How about it? Would you fly, drive or swim to a central location in America to take part in a convention organized by TS? The focus of this convention would be to meet other forum members, LAN partying and other geeky computer stuff. It could last a few to several days as well... I'm sure everyone is open to suggestions.

This has been discussed before, but it seems it has been bought up again and there is more of a skeleton plan than just an idea now. I would like to see how many would participate.

Too bad I can't come, i'm in Belgium right now

I'm sure Didou and I would come if we were in the US ...

Well maybe if it happens I join my GF in the US then I surely will

I'm in .

I know of a lot of places that would be great to host a get together like this from my own experience, such as Ybor City right beside Tampa Florida, and then there is Clearwater Beach about 15 miles away (which is rated as one of the nicest beaches in Florida). Plus a major airport right there.

I think those places would be too not-central to host a gathering.

If I had the money and the time (college = not a lot of time) I would definately do my best to show up. Money probably wouldn't be the issue, might be best to post it during summer or winter time, when most people would likely have time off.

I sort of suggested Colorado in another thread, I'm a bit more serious now. This is why.

1. Cost is minimal to fly from cali or ny or something to Colorado compared to the cost of getting there in the first place.
2. Foreigners hate us if they are going to come over to America to meet us, lets at least keep them away from the d0oDz in Cali and NY, let them see something worth remembering. Colorado is great for that, espically Denver, right on the mountain/flatland interface, plus there is tons of nice whitewater rafting there. (yes us geeks should get out and expierence stuff like that every once in a while).
Plus if someone from another country not in North America could only visit one place, I think I'd make them visit Colorado - its just beautiful, and avoids much of the stereotypical BS that surrounds the word "American".
3. None of us live in Colorado, eliminating the "preferential" treatement that people are bound to assume.

SNGX, I like that idea. I would love to visit a mountainous area, possibly go rafting or something. That would be pretty awesome.

I would fly if I had about 6 months at least in notice, so that I could save some money for a trip.

I could have to be able to get cheap accomodation, but I guess for me I could be happy with just a sleeping bag.

If its an excuse to go somewhere, why not?

I would happily go to a meet such as the one you are suggesting Rick, but it would heavily depend on the time of year and distance from my current location. But I guess there is a possibility that I might be in the US at such a time since I have a residence both in the UK and US, one pf which should be somewhere near to the meeting place. Overall the idea sounds very appealing, and I am sure there will be a reasonably large amount of people interested. The idea of meeting all of you sounds like fun; see you at the party !

SNG, that doesn't sound too bad...!

I've got an ambivalent relationship with the US, so it would be nice to see something that won't be too much DuDe'd up...

But how much would it cost to take a roundtrip from NYC to Denver? Because as it is, just getting to NYC is going to be costly...
(Though I do have a couple of ideas on how to make it cheaper)

I suggest we create a list of people's locations and preferences and mark those on a map and try to find a location that is convenient for everyone, as in trying to make it so that everyone only has to travel a short distance compared to other locations. Or find out what location would be cheapest for everyone to make it to. It would take some reasearch but it could be done.

How about Las Vegas ??? Now, thats a city i could visit !!!

Yes, but how many people would want to meet in Las Vegas? It is a crazy, busy town. I would guess that most of us would say it would be better to meet somewhere smaller with not so much going on.

Las Vegas is out of the Q for my part...

If I'm going, it's going to be a place where I can find an OK hotel/B&B for a reasonable price, and I don't think that's possible in LV...

BTW: how much would a trip from the states to London (UK) cost? Maybe we could try to get our US members to come to Europe instead?
[size=1]Hey, I can dream can't I?[/size]

I dont think I could afford to go overseas. I am an excellent price shopper when it comes to computers and travel, and could make it anywhere in the U.S. for anywhere from $600-800, but overseas I wouldn't have a option of driving and theres no way I could get the airplane ticket for as cheap as I normally do.

Though that would be really awesome.

Also you have to think about cost of getting a passport. They are at least $45 here but I'm not 100% sure.

you haven't actually got a passport? what age are you? Its sort-of seen as something you get when your 8 or 9 at the lastest here...

The U.S.A. is a very large country. Most of us never leave this countrys borders and have no need for a passport. The only time people here get passports is when they make plans to go out of the country then they buy a passport, until then they are of no use. I would say 85% of people in the USA never leave the country once in their lives, if they do then its usually only once.

I agree I just got my passport last month for my honeymoon, and if I wasn't going on that, I probably wouldn't have gotten it.

Aawwhh... No gambling then...

There are other places you can gamble legally. I know Kansas City and St. Louis both have casinos. There just isn't legalized prostitution in those cities.