Plone Conference "mid-term" update

[Announce mailing list]

Friends-

Now that we have crossed the 60-day threshold and we can't cancel the
venue ;-), I thought it would be appropriate to offer a brief update on
the progress of Plone Conference 2006 planning.

 http://plone.org/events/conferences/seattle-2006


What's Been Done So Far
-------------------------

* We have secured a venue: the Seattle Center's Northwest Rooms.

* We've lined up over 45 sessions, including short talks and panel
sessions, longer tutorials, and a few other surprises.  We had over 65
session proposals from the Plone Community, most of which were really
outstanding.  A big thanks to the Program Team for tackling the
difficult task of evaluating so many proposals.  You can expect 3-5
concurrent sessions, with three "virtual tracks" for the new-to-Plone,
Plone integrators and Plone developers.

* 17 companies and organizations (listed below) have stepped forward as
financial sponsors.  We wouldn't be where we are without their support.
Thank you.

* Over 165 folks have already registered.  Our capacity is about
300-350.  We're well on the way to meeting our registration goals, but
this is the time when we can really use your help to publicize the
conference.

* We've arranged for Joel Burton, Andy McKay and Richard Amerman to
offer three different low-cost two-day training classes immediately
before the conference, in the same venue.

* Thanks to the folks at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, we've
got a great venue lined up for the Seattle Sprint, to be held the two
days immediately after the conference.  

  http://plone.org/events/conferences/seattle-2006


What Lies Ahead
-----------------

* Our biggest challenge over the next few weeks is getting the word out
to the wide community of Plone-using folks who are NOT on the lists.
That's where we can most use your help. Please spread the word to:
  - your Plone-using clients
  - any networks of web developers or IT decision makers
    that you are part of

* We're still working on locking down a final few speakers and producing
the final session schedule.  We'll release that in mid September.

* We need to put together an evening social agenda.

* We need to finalize various boring logistical details like catering,
projectors, microphones, etc.  Ahh, the joys of being a conference
organizer. :-)

 http://plone.org/events/conferences/seattle-2006

Thanks
--------------

There will be many more opportunities to thank the many folks who have
contributed to getting the conference this far, (and many more
opportunities to contribute!) but it's never too soon.  So, thanks to:

- Joel Burton, Paul Everitt, Alexander Limi and Alan Runyan for wise
counsel and general moral support.

- The Program Team, who had the unenviable job of weighing and choosing
among the many fine session proposals.

- Everyone who is speaking at the conference, and everyone who submitted
a session proposal.  I'm sorry we couldn't say "yes" to you all.

- Andrew Burkhalter, Sam Knox and Sean Pender here at ONE/Northwest, Ann
Jensen and Jesse Snyder at NPower Seattle and the larger Seattle Plone
user community.

- Our sponsors, who include:

  CIGNEX

  Lovely Systems | Plone Bootcamps
  Enfold Systems | Live Modern | Open Society Institute

  Plone Solutions | Six Feet Up | Upfront Systems
  Zest Software | Quintagroup
  Vancouver Community College | HighSpeedRails

  Infrae | TriZPUG | Olympus.net | Headnet


All of us here in Seattle are giddy with anticipation at the propsect of
seeing you all in less than two months.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

best,
jon

--------------
Jon Stahl, Program Nanager
ONE/Northwest
www.onenw.org
[hidden email]

Are you going to be at Plone Conference 2006?
http://plone.org/events/conferences/seattle-2006


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