The 2013 AmiWest Show will be bigger, better and longer than any of the previous AmiWest Shows has been in many years. The hotel has already been reserved for a full 6 days, to accommodate 3 days of programming seminar and 3 full days of the AmiWest Show.

I think that this extended time for the show is great and I am also very happy that the programming seminar will return and be an additional day longer as well. I can never get too much of AmiWest, no matter how tired I am after it is over.

It is time for us to pull together and do what ever is necessary to make sure that at least one, and preferably two, members of the MorphOS Development Team attend 2 or 3 days of the 2013 AmiWest Show, so they can present a proper demonstration of MorphOS3.x.

Let's face it, I have tried to represent MorphOS as best I can for 5 years now at the AmiWest Shows, but I am terrible at it. We need a proper demonstration of MorphOS3.x and all of it's power and grace shown to every person who attends this larger extended 2013 AmiWest Show next year. That is why I am starting today, to promote the idea of sending 1, or hopefully 2, MorphOS Dev. Team members to the show.

I know that it is not only money that we need to raise to get these Dev. Team members to attend the 2013 AmiWest Show. We must convince them that this is a good idea that is needed and that it will be beneficial to gaining more MorphOS3.x users and programmers.

It should be obvious, but I will point out a few things that prove my point that this idea needs to become reality. First, there are going to be many Amiga users who are interested in programming who will be attending the programming seminar, which takes place immediately prior to the 2013 AmiWest Show, so these programmers will already be there in the audience of the 2013 AmiWest Show, so it is an excellent opportunity to show them how capable the MorphOS SDK and editor are.

With the extended schedule of the AmiWest Show, more people are likely to show up, which equals more potential new MorphOS3.x users by the end of the show. The 2013 AmiWest Show will take place back at the Holiday Inn Express, with the better presentation facilities, as the hall where the show will take place has two large projection screens that drop down from the ceiling at each end of the show hall, ceiling mounted projectors that can accept input from standard computer display connectors and this and other factors will make it easier to improve the streaming video & audio that Bill Bosari attempts to do each year. I personally will get to the hotel up to 4 days early to make sure that the AmiWest Show has a dedicated Internet connection that is free of any hotel security and login problems, so this hopefully will allow an uninterrupted streaming experience for all of the Amiga users who cannot attend the 2013 AmiWest Show in person. This increases the number of people that the MorphOS Dev. Team members can reach with their demonstrations of MorphOS3.x, and the message(s) they want to share with all users and programmers about MorphOS3.x and where it is going in the future.

By next Oct., there might be other reasons why sending 1, or 2 MorphOS Dev. Team members to the 2013 AmiWest Show is an excellent idea and almost a necessity.

If you agree with the idea of setting up a bounty to help raise money for travel and hotel expenses that will allow 1, or 2 MorphOS Dev. Team members to attend the extended 2013 AmiWest Show, please indicate your agreement in this thread. If you would also be willing to donate to such a bounty, please express that in your reply as well. I have already contacted one of the Team members and asked him to provide an estimate of how much it would cost for plane tickets from the countries where most of the Dev. Team members live to the San Francisco, Oakland, & Sacramento airports, so I can get a "Ballpark" estimate of how much money would need to be raised to pay most, or all of the travel expenses to send two Team members to the 2013 AmiWest Show.

Thanks in advance for participating in this research, to find out if this idea is feasible or not.

Moved from the 2012 AmiWest Show thread:

Jim wrote:
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Andreas_Wolfe wrote:
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[ Edited by amigadave 26.10.2012 - 11:01 ]

Well I good to go with this (as, apparently, is ausPPC).
David, do you want to hold the funds or do you have a different suggestion?

I'm sorry Dave, but why?

Amiga NG land has gone crazy with it's bounty's, it's just getting silly. We have bounty's for backdrops, themes, porting OSS etc. There was even a crazy German guy begging for money to show of (not demo) his X1000 on an Amiga event in Germany because he didn't have enough money for a train ticket after buying his X1000, going on vacation and renovating his house.

Besides Amiwest is an OS4 centered/sponsored event (and always will be), it's not even the biggest Amiga event in the world, it's just an old guys getting together party listening to the hahahaha, hehehehe crap fed to them every year. There are bigger Amiga events in Europe. I'm sure if the MorphOS dev members really wanted to go there they already would have gone.

The money is better spend on bounty's for quality and usefull applications, games and emulators. This is just a waste of resources which could be used more usefull.

Don't get me wrong, in the 7+ years that I've used MorphOS (not anymore but I still follow it) I've donated to many bounty's, made themes and even ported some software. I'm all for bounty's but this is just wasting money.

Just look at the 8-bit retro scene (C64, Atari, MSX, Spectrum, ZX81 and more), there's tons of software and hardware projects going on without the need for bounty's, people just do things for fun like it should be (after all it's a hobby, nothing less nothing more).

Something is really wrong in Amiga NG land, there's no fun anymore.

Sorry for the rant but that's just how I feel.


