iCommons 2007 in Dubrovnik, Croatia - The first Libervis Summit?
tbuitenh | I definitely want to go | Tue, 2007-01-16 15:49
I definitely want to go there, but am not sure yet if it will be possible. Let's hear who else at least is considering going there, so we can all be extra motivated to go 
.
We should make sure we know as much as possible about who, where, when ASAP (say within the next month and a half), so we can properly plan, which makes it possible to act as one group (think same hotel, libervis shirts, meeting one day before the start of iCommons, etc etc).
libervisco | Yes you're right. I hope | Tue, 2007-01-16 18:08
dylunio | I'd like to go, but | Tue, 2007-01-16 20:08
libervisco | I hope the result is | Tue, 2007-01-16 22:49
ariadacapo | Well I'd very much like to | Thu, 2007-01-18 11:54
Well I'd very much like to go too. I will have to check dates and budget the entire trip to see. I might well be able to come.
I am currently considering going to FOSDEM 2007 in Brussels but it might be too tight time-wise and financially.
I'll find out soon about iC2007 in any case.
tbuitenh | Gotta check if I can make it | Thu, 2007-01-18 12:20
libervisco | Good to hear that Olivier. | Thu, 2007-01-18 12:57
dylunio | Sadly I'll be unable to | Thu, 2007-02-01 18:16
libervisco | Ah, well, that's | Thu, 2007-02-01 18:40
libervisco | Here are some teasers for | Fri, 2007-02-09 12:07
Here are some teasers for the summit. 
http://wiki.icommons.org/index.php/Programme
http://icommons.org/isummit-07/about-rio-and-the-venue/
http://icommons.org/isummit-07/our-hosts-2/
Reading all this it really looks so attractive. I think I'm gonna get in touch with the guys from the Multimedia Institute here and start planning the trip.
tbuitenh | Guess what is the first | Tue, 2007-02-27 11:25
libervisco | Hehe Yeah it's 15-17 | Tue, 2007-02-27 15:36
libervisco | I just went through some | Sat, 2007-04-14 00:41
I just went through some financial plans for now up to June this year just to make sure that I can achieve the three major things I want to achieve (new computer this month, registering biz next month and going to iCommons in June) and still pay the usual bills. It appears I can, with some luck (that something doesn't go terribly wrong).
One thing for which I am compelled to plan ahead is that trip to Dubrovnik iCommons conference in June because I worry that plane and hotel reservations may be getting more and more expensive as the target date nears, so I have to start looking into it now.
So, regarding plane tickets I suppose I don't need to stall. I should probably just reserve a plane which will arrive in time to catch the start of the event as shown on the draft programme. If the event starts June 14 at 8:30 AM I should go to a plane which will arrive there at least at 8 AM or earlier.
About a place to sleep over, I've been looking through some hotels and it appears we can find something for about 25 euros per person per night (we need at least 3 nights), but it would be just a room and nothing fancy. I suppose this should be fine for anyone who decides to go, right?
Anyway, I'll try to talk with one of the organizers over IRC tomorrow or so and see about the details of the programme (how likely are timings to change) and see if they have any recommendations regarding accommodations.
Cheers
libervisco | Well I'd like to think we're | Sat, 2007-04-14 14:36
Well I'd like to think we're developed beyond considering those any less than basic. There are some for 30 or a bit more though if needed. The 25 euros is for two star hotels mostly, but I'm not sure if that means rats in rooms or something like that. If yes I guess we'll look for 3 stars minimum.
democrates | I may be a witness in a | Sat, 2007-04-14 17:29
I may be a witness in a court case and the dates aren't set yet, but it sure looks like a worthwhile trip if I can make it.
Went to the European Conference on Digital Libraries in Rome a few years back and it was great, you don't know who you're going to meet at these gigs. With all the artistes I'd say this would be even better. Hopefully a *good* pint of Guinness is to be had. Whisky will do as a fallback so that wouldn't be a show stopper.
Accommodation sounds nice and cheap (paid a lot more in Amsterdam and got eaten by bed bugs anyway), and by June I expect Ryanair will pay us to fly if we look at in-flight google ads, all good. Hmm, do we have your blessing to steal your women or should we do that behind your back?
democrates | Spot on with Murphys. The | Sat, 2007-04-14 17:53
Spot on with Murphys. The Guinness doesn't travel well though, the perfect pint hasn't, but while the quality abroad is improving and often tolerable you still have to be careful and ready to teach bar staff how to pull it properly - there's nothing worse than a bad pint. Except two bad pints and slap in the face instead of a kiss. Damn fussy ladyboy.
tbuitenh | I'm trying to find the most | Sat, 2007-04-21 15:16
I'm trying to find the most affordable way of getting to Dubrovnik.
(everything in euros)
By air:
Amsterdam - Vienna - Dubrovnik (vv): ~ 440
Amsterdam - Munchen (Frankfurt on the way back) - Zagreb (vv): ~ 280
Zagreb - Dubrovnik (vv): ~ 270
(total ~ 550, see below why I looked these up)
By bus:
Netherlands - Zagreb (vv): ~ 170
Zagreb - Dubrovnik (vv): ??? (information not available in English)
(total: surely less than 440)
downside: I would have to stay in Croatia a few days before and after iSummit. That would increase the total price (because of staying in hotel(s)) but OTOH that way I could have a nice short vacation at a reasonable price .
