Tourists can turn into long term contributing attendees if they like what they see and think it will be an effective forum to get work done. We need to collectively do a better job helping new people get acclimated to being effective at the IETF. The mentoring program, ISOC policy makers, and other efforts should help to improve this over time. I do agree that we need to improve materials so that people can better understand the work happening in each WG. I know people can read the drafts, but sometimes how the drafts connect or why they matter collectively is not apparent, or even how/why to use which drafts for what purpose. Drafts and RFCs are great, but other media would be helpful here I think. The tutorials is an interesting idea. I think youtube videos may be effective as well without having to schedule meetings for tutorials. Thanks, Kathleen -----Original Message----- From: ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx [mailto:ietf-bounces@xxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John C Klensin Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2013 11:17 AM To: Phillip Hallam-Baker; Simon Pietro Romano Cc: Keith Moore; ietf@xxxxxxxx Subject: Re: IETF registration fee? --On Thursday, July 11, 2013 10:34 -0400 Phillip Hallam-Baker <hallam@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: >... > Using paid conferences as a profit center is a risky long term > prospect at best. Refusing to adapt the format of the > conferences to protect the profit center worse. Or adapting the format to attract more paying attendees, such a what we have sometimes called "tourists", with no real expectation that they will do work, because it increases the income. Still better than building a funding structure based on sale of publications, however :-( john