I have been thinking about this idea for a while, ever since the Pov-Ray
festival idea came up and ever since my friend told me how he met his
newsgroup friends.

One day, probably not very soon (5 years or so) from now, I'd like to
organise a REAL pov-ray festival. It would be something like an actual
real-world (yes, there exists something like that. I heard the rendering
times are amazing over there...) meeting of all us POV enthusiasts
somewhere. It would be really nice to actullay meet the people here and
for a few days, do nothing but talk about pov, learn about pov, and
teach about pov. It would be great.

I think that this is not at all unrealistic, only not in the near
future. I'd say the 2006-7 would be reasonable. The main reason I'm
putting it off so long is that I'm actually going to be in the army for
4 years AT LEAST, so I can't really do anything for the next 4 years...

This may sound crazy, but heck, why not?

The main problem with this idea is that people don't have money to fly
around the world. This location problem can't really be solved in any
reasonable way. I, for one, don't see a way I could go anywhere futher
than Europe, and I doubt that as well. Right now, I can't go anywhere
(money, and besides I'm getting drafted).

That's all, I just like to dream and like the song says - "Dream on,
dream until your dream comes true."

Looking forward to meet you all (hehe) -

 Noam Lewis

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Nice sentiment, and yes you are probably right about the logistics of
getting a group together someplace, anyplace. Breaking it down into
regions might fare well. A North America region for instance. In fact, the
Europeans among us seems all the better situated for such a occurance. A
central hub there would be within a thousand miles or less for all. Or
about a 3 day drive, plus extra for the crossing of waters. The U.S. would
have a central meeting place of around 1250 miles of all.
Nearly the same goes for Australia but the distance or money and hardship
needed for travel gets to a certain point there. I prefer driving (okay, I
hate planes).
Anyway, a good idea if it were feasible somehow. There's a few people on
AOL who talked of getting together sometime also. At least a few of us are
within easy reach, that is to say, within a few hundred miles of a central
location.


Lewis wrote:
> 
> I have been thinking about this idea for a while, ever since the Pov-Ray
> festival idea came up and ever since my friend told me how he met his
> newsgroup friends.
> 
> One day, probably not very soon (5 years or so) from now, I'd like to
> organise a REAL pov-ray festival. It would be something like an actual
> real-world (yes, there exists something like that. I heard the rendering
> times are amazing over there...) meeting of all us POV enthusiasts
> somewhere. It would be really nice to actullay meet the people here and
> for a few days, do nothing but talk about pov, learn about pov, and
> teach about pov. It would be great.
> 
> I think that this is not at all unrealistic, only not in the near
> future. I'd say the 2006-7 would be reasonable. The main reason I'm
> putting it off so long is that I'm actually going to be in the army for
> 4 years AT LEAST, so I can't really do anything for the next 4 years...
> 
> This may sound crazy, but heck, why not?
> 
> The main problem with this idea is that people don't have money to fly
> around the world. This location problem can't really be solved in any
> reasonable way. I, for one, don't see a way I could go anywhere futher
> than Europe, and I doubt that as well. Right now, I can't go anywhere
> (money, and besides I'm getting drafted).
> 
> That's all, I just like to dream and like the song says - "Dream on,
> dream until your dream comes true."
> 
> Looking forward to meet you all (hehe) -
> 
>  Noam Lewis

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
 mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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Bob Hughes wrote:

> The U.S. would have a central meeting place of around 1250 miles of all.

  I would say closer to 1800 miles would be the extremes not including
the tip of Florida and the extention up in Maine. It is 1150 miles from
Los Angelus Ca to Denver Colo. and Denver is not mid country. La to
New York is aorund 3600 miles best route. I think the location that
would probably fit as the closest center would be of all places Lincoln
Neb. or maybe Kansas City Kansas neither one of which is the garden spot
of the nation in my been to both and care not much for them opinion.
Aspen Colo. would be an inspiraitonal location with lots of beautiful
landscape around to try to render :)

> I prefer driving (okay, I hate planes).

  How can someone living in the last year of this century manage to
have a hang up about planes ? I find that almost inconcievable.
I worry a bit about privately owned and maintained aircraft but
commercial airlines have my vote for the safest transportation
vehicle available. You are safer flying on an airline than walking
down a sidewalk on a busy street. You are not obligated to answer
to any of that. I just struck me as odd.


-- 
Ken Tyler

mailto://tylereng@pacbell.net

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>  How can someone living in the last year of this century manage to
>have a hang up about planes ? I find that almost inconcievable.

There are also things called phobias...

I find it almost inconceivable to believe someone could have a problem with
open spaces too... but it happens...

--
Lance.


