[ST] ways to produce paper badges one at a time ...

[Dave Belfer-Shevett]

Rick Kovalcik wrote:
> While credit card style badges clearly have some advantages over flimsy
> paper badges, I just wanted to point out that there is at least one way
> to produce paper badges one at a time.   And laminating the paper stock
> goes a long way to making them less flimsy.

To me this is trying to find a problem to fit a given solution.  Yes, 
it's possible to engineer a situation where this solution would be 
appropriate, the question is "Why?"  Cost?  No, we've shown that the 
CR80 badges are as cost effective as paper.  Time?  The process 
described here is far slower than anything we're currently doing.  Staff 
requirements?  We can run registration with 4 people, depending on the 
number of at-con registrations.

If there is a legitimate reason to go back to using paper badges, I'll 
happily talk about it, but to me there is no win to it, and a volume of 
losses.

Everything mentioned here is sacrificing efficiency and professionalism, 
not to mention incurring additional cost.  You lose professionalism and 
style, and all you gain is complexity and hassle.

> First you can pre-print all the paper badges for preregistered people. 
> (Laminate them.)   If it works for WorldCon, it should work for Arisia
> which is roughly 1/2 the size of WorldCon.   I'm sure we're not saying
> that WorldCon Smofs are better at alphabetization that Arisia Staff?  
> In fact, I'd say that registration lines at the Boston WorldCon where
> the same as or shorter than the average Arisia registration line.

I did not attend WorldCon, I cannot comment.  How large was the worldcon 
registration staff?  (And I mean number of people manning the 
registration desk).  Comparing the two events is difficult as I did not 
attend WorldCon, and I cannot comment on factors such as database 
viability (when did people check in, what is our current show / noshows, 
etc - a preprint system loses these options), and there's no data on 
wait times in the lines.  A short line of 20 people that is processing 
people once a minute is a lot slower than a long line of 50 people that 
are processing a person every 10 seconds.

> Second you take a swag at how many walk-ins you will have.  This will be
> pretty easy this year since we are going to sell out at 2000 or 2250 or
> some number like that.   Produce <membership cap> - <preregistered> +
> 10% extra badge blanks.   (Laminate them.)
> 
> Next you get a Dymo Label Printer which is capable of printing labels
> one at a time.  When someone registers at the con, you print a label (on
> clear stock) as slap it on the prelaminated badge.  

These label printers are NOT pleasant to work with, and are expensive to 
operate.  I ran an event where we had 2700 attendees all required a 
label print on every badge, and it was a nightmare.

> Yes, maybe it doesn't look exactly as spiffy as the Arisia Badges but it
> comes close.   And, yes, maybe there is more work upfront to produce the
> badges, but once again if WorldCon can do it why can't Arisia.

I'm still looking for a -reason- to do this.  It's also possible to 
carve our names on rocks and have everyone wear one around their neck, 
the question is why.

	-db