--On Wednesday, May 16, 2018 13:29 +0100 Stewart Bryant <stewart.bryant@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I am probably alone in thinking that the Hackathon is > suplimentary to the main purpose of the meeting, and thus > don't much care when they are held, but perhaps we could move > them to the Friday/Saturday after the standards sessions so > people fatigued for the WG sessions. Those slots could then > double as a sort of forml-informal time for extended WG > discussions. You are not alone. One of my concerns, which parallels your comments, is that the more Hackathons and convention-like activities (including tutorials, time for essentially unconstrained informal gatherings, exhibition areas, etc.), come to be considered and seen as important in laying out the schedule, the more likely we will see evaluations and decisions shift as to who gets support for attendance at IETF meetings and how much work people have to do to justify that support. Those are long-term concerns, not anything likely to affect us after one or two meetings, but, if we do things that cause people who have to authorize expenditures to start asking whether they are being asked to support a technical standards meeting or a party (social, hacking, or otherwise) for people with Internet technology interests, we had best be careful what we wish for. Also, for those who are concerned that eliminating Friday meeting times (formal or informal) will have a slippery slope effect, it may be helpful to remember that IETF meetings were, for many years, four day events ending with the last Thursday afternoon session. Yes, some of who could do so (airline schedules permitting) left on late Thursday flights and red-eyes. Many others took the first available flight out Friday, often in the hope of being home before the weekend. But there was no exodus starting, e.g., Thursday noon. best, john
