UK VCF?

Pete Turnbull wrote: Ducking in again... I think we just saw some Sellam humour, that's all :-) Personally I don't see any gain whatsoever in *not* doing any event as a VCF. Why not draw on past VCF experiences and expertise from elsewhere? Why not use the VCF name and past successes as a way of helping to attract speakers / investors to a UK event? I suspect a lot of people will underestimate the time, money and effort needed to organise and promote something like this. Anything making that a little easier seems invaluable. Don't forget that UK companies/institutions are notoriously reluctant to part with money when compared to the US - I suspect that getting the necessary sponsorship and investment is going to be a huge problem in comparison to sorting out a venue and getting hold of some interesting speakers. It *might* be possible to do something backed by the BCS - it's possible that with the right pitch they'd be interested in some sort of partial sponsorship (it helps them raise awareness of their organisation and brings in some new blood, after all). If it were done at one of the pioneering computing areas such as Bletchley or Manchester, that'd probably help too. I think it can be done, but it might be a way off - and it's important to get the first one right so that it sets the stage for future events... cheers Jules