life saver allowing people to
> stay at the conference and enjoying some event instead of walking away
> investing half an hour, or more, in getting food.
>
> Food is mostly critical for babies, up until the age of about a year or
> year and a half. Before that they are mostly breast or bottle fed and
> after that children basically eat the same food as adults.
>
> Of course having healthy tasty snacks such as raw vegetables and fruit
> available is good for children, but also so for everyone else.

Agreed, and maybe some raw food start up would be interested in
handling this for us as good publicity for them.
And also a selection of organic food bars would be nice, and better
than chocolate etc.

> I think that we are touching on universal design in many of the subjects
> above. Just because something is good for children does not mean that it
> is only good for children and worthless for everyone else. Making things
> accessible for one audience we are making living simpler for all people,
> not only the target audience.

I agree, a mixing of all ages is nice too.

Thomas