In Appreciation of OS

[David Koehler]

To All,

What highlights the OS experience is to be in an event that is not.  I just
returned from a three day conference sponsored by the FMCS (Federal Mediation
and Conciliation Service) in Chicago.  This is a bi-annual event and draws
more than 2,000 people from mostly the USA.  (FMCS is a department of the
federal government and is responsible for mediation in contract disputes
between labor unions and management).

All the sessions have been planned for months and months.  In fact, people
have to submit proposals in order to be invited to present.  During the two
full days of the conference, there are three scheduled break out periods,
with  10 to 12 different sessions on various subjects.  The presenters
usually present for about an hour, and then a few minutes are left in each
session for Q & A.

Since this is part of my job, I am expected to attend.  After three days, I
can honestly say that I did have a meaningful conversation with anyone, other
than the folks I already knew, which happened at lunch or dinner.  Here we
had 2,000 very talented and experienced participants, all with stories to
tell, and no way to get those stories out (unless you happened to be a
presenter).  What a waste of time and talent.

In my pre-OS enlightenment days, I probably would have come back home and
said, "Oh yeah, it was a good conference."  Today all I can feel is
disappointment.  Even worse, I feel that a wonderful opportunity was missed.
Thank goodness for all of you to give me hope.

Thanks,
Dave Koehler