[ Edited by Toto 26.10.2012 - 21:48 ]

I think there is little to be gained by having a presence at amiwest. It is far better use for our resources to concentrate on local (european) meetings. As an additional bonus I think we can handle those without need of bounties.

Well Harry doesn't want to come to the US.
Maybe we should start by finding out if any of the developers are willing.
It would be foolish to collect the money otherwise.

A bounty of similar sum to get some important piece of software IMO is more important than to pay for someones expense to go drink few beers at a party and a few drinks at hotels lobby bar.

> Moved from the 2012 AmiWest Show thread: [...]

I don't think you moved anything as it's still in that other thread ;-)

Quote:
I'll have to add that I don't have anything in particular against US and I've been in US before. The flights sucked, and jet lag was even worse. In particular one needs (or at least I needed) at least 2-3 days to acclimate after the flight.

I just find that couple of days at AmiWest isn't worth the trouble involved. It is a fairly local meeting over a weekend.

Maybe someone else is willing, who knows. I'm just not so thrilled of the prospect...

[ Edited by Piru 27.10.2012 - 00:50 ]

I agree with Jim that we should find one or two MorphOS Dev. Team members who would be interested in attending the 2013 AmiWest Show, before any money is collected.

I would prefer the money to be sent directly to the MorphOS Dev. Team, and not to me, even though I have no problem holding the money for this purpose. It just does not make sense for me to hold the money, instead of the Team, or one of the Team members.

I am disappointed to see any opposition to this idea and for those of you who claim that the AmiWest Show is nothing more than a small user group meeting with a bunch of old OS4 users getting together to drink beer, it is obvious that you have never attended an AmiWest Show in the past, and you also have ignored the statements I just made about how the 2013 AmiWest Show is being extended.

AmiWest is also streamed live around the world, so the audience is much larger than just the people inside the room. Many announcements for both AmigaOS4.x and MorphOS2.x & 3.x have been timed to coincide with these AmiWest Shows and there is a good possibility that it could happen again next year.

If the MorphOS Dev. Team would make a little more effort to gain more MorphOS users within the North American continent by attending an AmiWest Show every 4 or 5 years, I am confident that there would be many more MorphOS3.x users here, than there currently appear to be.

When I started this thread I knew that raising the money would not be the biggest challenge, but instead making most users and at least one or two of the MorphOS Dev. Team members understand and want to attend, would be the hardest part of making this happen.

For those of you who claim that AmiWest is primarily an AmigaOS4.x event, you are wrong. It is primarily a Classic Amiga event, which just happens to be sponsored by one or two companies involved with AmigaOS4.x. The majority of users who attend the AmiWest Shows has always been the Classic Amiga users. This is not likely to change any time soon.

Anyone who understands where most of the Next Gen. users come from will tell you it is the current and former Classic Amiga users that make up most of the Next Gen. users, so by attending the 2013 AmiWest Show, the MorphOS Dev. Team members would be reaching a few dozen Classic Amiga users, plus hundreds, if not thousands of "Online" viewers of the streaming audio & video feeds. Then there are even more that learn about what goes on during the AmiWest Shows by reading about them on forums, or watching recorded video segments of parts of the show.

I am not going to argue these points any further. You can all express your thoughts and approval, or disapproval of this idea, but don't spread any misconceptions about what the show is, or is not, specially if you have never attended one of them recently. There is no way to know what an AmiWest Show is really like, unless you are there in person to see it first hand.

What if Commodore had never pushed past imaginary national borders?

This idea for a bounty makes more sense for a qualified, enthusiastic person that already has other motivations to visit America and / or travel further but may be finding it difficult to justify the expense. That's why I thought it might be sufficient to raise a subsidy rather than attempt to cover all the expenses.

Also, by qualified person, I would include someone like Andreas Falkenhahn who develops Hollywood.

Well, as you all well know, I'm fairly free with my opinion.
and Piru, I have nothing but respect for you so I don't take your statement personally.
But it would be cool to get one of you guys over here.
Heck, I'd like to be on the wrong coast next year.
And California really is the place you ought be.

> Many announcements for [...] MorphOS2.x & 3.x have been timed to coincide with
> these AmiWest Shows

I have a feeling that this opinion might not be shared by the MorphOS Team, especially seeing Piru's previous statement in this thread.

> AmiWest [...] is primarily a Classic Amiga event, which just happens to be sponsored
> by one or two companies involved with AmigaOS4.x.

According to the official AmiWest blog, this year's show had 5 sponsors, 3 of which are companies involved with OS4 (Hyperion, A-Eon, AmigaKit).

Good point, Andreas,
But there is no commercial platform for MorphOS anymore.
And everyone keeps on insisting this is just a hobby.
Well, if there was new hardware, I'd try to promote it.

And I guess I the coming year I'm going to have to re-educate myself about coding.
But you've got to realize my experience dates back to assembler, C (not C+), and databasing tools like Sculptor.

We really do need to do all we can to encourage software development.

Well.... hopefully next year I can go. I'd bring my fully functional MorphOS machines with me, and show off. Powermac, Powerbook and soon to be eMac!

