In fact, the form of the session, with the giant heads that seemed to move in another time dimension, and the online chat that kept scrolling up to the top…. these things were challenging, but illustrative.
I might be on a limb here, but the lack of seamlessness kinda gave me the impression that you all were using really front-line technology. Otherwise it would be seamless? no? Tautological thinking, you say? Maybe. But I thought you all were cool.
It’s way more boring to just talk about technology. Cheers to those who actually attempt to use it. So what it went wrong at times?
I had a professor who made us read some of the most god awful poetry you can imagine. He said that one can learn much more from a bad poem than from a good one. With that in mind, I enjoyed the ride!

Who remembers a session using a wireless mic for the first time? How about live internet access? LITA has come under fire lately for not implementing enough technology into its programs and now it is coming under fire for attempting something that few other divisions would dare. Perhaps TTT bit off more than it could chew, but who else would dare to?

Personally, I thought there was only one thing wrong with TTT this year, and it’s something that Karen pointed out, too. There were just too many people up there. Since I am a “trendster” myself and on the distribution list, I will say that Maurice York tried (perhaps too subtly) to reduce the size of the panel. I decided to sit this one out…few others did.

Each member of the panel knew going in what the size of the panel was and what the technological attempts would be, so I think “The Trendsters who sit on the panel do not make decisions. They just show up.” is a little bit disingenuous. TTT goes out of its way, I think, to include the panel in the efforts of the committee. In fact, the trendsters comment on the listserv more than the committee members do!

My vote is next time, halve the size of the committee and halve the technological effort. There is no need to fire anyone from the panel, especially, as Karen says, now that it has better gender equity. I remain on the panel, but have chosen to sit out now and then. If the trendsters can’t self-manage the size of the panel, then the committee members will be forced to pick and choose.

TTT has some ground to make up after this year, but it is still a popular program and the people want to hear what the panels have to say. I have no pessimism about the future of this program.

All criticism aside, it was simply FANTASTIC that LITA provided wifi to audience members. Whatever happens, please continue to have this available to the audience.