BS / SX/B expo or get together ?
T&E Engineer
Posts: 1,396
I don't know if this has ever been done (as I am fairly new) of but it's worth mentioning.
Has anyone ever thought of putting together some kind of a get together or show whether people from the forum could put a face with a name? It could be as simple as bringing your projects in and showing them off and having speakers (Parallax?) bring there new products / plans to the floor. It really could be anything that we want. It could be where Parallax is or the east coast too. I know this would take some coordination to make it·work.
Comments...thoughts?
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Has anyone ever thought of putting together some kind of a get together or show whether people from the forum could put a face with a name? It could be as simple as bringing your projects in and showing them off and having speakers (Parallax?) bring there new products / plans to the floor. It really could be anything that we want. It could be where Parallax is or the east coast too. I know this would take some coordination to make it·work.
Comments...thoughts?
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Comments
I'll answer your question below, after I tell you a bit of history. We have·had similar events·with educators when our Stamps in Class system was being developed. Our two-day BASIC Stamp classes at Parallax were actually a kind of gathering for them, more than us. They would come from all over the country and we'd be picking them up at airports and making arrangements for lodging. They'd learn more from eachother than from us.
The courses were complete with guest speakers throughout the day. We'd invite·presenters from JPL/NASA,·Chuck Schoeffler·to demonstrate·machining, Tracy Allen who would talk about how to measure sand particles blowing across the Mongolian desert, and Chip to talk about our future products. The catering was fantastic.
Early in the morning at 7:00 AM we'd·run R/C airplane demonstrations with BASIC Stamp projects at a nearby park. Twin-engine synchronizers, GPS dataloggers and various robotic demonstrations were included (along with a crash or two). In the evening we would take the whole class to the local R/C airfield and teach them how to fly planes on trainers. Meanwhile our staff would cook flank steak, grilled salmon and serve chilled drinks of their choice.
The effort we put into these courses·was tremendous. Everybody would enjoy themselves and we made a lot of friends with our customers, especially after we let them raid our "expensed stock". . . instructors love our junk. Time and efficiency got the best of us and the courses had to become more systematic and productive, otherwise we'd be incapable·of running the same course somewhere else. We considered driving a loaded StampMobile support van around the country to carry our gear for the courses, but nobody was willing to permanently travel.·Parallax also considered booking hotel lobbies for our customer training and presentations, which would allow a far greater lead time for·our guests when compared to the model we use today (an educator opens up their class and their peers are invited).·Concurrent with·these changes·the HR department at Parallax grew and we had to·learn to keep our mouths shut about major product releases. And·John B. got into trouble from some seniors at the local R/C airfield for launching Estes rockets·from·R/C airplanes.·That was also before 9/11. ·
There was even one course at Southern Utah University that lasted a whole week. In this course, each of the 30 instructors present received an R/C airplane, BS2p and GPS. The concept was that they would build the plane (an ARF), learn to fly it on a dry lake bed, and then install/use the GPS system. During this week, three Parallaxers attended the course to "help". Well, as it turned out·the instructors·needed the first three days just to build the airplanes which was easy·to do·on their own. . . so we had to spend that time at the dry lake bed flying our planes. At the end of the week each of us could fly upside down in 30 mph winds - from a lawn chair. On a separate trip to this same place Andy and I stayed at the host's cabin. Your shower was a 2-gallon bucket of cold water poured on top of your head outside.
Today the courses are·more productive for the educators who attend them, though the food and extra activities are different. We're doing more instruction and less goofing around.
And the types of·gatherings you·describe are probably best accomplished through one of the following:
As for regional presentations, we'll begin to do those when our next product is ready for release. They'll be back, and in your town, but without the steak, salmon and R/C airplanes.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
I can really appreaciate the history behind the subject. I would definately like to become more involved in Parallax / Stamp / SX/B·activities as they arise such as trade shows, educator courses, EFX,·etc.. Do you post where you guys are going to be at for trade shows, educator courses, EFX, etc.?
I have certainly gone to plenty of trade shows and even·co worked in·a booth·in Las Vegas, Germany·and locally for a previous company.
I do a·fair amount of·traveling with my current position as a Lead Test Engineer to military bases / government facilities around the country (as well as my 9 year Naval tour). I currently live north of·Baltimore. MD·but would love to come out to Parallax and see the facility sometime next year if I am out your way.
Are their any Military bases near Rocklin, CA? I see that Ft. Bragg is near by and I may be out their next year.
Thanks for the update!
Timothy Gilmore
Your not that far away from me. I'm near Harrisburg PA. Small world.
Ken,
Sure you made steak for them guys... Some friend [noparse];)[/noparse]
Bean.
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Those that would give up freedom for security will have neither.
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I have a idea that you might want to follow up on.
Contact trailer travel clubs like airstream wally bynum caravan club and others asking if any well traveld members were hard core stamp users and would like to hit the road for parallax. You might find some wagon masters, retired who would like to take a fitted out bus (crew space for at least 4 or 5 and room for display tents in case of a outside display) on the road year round. The bus could act as a east coast pop (point of presence) if you determined a rest periiod or off season. The bus could also tow a parts trailer/ shop.
No, i am not a volunter. I spent over 21 years in military moving, noving, moving and my wife of almost 53 years would leave if i even considered it. Btw she spent her service time in communications electronics also.
73
spence
k4kep
Maybe we can get together sometime in the future (once I get good with the SX). I think we are about 1-1/2 hours away (Bel Air, MD).
Cool.
I think your geography may be a little off. Ft. Bragg is in North Carolina...or did I misunderstand?
Ken,
I'm not looking for steaks or anything, but how about putting this on your "I wonder if there's anything we can to about this" stack. I am in full understanding about the necessity for a return on your "educate and share" efforts, but there are a lot of hobbyists who a) live in technology "black holes", such as the southeast, and/or b) are just that...hobbyists, typically without a budget to travel a couple of thousand miles to a trade show or even <euphoric sigh> your place. This state does not, however, diminish our desire (need?) to be in touch with the mothership. Without being able to fellowship at the local electronics shop (who generally have never even heard of the great things to be done with Parallax products) and without any active users' groups nearby (unless we create one and both members show up), how can we get a fix?
P.S. If I didn't have a family, I would happily travel full time for you guys...
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Truly Understand the Fundamentals and the Path will be so much easier...
It showed a map of Rocklin and surrounding citys. If you zoom·Out (down) twice, you will see Fort Bragg by the ocean.
Perhaps this is a different Fort Bragg as I think you are correct that Fort Bragg is in North Carolina.
Interesting....
Up here in the 'Great White North' we seem to be lacking in any great trade shows. We have Comdex...but who doesn't these days!
I'm just north of Toronto and haven't seen too many 'educators courses' near the border (I think there was one last year, but I was too busy).
Does Parallax set up venues for these courses? or is it a 'wait and see if someone comes forward' to put on the course?
HVWTech in Calgary is a good supplier of your gear, it'd be nice to see something there even (4hour flight still....but Alberta Grade A Beef!)
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Steve
"Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."