---
For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone
For a totally different experience, visit my Chroma Key Website:
Colorblind - http://listen.to/colorblind

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On Sat, 08 May 1999 23:00:23 +0300, Lewis <ble### [at] netvisionnetil>
wrote:

>It would be really nice to actullay meet the people here and
>for a few days, do nothing but talk about pov, learn about pov, and
>teach about pov. It would be great.

  I suggest an alternative - various members of the POV-Team and
POV-Ray enthusiasts have been getting together at the annual SIGGRAPH
event. This provides other entertainment and educational values as
well as forming a meeting place for discussions. It meets in a
different north American city each year.

  SIGGRAPH99 will feature a discussion by Jensen on his photon mapping
technique and he will talk about material not covered in existing
papers written by him. This might make for some neat additions or
modifications to Nathan's existing photon mapping beta.
-- 
Alan
------------------------------------------------------------------
povray.org - official home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer
news.povray.org - where POV-Ray enthusiasts from around the world
                - get together to exchange ideas and experiences
------------------------------------------------------------------

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Alan, this is exactly how our online group of telescope makers got
together, we did it at a professional convention for optical engineers.
It worked out quite nicely with about 20 or 25 of us showing up.

steve

Alan Kong wrote:

> On Sat, 08 May 1999 23:00:23 +0300, Lewis <ble### [at] netvisionnetil>
> wrote:
>
> >It would be really nice to actullay meet the people here and
> >for a few days, do nothing but talk about pov, learn about pov, and
> >teach about pov. It would be great.
>
>   I suggest an alternative - various members of the POV-Team and
> POV-Ray enthusiasts have been getting together at the annual SIGGRAPH
> event. This provides other entertainment and educational values as
> well as forming a meeting place for discussions. It meets in a
> different north American city each year.
>
>   SIGGRAPH99 will feature a discussion by Jensen on his photon mapping
> technique and he will talk about material not covered in existing
> papers written by him. This might make for some neat additions or
> modifications to Nathan's existing photon mapping beta.
> --
> Alan
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> povray.org - official home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer
> news.povray.org - where POV-Ray enthusiasts from around the world
>                 - get together to exchange ideas and experiences
> ------------------------------------------------------------------

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Poor little me. Stuck in Panama. I'm probably the only person who uses
POV-Ray in this country. Well, I taught a friend, but he prefers his 3D
Studio. *sigh*

I can fly to the USA for a convention, but don't expect me to go to Europe
or Australia (though it would be very cool), and much less to pay to get in.
I don't think I could meet anybody at any non-POV conventions, since I don't
think I can afford it. It would have to be a 'freeware' convention with no
entry fee. OR, we could meet just outside of the SIGGRAPH convention! ;)

It would be nice if we could meet on an anniversary of POV-Ray. How old is
it anyway? 1999 - 1992 = 7 years! OK, so let's say on it's 10th anniversary
(day, month, and year) we could all meet somewhere. Hey, why not here in
Panama? (...brain to Anthony... ...brain to Anthony... dream on...) All you
would have to buy is a 2-way plane ticket. After that, things are pretty
cheap here. You wouldn't have to bring a lot of cash. I hope to see you in
twenty-two (2002)! It rimes. Cool.

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There is no way in hell I'm going to fly to the US. It's too far.

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Why don't we just calculate the center of Povulation (pov population) in
Europe and US, and then decide on locations?

Next year is 2000, and an estimated 3 million tourists are to come to
Israel (the holy land etc.), so why don't you all join the party and
we'll have a little party here? ;)

Well, anyway, I must remind you not to do anything between June 2000 and
2003, because I can't come.

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Speaking of open spaces, Kansas City or there abouts isn't that bad a
place of the country, unless of course in terms of nice heightfield
territory :) I was thinking of distances as the crow flies and leaving out
the extreme corners of the country to boot. But yes, I guess one way or
another it would be more like a week and a half round trip for some in the
U.S.
Yeah, I know, fear of flying. Oh well, and even after more than a half
dozen car accidents to compare with so far. But I've never gone over a
cliff yet either, and that would still be a far different thing than
plummeting several miles (sky diving or bungee jumping? no way!). Actually
it's even moreso to do with my inability to let others drive the vehicle.
I'd fly in a plane I was piloting much sooner than cram myself into a bus
or train load of people.


Lance Birch wrote:
> 
> >  How can someone living in the last year of this century manage to
> >have a hang up about planes ? I find that almost inconcievable.
> 
> There are also things called phobias...
> 
> I find it almost inconceivable to believe someone could have a problem with
> open spaces too... but it happens...
> 
> --
> Lance.
> 
> ---
> For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
> The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone
> For a totally different experience, visit my Chroma Key Website:
> Colorblind - http://listen.to/colorblind

-- 
 omniVERSE: beyond the universe
  http://members.aol.com/inversez/homepage.htm
 mailto://inversez@aol.com?Subject=PoV-News

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