Wow, I wish I'd been there to see the situations you describe. I'm sorry you were treated that way. Deb is right that we don't like it to happen that way. And while I'm not rejecting your own experience, I know I've never been treated that way as a volunteer, and I've volunteered at all levels, including volunteering to help people who I don't know personally. I sure hope you don't think I've condescended to you when you've worked for and with me, for instance.

I think part of the problem is size. Managing a Potlatch/SMOFcon-sized convention is radically different from a BayCon or certainly a Worldcon, and involved different "coping strategies" from the people working on them, I think. After all, we can run Registration at a Potlatch by just setting people's name badges out on a table and trusting people to take care of themselves. I don't think that would work well with BayCon or a Worldcon.