Re: [Debconf-team] Cancellation policy
On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 09:23:19AM +0200, Holger Levsen wrote:
> full ack. Also with what Gunnar said:
>
> On Freitag, 3. August 2012, Gunnar Wolf wrote:
> > [...] Until we get a flow of cancellations big enough to worry
> > (and I trust we won't!), I'd say the best policy is not to have one.
>
> Yup.
This was my first thought too. From following money/registrations
since DC9, I don't ever recall this being an issue (or remember an
instance of someone asking for a refund, maybe I forget or didn't
know). This is because attendees care about DebConf, and DebConf
cares about attendees. Also we don't ask for money until very late,
people decide not to go before then. Historically, we have
significant problems managing our registrations anyway.
If DebConf got big enough that we needed a cancellation policy because
we and attendees aren't looking out for each other anymore, we would
have *much* bigger problems, and we'd be dead so many times over due
to our own weight (IMHO).
So, my past inclination has been to not get too leagalese about it,
but I like the policy someone suggested already: cancellations =
donations.
Speaking from a registration/finance perspective, we could offer
refunds if a) we aren't locked in yet (usually pretty late in the
game) b) it doesn't require extra work on our part (usually late-ish
in the game). If allowing refunds means more people choose to pay, it
could be worth it. """In general, refunds of DebConf fees are not
possible and will be considered donations to DebConf and Debian.
However, refunds may be considered only if arrangements for your
attendance have not already been made, the date of which can not be
predicted (so assume no refunds).""" But I think that is too complex
to be worth writing on our website.
- Richard
p.s. the original thread was about cancellations, which morphed into
refunds, but refunds are the only practical effect of cancellation,
and that only affects a few people. Sponsored people not attending is
the other case, which we deal with through "no sponsorship future
years".
--
| Richard Darst - rkd@ - pyke: up 128 days, 4:25
| http://rkd.zgib.net - pgp 0xBD356740
| "Ye shall know the truth and -- the truth shall make you free"
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