Comments on: Details About the STC Summit Recording — Interview with Lloyd Tucker

By: Preponderances prior to the STC Summit | just write click

Preponderances prior to the STC Summit | just write click — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:46:58 +0000

[...] Tom Johnson I’m happy to embrace the recording and re-broadcasting of the STC Summit this year. To me, [...]

By: Lloyd Tucker

Lloyd Tucker — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:12:48 +0000

STC will not be charging conference attendees for these recordings. They will be included with the registration. Those not attending the conference will be charged for the recordings.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:58:55 +0000

So, STC is going to charge for these recordings. I understand the need to cover the cost, but how do conferences such as South by Southwest, Webstock and the like offer their recordings for free? For example: http://2006.sxsw.com/coverage/podcasts/, http://2007.sxsw.com/coverage/podcasts/, and http://www.webstock.org.nz/talks/events/webstock-08/.

These are just a few of several conferences related to technical communication that offer freely downloadable podcasts, slidecasts, vodcasts, and whatever other formats are out there.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:57:08 +0000

There may be readers who have easy-to-implement, no-cost or low-cost solutions for transcripts. If so, I hope they will share their ideas here or over at http://www.stc-access.org/2008/11/16/the-stc-technical-summit-2009-in-atlanta-will-be-recorded/

Internal discussions on the AccessAbility SIG list indicate that some hearing issue may disappear when the listener using headphones and can focus on the speech without the background noise and distraction at the conference. However, others still need supplemental material.

Economics is an issue, but I am sure that there is a very simple solution “out there”. STC is committed to accessibility at the conference as declared in the statement in last year’s program, so I hope we can find ways to continue to showcase that commitment and perhaps blaze new trails?

(Disclaimer: I am co-manager of the AccessAbility SIG, so I confess that I feel passionate about this.)

By: Lloyd Tucker

Lloyd Tucker — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:58:54 +0000

We are able to use a speakers’ computer if the session has complicated software as Sarah suggests. The system will capture MAC materials too. Even without a powerpoint, the system will capture what ever you put on the screen.

As for the licensing agreement, it is the same agreement that was used last year and based on the American Society for Association Executives agreement. I sent it back through the attorney as we do annually.

In a change of policy two years ago, speakers received a complimentary registration or discounted registration for sessions with several speakers. This is a $795 value. Speakers will receive their copy of the complete package, as will all registrants, but individual sessions are not available.

We are currently looking into the other accessibility issues. Right now attendees will receive a link to the sessions. From there, they can listen or download the audio file and a PDF of the visuals.

By: Lori Gillen

Lori Gillen — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:25:24 +0000

What are the plans for transcripts for the audio recordings?

Regards, Lori Gillen,
Co-Manager of the AccessAbility SIG and person with hearing loss

By: The STC Technical Summit 2009 in Atlanta will be recorded! - STC AccessAbility SIG

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 21:01:34 +0000

[...] you know that the STC Technical Summit being held in Atlanta next May will be recorded? Tom Johnson interviewed Lloyd Tucker, STC’s Director of Education and Membership to learn more about this new [...]

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:56:08 +0000

I can see your point about the demos possibly not working on the demo PC. I think the assumption is that everyone brings a PowerPoint on a USB flash drive. Perhaps they have a solution — I’m not sure. Even despite the possibility that the video fails, I’d be happy to just have the audio.

By: Sarah O'Keefe

Sarah O'Keefe — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:41:31 +0000

In principle, I think the recordings are a reasonable idea. That said, I have many concerns about the specifics. For example:

* 99% of the conferences I attend require presenters to bring their own laptops because of concerns about the proper transfer of the presentation and other materials. This is a nontrivial problem.

* What if my presentation uses fonts not installed on the laptop?

* What if I’m using a Mac/Linux/non-Windows machine?

* What if my presentation is not in PowerPoint?

* Most importantly, what if I am delivering demos? Even setting aside licensing issues (which are significant), trying to configure another laptop to support my demo environment would be a disaster. I can only imagine a dozen people lined up on Sunday afternoon to ensure that a particular laptop works for them. And then, my configuration might be incompatible with the previous presenter’s configuration.

And finally, there are the dirty money questions. For example, how will presenters be compensated for the resale of their presentation? What sort of rights do the presenters have to the recording itself?

It’s true that the call for proposals mentioned this new recording thing. However, the call also said that the contract details were not worked out yet and that participants would get an agreement as soon as STC’s lawyers were done with it. A little uncomfortable, that.