[Chicago] [PyCON-Organizers] power for 1000 alex

[Ted Pollari]

On Mar 10, 2008, at 5:16 PM, Jeff Rush wrote:

> Carl Karsten wrote:
>> PyCon needs about 100 power strips, maybe 200.  the big 6' long  
>> suckers. I just
>> saw some at Microcenter for $45 each.  thats 4500-$9000
>>
>> saving $10 would be handy.
>>
>> Where should I get them from?
>
> 1. According to old threads on the list, the hotel is supposed to be  
> providing
> all of the power strips this time around, along with the labor to  
> tape them
> down.  If we're doing it all, that a very big last-minute project,  
> and impacts
> I thought the union rules for the hotel.
>

This was always my understanding, and thus I may be the source of this  
(apparent) misunderstanding.  The hotel will be getting us power to  
many strategic points, but they do not have the hardware to do what we  
need.  As for the labor -- at this point it's more important that it  
get done and I care less about who does it and I'm not inclined to  
start asking questions about union rules -- they had their chance to  
object to this plan already =)


> 2. I shipped the powerstrips we used in past years to CTE offices -  
> nowhere
> the quantity you mention thought.
>
We have them, we need more.  Do you remember how long they were?  Were  
they 72 inch strips?


> 3. The best price I see for 6' strips is Fry's Electronics - $25/ea.
>

Excellent, thank you for the looking/finding

> 4. Due to the ballroom layouts and the cramped space, I thought we  
> were not
> using many tables, so why are so many strips needed?

Tables or no tables, I'd expect that people will want to use their  
laptops and use means a need for power.  In years past, I'd bet the  
popularity of the tables was at least 40% power related.  As such, we  
need to do something to handle power concerns and we can't just let  
people fight over the 3 rows of chairs at the back -- that won't meet  
demand.  As such, we're going to wire many more rows of the theater  
seating.

I fear that if we don't, power will be the thing to complain about  
once we get networking straightened out.

-ted