Conventions: Members Versus Customers

[kevin_standlee]

The post-Eastercon discussions going on in eastercon and elsewhere include the question of those people who attend conventions viewing themselves solely as "paying customers." I suggested we may need to start printing a fine-print contract on membership materials, the way sporting events and concerts do on their tickets, such as:

THIS IS NOT A TICKET. You are a member of this convention. This event is being organized entirely by volunteers who are working without compensation and who had to pay for their own memberships and travel expenses. While the organizers will make a reasonable effort to present this event in the way it is described in its written materials, they cannot guarantee that all things will happen as planned. By purchasing this membership you explicitly acknowledge that all functions are subject to change or cancellation with or without notice for any reason whatsoever.

This is only a rough first effort, but I think you get the idea. It is a little sad that I can say that I'm quite serious that we may really need to do this or face threats of litigation for "false advertising" and "breech of contract" with attendees.

Comments

[querldox.livejournal.com]

It also depends on how stressed *I* am. I recall one point where I had about 5 people all wanting my attention/a decision made at once. In that case, even though I knew all of them, I went "OK, stop. I can only do one of these at once. The order is you, you, you, you, then you. First you, go...[question/situation description]...OK, do this. Second person [points] go...". If someone else had come up at that moment, it wouldn't matter if they were unknown, casual acquaintance, best friend, or SO; my reaction would be "Unless it's something I have to know *this second*, you're up after #5 there...OK, #whatever, continue...".

Personally, I respect my friends enough that I think they should realize normal extra social amenities due to our relationship drop off with respect to how many spare cycles I have to work with at the moment.