I wouldn't call AmiWest a biggest Amiga event of the year. I don't see any point in spending thousands of dollars to donate MorphOS developer to go overthere. For me it's just a waste of money which could be spent much better at some bounty for example.

pampers,
Quote:

I don't see those two as mutually exclusive. But we haven't had anyone step up and offer to visit yet.

amigadave,
Quote:

I don't know about that.

http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/tenkarajunkie/image-7.jpg

http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/tenkarajunkie/HyperionA-EonBooth.jpg

http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p603/tenkarajunkie/image-23.jpg

I appreciate that you are doing everything in your power to get a MorphOS presence at Amiwest, I really do. Amiwest is seen squarely as an OS4 promotion event simply because it is an OS4 promtion event. Before you argue this point, who sponsored the event this year making tickets free?

You don't have to agree with me, but I see Amiwest as some sort of OS4 version of a "Timeshare free vacation". I'm not alone in this view.

[ Edited by redrumloa 27.10.2012 - 10:32 ]

Looking at these pics I'd say AmiWest is no match for the Amiga-Meeting in Bad Bramstedt on the same weekend (which is a far more "blue" event btw)

Heck there are more people on an average Geit@home than on this years AmiWest ....

I have to say I`m forced to agree with the bulk of respondents in this thread, the money would be better spent greasing the MOS team to develop rather than evangelise, especially given your presence Amigadave - it`s not like MOS is under-represented or dismissed at Amiwest. On the contrary, it sounds like you`re getting a good level of interest!

I think this discussion is rather pointless. The first thing to clarify is whether a MorphOS team member wants to go there or not. If noone wants to go there, no bounty needed. if someone wants to go there ppl may give whatever they like to support that trip.
Isn't there a capable programmer in the US that may join the team? Would be a win win situation, increased team size (more manpower) and kind of a dependance in the US.
Amiwest may not be the biggest Amiga Event worldwide, but it's the biggest event in the US where MorpOS is relytively lesser present than in many EU countries. Hence, a little more presence within the US couldn't hurt. And if noone wants to go there, why not make a video/skype conference at least? I mean this is about IT, going physically there is so yesteryear...

Zylesea wrote:,
Quote:

Thank you Zylesea!

Finally a voice of reason, instead of all the misconceptions from people who have never attended any AmiWest Show. Believe me when I say going to AmiWest in person is very different than what you see in pictures, or even on parts of the video feed from the show.

Of course it is going to look like an OS4.x event when Hyperion and A-Eon are two of the sponsors and they pay to make big posters and signs. Even the video feed may have an OS4.x bias, when it is being run by an OS4.x user (though I have to say that I believe that Bill Bosari tries to be impartial as he can).

Zylesea's suggestions are the best I have read and I should have thought of them myself first. I sometimes write things in forum threads before I have time to think them through thoroughly, as I use the members here as a sounding board to validate, or criticize my ideas and thoughts.

I would obviously prefer to have one or two MorphOS Dev. Team members to attend the 2013 AmiWest Show next Oct. in person, but if none of them want to come to the USA at that time, a 2nd option would be to do a Skype presentation during the show, or maybe two or three Skype presentations, with one for each day of the extended AmiWest Show.

I don't believe that adding a programmer from the USA to the MorphOS Dev. Team is an option, unless that programmer is already an experienced MorphOS3.x user as well as a proficient programmer that the rest of the MorphOS Dev. Team members feel would be an asset to the Team. I have tried for 5 years to get any experienced MorphOS user to come to the AmiWest Shows with me to help out with the MorphOS presentations. No one has shown up. There appear to be very few MorphOS users within the USA, Canada, & Mexico, so this is a huge area where the MorphOS Dev. Team could find new users.

Zylesea, if you want to just kill this thread, that is okay with me, I got the answers I needed. I will try to find out if any of the MorphOS Dev. Team members are interested in attending the 2013 AmiWest Show.

It is clear that there is little or no support from the MorphOS users to help fund such a trip, so if any of the Dev. Team members are interested in attending, I will have to find another way to help them fund the trip.

If none of the MorphOS Dev. Team members wants to come to the 2013 AmiWest Show, I will try to arrange some other alternative, like one or more Skype presentations during the 3 days of the show.

Edit: Or I could just decide to let someone else worry about promoting MorphOS3.x at all the AmiWest Shows from now on.

[ Edited by amigadave 27.10.2012 - 12:50 ]

Dave, I really appreciate your enthusiasm and support for MorphOS but you have to understand not all suggestions by supporters are worth the effort. If a great percentage of fans are against you HAVE TO draw conclusions. Like you suggested, a Skype conference.. now that's an idea.. costs nothing and has still wow-factor.

Quote:

I was one of the people watching some of the streams available last week and I'm sorry to dissapoint you but at anytime I watched a stream there where only like around 50 people watching. Not excactly what I would call worldwide exposure.

hooligan,
Quote:

I don't consider 5 to 10 negative responses a great percentage of the world wide MorphOS users.

Having someone from the Dev. Team at the show would be better than a Skype presentation, but it may not be possible, or practical. That will be up to the majority of the Dev. Team members to decide.