From: "Strong, Lee" <strongl at sddc.army.mil>
To: "'WSFA members'" <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Re: Re: Capclave Attendance
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 14:16:40 -0500
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

    Good comments.
    A long time reader's perspective:  Different people go for different
reasons.  My perception is that a lot of people go for the parties -- which
do very little for me because I perceive the science fictional content of
parties to be low.  I enjoy the hucksters' room, movies and panels as well
as talking to friends.  To me, books, movies and discussions **are** science
fiction.  On the other hand, I have heard people say from the Disclave
podium that hucksters' rooms, movies and panels are cotton candy for the
masses, not the true reason for cons.
    An alternate historian's perspective:  Great idea for an alternate
history track.
    A semi-professional surveyor's perspective:  There are ways to
survey the opinions of potential attendees but they require time and energy
if not money, and I haven't heard anyone volunteer for the job.
    A lot depends on who we are, what we want to do, and who we want to
attract.

-----Original Message-----
From: Lawhorn, William - BLS [mailto:Lawhorn.William at bls.gov]
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 1:31 PM
To: 'WSFA members'
Subject: [WSFA] Re: Re: Capclave Attendance

You need to decide who you mean by "fans."   Those of us who have been fans
for decades attend conventions -- as we always have -- to see old friends
from other areas.    Disclaves of the '70s and mid-'80s pulled fans from as
far away as Toronto, and more from NYC, Boston, et al.   The first Capclave
did much the same, to the delight of all concerned.  The second and third
have drawn far fewer out-of-the-area fans.   This is a dangerous downward
spiral.   I wonder of the WFC drew off some of those who might have come to
Capclave -- "I'm not going to DC twice in a month!"

Or do you just want warm bodies?

--Ted White

A new entrant's perspective.  What are the reason's to go/not go?  Cost,
time (length and calendar), distance, and interest (friends, authors, and
activities).  A survey of former attendees would help, but it misses the
potential first-timers.  Unfortunately, I am unsure of how to survey this
group.  There has to be a substantial pool of SF readers in the area or else
the book stores wouldn't have the SF sections that they do.  Me personally,
I wouldn't mind seeing an alternate history track in the future, but that's
me.

Bill Lawhorn