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

[Alexander Latzko]

Crawling out from under my rock, and catching up on email finally.

We know what the real budget numbers are for CR80 plastic badges, and 
they're less than what we're currently budgeted for.   They're quick to 
manufacture, people like them and they turn into good souvineers.   

Possibly the two slowest forms of badging that I've run into that don't 
involve posing for a picture and fingerprints (that was the Olympics) were:
    - print on a p-touch, then heat seal to a paper badge ( Norwescon 
several years back)
    - fully laminated paper badges.  Not only did we have to wait for 
the badge to print, but then we had to wait while the laminator did its 
thing.

Can we put this to bed and keep going.
alex


Dave Belfer-Shevett wrote:

>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
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