Worldcons & Entitlement Culture

[kevin_standlee]

As I expected, L.A.con IV will not have convention-provided internet service because the amounts the hotels and convention center want to charge for it are absurdly expensive. I should be, but am not, astonished at the people who have complained that the convention should do it anyway, who have said, "But [fill in local convention name here] held somewhere else has free access; that means you should, to," or assume that the L.A.con IV committee only just now noticed the situation.

Internet access has been one of many, many things the committee has been chasing down. Despite what some people may think, I expect it was not the most important thing. In fact, there were a lot of more important things. I know from my own experience that one of the hard parts about chairing is having to pick between multiple things when you'd like to have them all. You can't always get everything you want. Deal with it, folks! If you need internet access that badly, you can buy it yourself from the hotel or convention center. Would you really be happy to see your membership go up by enough to cover the cost of "free" internet service?

Some things are more important at a Worldcon than free internet service. Holding the Hugo Awards or the Masquerade, for instance.

Comments

[lunarvixen.livejournal.com]

I've seen that hotels have been offereind complimentary highspeed with their rooms.. ever at the Best Western where we are holding CV this year.. and for crying out loud.. if a guest can get free internet with their room.. Why not grant access to an Event being hosted there?? I don't get it...

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

Why not grant access to an Event being hosted there??

Because they have a monopoly on the facility and can charge through the nose for access and normally get it from their usual clientele. And the hotels do not offer free access. Less-expensive hotels (like your Best Western, and the Holiday Inn Express in which I often stay) seem to give free access. More expensive hotels, particularly those catering to a lot of expense-account-laden business travelers, are less likely to provide it.

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

Less-expensive hotels (like your Best Western, and the Holiday Inn Express in which I often stay) seem to give free access.

What's interesting is that the second-tier Marriott and Hilton properties do offer free access -- like the Courtyard and Hilton Garden hotels. None of the flagship properties do so.

[jcbemis.livejournal.com]

Actually, I am in the North Raleigh Hilton, this weekend, and they have just renovated and offer free wireless or wired (though the wired seems to be down). They even have wireless bridges to loan (a good thing, since I have been having problems with the wireless in my notebook since my return from Westercon, but the bridge connects me just fine).

[sfrose.livejournal.com]

I suspect that the less-expensive hotels and the second-tier properties are using the free access as lures to help fill their occupancy. It used to be "FREE CABLE TV", the 21st Century version is "FREE WIFI".

[avt-tor.livejournal.com]

And some Best Westerns charge for it. Location, location...