Org mailing list

[Per Andersson <avtobiff AT gmail.com>]

On Thu, Jul 11, 2013 at 4:03 AM, Thomas Gramstad 
<thomas AT ifi.uio.no>
 wrote:
> 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.

My point was not to alter the amount of tickets, but to have the option
to select ticket class, either as a paying youth ticket or a free
children's ticket. The amount of visitors is the same. Although income
may differentiates slight, I assume this is negligible.

Or is it a fixed number of tickets in each class? If so, have a deadline
to register as youth and then sell them as another class after this
deadline.


>>> 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.

This is my personal preference also. I like having a beer myself, but
don't want to force it on everyone everywhere. I also like to be able to
attend areas that are calmer and no random higher-than-life person
establishes a base camp next to me in my calm area with all of their
stash. (Not that this has been a problem at FSCONS that I remember.)


>>>> 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.

Good idea!


>> 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.

Indeed.

I also believe it is important for our future existance to have a
regeneration in attenders and hangarounds.


Best,
Per