Ticket Prices
Danyl Strype
Public
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I just checked how much it costs to attend OS//OS this year. I'm not sure if the people setting the prices realize this, but the unwaged/ student price of $234.70 is more than a week's income for most people on a benefit or student allowance. For anyone living outside of Welly, there is also the costs of travel and accommodation. Only people who are already passionate about open stuff could even consider paying this, so by setting the price of attending this high, we will almost certainly be preaching to the choir. In other words, there is a massive missed opportunity to share open/ libre/ commons principles and practices with the wider community, which is a real shame.
Have you looked into livestreaming the sessions, like NetHui have done, so kiwis who can't afford to attend can still benefit from the amazing programme of speakers and workshops you've put together?
Silvia Zuur Tue 16 Aug 2016 3:47AM
Thanks for asking @strypey and sorry it is unaffordable. But yes as @jessemaher points out - it honestly is as low we can make. It is aiming to be a financially balanced event. The venue services in isolation cost $70k. I think next year we will continue to explore other options in terms of venues and fixed costs - but Wellington is pretty limited.
In saying all of this - we do want to make it accessible. Yes it will be livestreamed. Thanks to InternetNZ we will be offering that and announcing it soon.
We have also developed a scholarship programme and have created support for a crew of awesome humans to come who would not have been able to make it otherwise. I have put extra funding in this space to ensure these people are both supported and able to come.
Real keen to know if you have other ideas of making it accessible? I can hand on heart tell you I have done my best on the financial side and thus we are working on other associated opportunities.
Dan Milward Tue 16 Aug 2016 7:57AM
I certainly wouldn't lower the price. For me it's about quality and longevity. Cheap doesn't = quality or lead to longevity
But the live streaming is a cool idea. I have no idea if the organisers are doing that or not.
Maybe next year the process is gamified and students can earn tickets by participating in things like hackathons. Or contributing code to open source projects. Or doing things for the commons.
Again I prefer that than cheap. Real Open sourcers roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty so I think it might work...
My 2c :)
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Daniel Lewis Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:05AM
Though there is a relationship between accessibility and price, I think it can be solved in other ways. ie scholarships and sponsorship. Pricing is also related to enterprise viability and I think that this is the more important factor to consider when setting price. If the event is not financially viable than it will not happen or won't happen again.
This is all predicated on planning to deliver a world quality event.
Dan Milward Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:13AM
Right. Since it is viable I strongly suggest leaving the price alone and making more awesome conferences :) oh AND gamifying the system as well as your suggestions - somehow :P
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Daniel Lewis Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:19AM
haha - I do like that idea. I wonder if we could start that now. ie we specify 3 projects and reward peeps with $$ towards there ticket next year. that way you have one year to work your ticket down to free.
Dan Milward Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:27AM
That makes total sense to me. I'm keen to explore that some more and help unpack it if Silvia and Ants are keen.
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Dan Milward Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:28AM
Maybe we could make a Chalke Plugin that supports earning tickets :)
Daniel Lewis Tue 16 Aug 2016 8:50AM
oh damn that would be cool - @anthonycabraal I think that would be yet another usp for chalkle :)
Dan Milward Tue 16 Aug 2016 11:17AM
You heard it from proto-venture game guy extrudeonour (spelling!!) first :)
Jesse Maher · Tue 16 Aug 2016 3:10AM
I agree that it would be great if the price could be lower, but on the other hand, I can't imagine that it would be cheap to run a conference like this, and the cost has to be covered somehow. I know that there are governmental initiatives involved in it, such as Open Data, I wonder if it would be possible to secure more public funding for the event, in order to make the event itself more open?