Shedding Some Light

We’re excited to offer you Virtual Fox Fest 2021 (October), a three-day online conference presenting the latest in Microsoft Visual FoxPro development techniques and interoperability with other technologies. This conference provides a venue for VFP developers to come together virtually to learn more about how our fellow developers are using and extending VFP. For details about Virtual Fox Fest, please see https://virtualfoxfest.com.

The conference is going to be on October 14th, 20th, and 26th, 2021.

We’ve issued the Call for Speakers for Virtual Fox Fest. If you are interested in presenting, please read the document referenced in that page and consider submitting sessions.

White Light Computing is once again a Platinum Sponsor for this event.

Only 146 days until we gather virtually over the Internet.

We’re glad so many have already registered for the May 6th Virtual Fox Fest. We still have room for many more.

If you’re planning to attend, please register sooner rather than later. Our hard working registration staff (Rick) is an organizer, and has a full-time job and then some working on customer projects. If too many of you wait until the week of the conference to register, some people may not get the credentials in time to see the first session on May 6th. It literally takes minutes for you to register, but it takes us longer to process your registration.

We don’t want you to miss all the details about the conference we’ll be sharing over the next couple of weeks. We want you to have a chance to read the white papers and download the examples once we release them before the conference starts. We’d hate to see you miss the opportunity to get a head start on all the goodies. Go get registered! Now, really, don’t waste another minute. Here is the link: http://geekgatherings.com/Registration

Virtual Fox Fest is May 6th, 2021! Conference website: https://virtualfoxfest.com/

Only 24 days until we gather virtually via the Internet! Again, don’t forget to register ASAP!

We have 11 quick questions to help us plan future Virtual Fox Fest conferences. We would really appreciate your input:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F8ZLX9J

Happy Holidays and wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2021 to all.

Here are some follow-up notes about Virtual Fox Fest 2020, the first but likely not the last online event hosted by Geek Gatherings:

• Videos for all presentations are now available on YouTube for free to everyone, as our contribution to the VFP community. Be sure to subscribe to our channel.
• If you want materials (white papers and sample code) for the presentations, go to  https://geekgatherings.com/Registration and “register” for the conference. You’re not really registering since it’s over, but in the Registration Fees section of the registration page, you’ll see “Virtual Fox Fest 2020 Session Materials (download)”. The cost of the materials is $49. There’s also an opportunity to sponsor Virtual Fox Fest, which means your name will be listed on our Sponsors page.
• We’re planning on doing a survey soon. It’ll be sent to all attendees but if you want to participate so you can help shape future events, email info@geekgatherings.com and ask to be included.
• We have tentative dates for an in-person Southwest Fox conference next year: October 14-17, 2021, at the same location as previous years: the SanTan Conference Center in Gilbert, Arizona. At this point, we don’t know whether we’ll be able to have an in-person event, but hope springs eternal!
• If you didn’t attend Virtual Fox Fest, check out our Facebook page and see what you missed, then plan to attend a future one so you can join in the fun.

On a personal note, I found the Virtual Fox Fest exceeded my expectation on every front. It ran smooth, no show-stopping technical glitches, and the people who attended interacted just like when we are in-person with the exception of handshakes and hugs. I still walked away exhausted and energized at the same time. I’m looking forward to the next event, no matter where it is hosted and how we get together.

But the number of days is dwindling to do so. Our thanks to all those who responded to our plea not to wait for the last minute. Here’s a reminder in case you got busy and forgot…

Virtual Fox Fest starts next week and is held October 15, 21, and 27, 2020! Get registered today! http://geekgatherings.com/Registration

Get Your Geekwear

Order your Virtual Fox Fest gear from https://geekgatherings.logosoftwear.com/. Choose from the options shown or create your own unique Virtual Fox Fest-wear.

To choose your favorite color instead of ours, click the item you want and on that item’s page, click Customize This Product. On the page that opens, click Product & Color and choose the color you want.

To create custom items, click any item. On the page that appears, click Customize This Product. On the page that appears, click Product & Color and then click Change Product. You can select from all items offered by Logo Sportswear.

If you want the VFF logo printed, be sure to start with one of the t-shirts. If you want the logo embroidered, start with anything other than one of the t-shirts.

Once your VFF gear arrives, post your pictures on social media with the hashtag #VirtualFoxFest, so we can see them.

Only 7 days until we gather virtually via the Internet! We look forward to seeing everyone soon.

We’re pleased to announce GeekWear by Geek Gatherings. Order your Virtual Fox Fest gear from the options shown or create your own unique VFFwear.

Unfortunately, because of family matters, Cathy Pountney had to withdraw from presenting this year. Fortunately, John Ryan offered to present “Visual FoxPro Advanced and VFP C++ Compiler: a New Lease of Life for VFP”.

Registration is open, get signed up today! Only 36 days until we gather virtually via the Internet!

Registration for Southwest Fox is now available. See the Speakers page for a list of speakers and Sessions page for a list of sessions. Super-Saver Registration, which saves you $125, is available only through June 30th, so don’t wait. We also let you pick a free pre-con if you register by June 30th.

Putting on a conference is a risky endeavor. Conference centers require a guaranteed minimum income to block the dates of a conference; for a conference like Southwest Fox, that minimum is in the tens of thousands of dollars. We have to commit to the conference center by July 2nd and need your support by July 1st to make that commitment. We will not send out any “We need your help” appeals so please do not wait; register by June 30th! We know most of you like to wait until the last minute to avoid the credit card bill arriving too soon. We will not charge any attendee credit cards or cash any checks until we have committed to going forward (sometime after July 2), so this is not is a reason to wait.

Besides being an organizer, two of my companies are sponsoring the conference. White Light Computing is a Platinum Sponsor this year. CleverFox Backup from Forward Thinking Software is a Gold Sponsor this year.

Doug, Tamar, and I look forward to seeing you in October!

Only 139 days until we gather in Gilbert!

Speakers and sessions have been announced. Registration opens soon; send an email to info@geekgatherings.com if you want us to email you when it’s ready.

And it is true, I am not speaking this year. Doug and Tamar told me to take a year off to maintain my sanity. Actually, it was me who is taking the year off to maintain my sanity. Thanks for understanding. The session list looks really good, and the speakers are the best around this year. I hope you will agree.

Only 170 days until we gather in Gilbert.