Did anyone else already look into how to get there?
libervisco | Quite expensive. I just | Sat, 2007-04-21 17:53
Quite expensive. I just checked Croatia Airlines.. even worse for Amsterdam - Dubrovnik. But what about those low cost airline companies like germanwings? I checked germanwings and it doesn't have what you need, but maybe there are others.
They have significantly lower prices than traditional companies.
About bus from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, from AKZ.com (Zagreb Bus Station site), the prices seem to be up to about 30 EUR, but there aren't exact schedules for june yet.
However, I've checked the plane ticket prices from Zagreb to Dubrovnik again at CroatiaAirlines.com and it is almost the same price (about 30 EUR) if you get the cheapest FlyPromo package and fly early 6:20 AM on June 14th (thursday). The standard FlyPromo price is about 35 EUR which is still not bad.
The FlyOpti package is up to 50 EUR. The basic difference between FlyPromo and FlyOpti seems to be that it is nonrefundable and you can't change name or cancel it. There are also higher packages than FlyOpti, but the difference between those are mostly just extra award miles and lower prices of cancelling or name changing (I guess changing name of the one who's gonna fly).
Overall I think it's worth going with a plane if the price difference is that low. It takes a hell of a lot less to get there and is more comfortable than a bus.
So if you manage to come somehow to Zagreb very early morning at June 14 (before 6 AM) we can go to a plane together.
tbuitenh | I used a site that checks | Sun, 2007-04-22 11:41
I used a site that checks the prices of many airline companies. Unfortunately it's rather slow and can only find the cheapest (series of) flight(s) for a certain day, not for a certain range of days. The cheapest option I found makes me wait at the Vienna airport for several hours :/ .
...
I've checked with a different similar site just now, it seems the first doesn't search the database of Croatia airlines. I wonder why. Anyway, EUR 320 for flights on the 13th and 18th is a lot better. There are no more flights available on the 14th, I guess that means there are a hell of a lot of people trying to get there on that day 
.
On the other hand, 170 + 30 is even better, but I'd need to find a place to stay in/near Zagreb for a few days if we want to use the same flight to Dubrovnik...
By the way, have you noticed the draft programme also lists some activities for the 14th?
libervisco | Well, Croatia is a big | Sun, 2007-04-22 12:34
Well, Croatia is a big tourist country and Dubrovnik is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Europe. June is when the summer season starts (the general tourist season already started), so that explains why people have already booked so many flights there.
By the way, have you noticed the draft programme also lists some activities for the 14th?
Yep, that's why I was planning to get there early morning on 14th, although it might be a bit tricky considering I am 30km away from Zagreb and the earliest bus to Zagreb is at 5:20AM while the plane goes at 6:20 hmm..
Another option is to go a day earlier, on 13th, and somehow be without hotel accomodation that night, or to skip a few first hours of these events on 14th and come later..
tbuitenh | oh dear | Sun, 2007-04-22 14:39
Another option is to go a day earlier, on 13th, and somehow be without hotel accomodation that night, or to skip a few first hours of these events on 14th and come later..
I don't have any choice but to arrive on the 13th, and the flights that arrive late (sleep while flying) all are damn expensive ( > EUR 900 ). Since I asked you to look into affordable hotels for me, I think we may have a little problem here...
libervisco | What do you mean?
You can | Sun, 2007-04-22 15:21
What do you mean?
You can only come to Dubrovnik on late 13 and the problem then is that you wouldn't have anywhere to go for the night between 13th and 14th, right?
I guess we'd have to book that night too then, which is four nights total. Cheapest hotels are 25 eur per person per night..
Either that or miss on some of the June 14 events.
tbuitenh | When registering online, you | Fri, 2007-05-04 17:55
When registering online, you will encounter this text:
The registration fee to attend the iCommons Summit '07 is US$ 500 (please note that this fee only covers attendance at the 3-day iCommons Summit and related events). In order to complete your registration please transfer the full amount via Paypal, by clicking on the 'Pay now' button on the left.
Non-profit organisations, educational institutions, students or iCommons and Creative Commons volunteers will not need to pay this amount.
If you do not fall in these category and you are not able to pay the registration fee, please write an email explaining your situation to....
Fortunately, I'm a student.
Another issue: I can check a box saying I want to interview participants, but then I have to list who I would like to interview. I'll leave this blank for now (I think I can edit it later), but we'll have to think about this.
tbuitenh | I think being the owner of | Fri, 2007-05-04 18:25
Libervis.com is proudly based on Croatia, because I am from here.
And I am seriously planning to go to the iCommons 2007 conference which is going to be held in Dubrovnik, a beautiful historic tourist destination at the far south of Croatia by the Adriatic sea. I've never actually been there so the trip may double as a tourist trip, but something tells me I'll be far from the only one who'll see it like that.
This basically means that if you go, you can meet me there. If more of us from Libervis.com go, it would effectively turn into the first gathering of Libervis members, which would probably be quite engaging for all of us.
I'll dedicate this thread to planning and discussions for the iCommons 2007. If anyone considers going, please tell here.
When the time comes near I will probably put up a graphic on the homepage announcing iCommons 2007 and then when I will be there I plan to report on events through either the Libervis Articles section or as featured news (the graphic would then link to all articles tagged as icommons).
Cheers
Danijel
Life's not read-only. So.. I keep writing.