NI week questions

[calico]

I have never been to NI week, so I have to ask some potentially silly questions. What exactly is the conference section of NI week? Is it worth it for someone that doesn't know much about Labview? Here are the registration choices I am looking at:

Full Conference: Includes three-day conference and exhibition admission, meals, exhibition receptions, and evening events.

Expo Plus Pass: Includes access to keynotes and exhibition hall plus all meals, receptions, and evening events.

Exhibition Pass: Includes access to keynotes and exhibition hall only.

The Full Conference pass is about $900 more than the Expo Plus Pass, so I need to think wisely on if I should get access to the conference. I'm guessing it is a lot of info sessions. I can attend all three days. Would I need all three days if I were to get the Expo or Exhibition pass (i.e. are there enough keynotes and exhibition booths to keep me from being bored)? Are the receptions and evening events worth the extra $300? Networking is great, but as far as I know at the moment, I would be casually networking.

If it helps, my goals are to learn more about Labview from the perspective of someone having a couple months of experience with it as well as learn how Labview goes from prototype to production level. I will not need to personally develop anything that goes into production, though I will need Labview for prototyping and testing. Any advice on choosing the right pass would be greatly welcomed!

*Just saw that there's a Sessions Only pass on the Preliminary NI week program (includes sessions, keynotes, etc. but no conference). So now I am further confused on what the actual conference is!

Edited April 13, 2011 by calico

[Grampa_of_Oliva_n_Eden]

I have never been to NI week, so I have to ask some potentially silly questions. What exactly is the conference section of NI week? Is it worth it for someone that doesn't know much about Labview? Here are the registration choices I am looking at:

Full Conference: Includes three-day conference and exhibition admission, meals, exhibition receptions, and evening events.

Expo Plus Pass: Includes access to keynotes and exhibition hall plus all meals, receptions, and evening events.

Exhibition Pass: Includes access to keynotes and exhibition hall only.

The Full Conference pass is about $900 more than the Expo Plus Pass, so I need to think wisely on if I should get access to the conference. I'm guessing it is a lot of info sessions. I can attend all three days. Would I need all three days if I were to get the Expo or Exhibition pass (i.e. are there enough keynotes and exhibition booths to keep me from being bored)? Are the receptions and evening events worth the extra $300? Networking is great, but as far as I know at the moment, I would be casually networking.

If it helps, my goals are to learn more about Labview from the perspective of someone having a couple months of experience with it as well as learn how Labview goes from prototype to production level. I will not need to personally develop anything that goes into production, though I will need Labview for prototyping and testing. Any advice on choosing the right pass would be greatly welcomed!

*Just saw that there's a Sessions Only pass on the Preliminary NI week program (includes sessions, keynotes, etc. but no conference). So now I am further confused on what the actual conference is!

You will probalby interested in the various sessions and hands-on stuff. You can only get that with the Full.

Lacking that you wil sit through a lot of sales pitches, eat well and party well and wander around in the convention center.

Ben

[Wire Warrior]

The conference sessions are really worth going to, at least last year I learned a lot. It was my first year. I would recommend the Full.

Jason

[crelf]

You'll definately want the sessions - that's where you'll learn stuff. The expo hall shows a bunch of NI technology, and there are a good number of alliance members and other vendors (cool if you're interested in NI-compatible companion products). The entertainment pass includes food during the week (I think you need the expo pass for this, as you need to walk through the expo to get to the dining area) as well as the evening functions (NI throws one hell of a party, let me tell you!) You might be able to do without the entertainment one, but you'll be lonely

And don't forget to get a ticket for the most important NI-Week event.

[Val Brown]

"When I makes tea I makes tea....when I makes water I makes water...." If you're going to go to NI Week then go for the Full. You'll kick yourself afterwards otherwise. Do the evening events, esp the LAVA BBQ!

[calico]

Thanks a bunch everyone. My choices are now narrowed down to Full Conference, Sessions Only, or just go next year after I have a better understanding of Labview (though the LAVA BBQ party sounds tempting enough on its own ). One main problem is that my company recently got into Labview, and we only have a vague idea on what we are going to do with it. I have one small project to do once our DAQ comes in (o-scope related), and a possible embedded systems project. Other than that, we are not sure. As much fun as NI week sounds, would it be more sensible to skip out and get the appropriate courses and materials from NI as we need them? The sessions listed in the preliminary packet are very appealing, but I have no idea right now if I will have an actual use for most of them. I know more education never hurts, but with the price tag for the conference, I need to make a sound decision.

Edited April 13, 2011 by calico

[Val Brown]

One of the best places to find out what LV is being used for, by whom and in what ways is by going to NI Week. Take back the range of experience you see and your company will thank you for starting them on this fascinating process. Yes, education is great but just doing the courses without seeing the breadth of use won't convey the real message.

[calico]

Excellent insight, thank you. I did more talking with my co-workers, and we're definitely set on going. We might choose between the Full, Sessions, and One Day depending on our individual schedules and needs. Hopefully one last question: What is the "Conference" without the sessions? Here's how NI describes the Sessions Only pass:

Sessions Only Pass: Includes access to keynotes, sessions, and expo booths only.

The Full says "conference" instead of sessions, so my guess is that the Sessions Only does not get you into any workshops (or any food, but that's clearly stated). Anyone know about this?