Re: [Debconf-discuss] [Debconf-team] About calling SHC if we arrive past 22.00

[Robert Edmonds <edmonds@debian.org>]

Steve Langasek wrote:
> So I've gotten confirmation back from PSU.  Unfortunately, the outer doors
> of the building are locked to the general public at 10pm, and the housing
> team does not have any control over this.  They will also not post people at
> the front door, because due to variable flight schedules etc., they would
> basically be stuck there all night.
> 
> I'm afraid this means that people arriving after 10pm *do* have to call to
> get in.  And you'll want to call upon arrival /on campus/, not from the
> airport, so that they can come to the door and let you in.

I think this logic is backwards.  Because there may be variable flight
schedules, traffic, etc., there will certainly be conference attendees
who arrive after 10pm, so there needs to be some way for them to
check-in after hours.

I've stayed at small hotels that require you to be buzzed in at the
front door at night, even if you're already checked in and have a
keycard.  This is a reasonable security measure, *provided* there's some
sort of callbox / intercom system to easily let people in.

Based on the original email from PSU (and a follow-up email that says I
must call a different phone number in order to be let in) and looking at
the floor plan for the building:

http://www.pdx.edu/floorplans/sites/www.pdx.edu.floorplans/files/floorplans/floorplans/BHB_f1371248782.pdf

it sounds like they may not have such a system, and that you have to
somehow gain access to the building and make your way to a campus
housing office on the second floor.  In that case, it's not reasonable
to expect conference attendees to have a working, charged phone and
working cell phone service or to be able to accurately predict exactly
when they'll arrive, in order to be let into the building.

I think it's quite reasonable to require the venue to have an
after-hours attendant at the front door.  Better to inconvenience a few
campus housing employees than to risk having conference attendees stuck
out on the street all night.

-- 
Robert Edmonds
edmonds@debian.org