[AG-TECH] AG Demo Experiences

[Marty Hoag]

   We've been asked to demonstrate the Access Grid here for a bunch of
high school science fair participants.  However, we'll probably have
each group for only 10-15 minutes and probably want to mention a few
other things we do at the time.  This is basically a recruiting
initiative so the idea is to wow more than train.  ;-)  There would
probably be several groups over the two hour tour time but I don't have
details yet. 

   I hate to tie up someone remotely for two hours just to say "hi" to
each group and since we don't have an automated demo room that responds
automatically with "hi" I'm trying to figure out the best way to do this
(hmmm - remember the old text based psychoanalysis programs or ELIZA by
Joseph Weizenbaum of MIT?  I suppose there are a lot more modern
analogs).

   A couple options came to mind but I wondered what has worked (or not)
for others.

1.  Just sit in the lobby with a local PPT with our points that we can
go through.  Hope for or arrange for some interesting video shots (when
in North Dakota ARSC and Maui outside shots come to mind! ;-).  Upside
is that we don't have to bug anyone else, the downside is they wouldn't
get to hear the cool audio.  ;-)  Of course maybe someone could leave
some sort of audio going which we'd mute except when we wanted to let
them hear it...

2.  Arrange with some external sites to stand by and be ready to talk to
us on demand.  We've done this and know it can be rather boring waiting
for the next tour group but there are one or two sites we've done this
for so if turn about is fair play...  ;-)  I guess we could use the
lobby if we want to only use one or two remote sites and still have
video up or "get a room" (VV wise) so we will be alone and not bug
others.

3.  I've wondered about using a voyager playback in a reserved room so
we could just turn the incoming audio on and off to fit the program. 
Sort of a "voyeuristic" demo (hey, is that where you got the voyager
name?).  You'd have content this way but I have no idea if this can be
done (i.e. are there well synced "stock" recordings that can be
replayed, voyager availability, etc.). 

   Any other suggestions?