From: Richard Kilmer <rich@...>
Date: 2008-09-17T11:29:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Getting Employer to Pay for RubyConf


On Sep 16, 2008, at 9:37 PM, Charles Oliver Nutter wrote:

> Clinton D. Judy wrote:
>> So I'm just finishing my first year at a real job, and thinking about
>> asking to go to RubyConf. I really don't have the money to pay for  
>> this
>> out of pocket. I also know that this company sends TONS of people to
>> heavy construction conferences every year (it's our business), so I'm
>> sure that if I asked right, they would do it for me.
>> But I've never asked for that before. I don't think I want to do it
>> casually; to easy for them to say 'no', even when this would be  
>> really
>> beneficial. See, that's another problem, I'm going to this conference
>> 90% to learn Ruby and keep up with the Ruby world, and 10% or so to  
>> meet
>> and hang out with other Rubyists. No offense to the other  
>> attendees; if
>> this conference were in Minnesota in the dead of winter, the office
>> would know for CERTAIN that there were no other reason for me  
>> wanting to
>> go there. November in Florida? Boss may want to go instead (not a  
>> Ruby
>> user).
>
> Next year, dead of Winter in Minnesota! It's the only logical next  
> step!
>
> You don't even have to go outside; stay in a downtown hotel, have  
> the conference at the convention center, and it's all connected by  
> skyways!
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyway
>
> - Charlie

Heck, I keep hearing that ALASKA is such a great place!  Maybe  
Anchorage in November ;-)

But in all seriousness we booked this hotel for one main reason, and  
that was that we could all hang out and "confer" with each other after  
the talks.  The talks are going to be super, but there is nothing like  
lots of time spent face-to-face, and to do that with 500 folks we need  
ROOM.  This hotel has that. It just happens to have nice weather and  
great amenities too.

-rich

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