Like some of you I had to spend some time submitting my stuff to one of the biggest logic events these years, CLMPS. What I found slightly surprising is how complicated the submission procedure is.
1. Before you submit your materials you have to actually register as a participant. This seems slightly impractical, especially since some of people probably decide whether they will participate only when they find out whether their proposal has been accepted.
2. When you register, you have to fill a pretty detailed form which contains all sorts of unusual questions:
- you're supposed to mark your function at a conference (for instance you may choose "participant without contributed paper" or "participant with contributed paper). While some people will know their status, some people will have no idea before the submission and acceptance notification.
- They also ask you whether you plan to attend the opening ceremony and the welcome banquet on July 19,
- which concert you prefer to attend on July 23,
- which trip you will be in a mood for on July 24,
- how many people will accompany you at the conference,
- what your exact arrival and departure dates are, and
- which kind of hotel and what kind of room you want to stay in.
I mean, seriously, what happened to spontaneity? I have no idea what the answer to all those questions is in my case. Ah, but there is a note in case I change my mind:
Please note that demands for modification of your registration data after payment must be submitted to the LOC in writing by mail, fax or e-mail. No modification will be possible through the registration form. Also note that no modification will be possible after May 31st, 2011. |
I'm inclined to think that at some point the organizers will be swamped receiving all kinds of messages from people who will decide to change their plans and, say, go to a jazz concert rather than a classical concert, or to come with a partner, or to come one day later, or stay in a different room, and so on. I know the conference will have a lot of participants and the organizers need some head start on getting things ready, but isn't this a bit too much? And won't it, eventually, devour more of their time, given the need to deal with later changes case-by-case? Why not move the form modification deadline to May 31? Has anyone had any experience with earlier events in this series and the submission procedures? Has it always been like that?
Comments