Otto, thanks for the agenda ---- even if it makes me sad that I will not be there.
One additional topic for discussion is from the note that Harry Perros sent on 10 October about joint IFIP/IEEE events. Harry wrote:
"In my 6.10 report, as you will find out, I am requesting that the 6.10 conference ONDM become a joint IFIP/IEEE conference. You will find my reasoning and justifications in my report. If ONDM becomes a IFIP/IEEE joint conference, FIP stands to loose income from the publication of the ONDM proceedings, but on the other hand they stand to gain money from a larger group of participants. (I am not sure if this will result to a positive or negative flow at the end!!)
"My motivation for seeking this joint sponsorship comes from my desire to launch a truly international conference on Optical Networks. TC 6 has no criticial mass in optical networks (unlike for instance, areas such as performance evaluation, or ATM networks back a few years ago). IEEE's ONTC has a critical mass, but they do not have a conference of their own... So, this marriage is likely to generate the correct environment within which a successful international conference can be born."
Since I won't be at the meeting either, I would like to go on record as supporting joint sponshorship for this event. I find Harry's reasoning a good justification. I find joint sponsorship a good way to make up for the ground we have lost in the optical networking world in the past.
With best regards to all, Harry (Rudin)