Your Hosts

Contact: Mark Webb
(Please include “DUG” in the subject line of any correspondence)

This years DUG will feature some very exciting surprises along with the opportunity to share your knowledge and present the Digistar projects you’ve been working on. The registration fee for DUG is $75US. Evans & Sutherland and Bowen Technovation are generously contributing as sponsors to help ensure that this year’s DUG Meeting is interesting, informative, and fun!

To make this year’s meeting even better please consider presenting a paper or dome demonstration. Send a brief description of what you would like to present and your contact information to adlerpresentations@gmail.com. The conference hosts will get back to you with instructions. Please submit your descriptions before June 1, 2008. After June 1 the DUG Meeting schedule will be finalized. Don’t miss the deadline!

Unfortunately we will not have access to a DII system this year, but Evans & Sutherland has agreed to help convert DII submissions to D3 for the meeting.

On June 24 at 4:00 PM there will be a Standards Committee meeting at the Adler.

The DUG Meeting kicks off on the evening of June 24 with an opening reception at the Adler Planetarium. An evening filled with food, drink, dome presentations, and more!

The following day, June 25, starts with the Business Meeting and continues with the Feature Request Forum, a Scientific Visualization demonstration by Adler astronomer, Dr. Mark SubbaRao, paper presentations by DUG members and, of course, Digistar demos under the dome!

On Thursday June 26 we will convene early at the Adler (8:15 AM) so that we can return to the theater for a presentation by E & S that should prove to be interesting.

We’ll also see a workshop presented by Bowen Technovation of their latest innovative products and services. There will be plenty of opportunities to share information, show off the hard work you’ve been doing all year, and engage in Digistar camaraderie that can’t be done anywhere but DUG.

We encourage attendees to bring a door prize. We also want to invite everyone to stay for this year’s 2008 IPS Conference, which will immediately follow the DUG Meeting. If you are already in Chicago then you might as well stay for IPS!

Your $75 DUG registration fee will include transportation to and from the hotel during the meeting, breakfast and lunch both days, the Opening Reception and all conference activities.

We have a couple of optional activities planned as well:
Dinner is on your own June 25, but we will provide transportation to Chicago’s famous Gino’s East Pizzeria. This is the real thing - all other pizzas that claim to be “Chicago Style” stand in the shadow of this Chicago original.

On June 26, after the DUG meeting adjourns, we will head off for an evening at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The Pier has restaurants, bars, a giant Ferris wheel (an exact replica of the world’s first), miniature golf, 3D Imax, music, performances, and more. Admission to the Pier and some activities are free, but most are pay as you go.

And on June 27 we have planned a trip to Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry. This optional trip falls right in between DUG and IPS. This museum is a Chicago favorite and has many new exhibits and features that have been added recently. A $20 fee for this excursion includes transportation to and from the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel and museum admission.

We’ll return to the Hyatt around 4:00 PM, in time to pick up your IPS Conference materials and head back to the Adler for the IPS Opening Reception! (Aren’t you tired yet?)

Sponsors

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Your conference registration fee includes transportation to and from the hotel during the DUG meeting, breakfast and lunch on both days, the Opening Reception, and all conference activities. Note that there are some optional activities which are not included.

2008 Registration Forms: (pdf) and (doc)

Annual DUG Dues (Currently $20US for individuals or organizations) are often paid in addition to the Registration Fee. According to the DUG Charter, the membership term coincides with the US Calendar year, beginning on January 1st and ending on December 31st. If you have any questions about your current membership status, when you last paid dues, etc., please contact the DUG Treasurer, Ron Stinson. Any membership dues included with your DUG registration will be handed over to the DUG Treasurer at the meeting.

Lodging:

We encourage DUG attendees to stay at the

The Best Western is located at 1100 S. Michigan Ave. and is the closest hotel to the Adler Planetarium. The DUG Conference hosts will be providing transportation to and from the Best Western for all DUG related activities. It is also a pleasant 20-minute walk through Grant Park to reach the Adler Planetarium from the hotel.

The Best Western is providing DUG with a discount rate of $165 + tax per night single or double occupancy, $175 + tax per night for triple or quad occupancy. The hotel is holding 40 rooms for DUG attendees at these rates. In order to take advantage of the DUG discount rate you must do two things:

1. Reservations must be made by May 24th. There is no guarantee that rooms will be available at the DUG rate after that date.
2. You have to call the hotel directly to receive this rate. (Standard and toll-free telephone numbers above) The rate is not available through the Best Western website nor the Best Western Toll Free phone number. The DUG rate has been negotiated directly with the hotel and not with the Best Western chain. Please tell them that you are with the Digistar Users Group or the “DUG” room block to receive the special rate.

And don’t forget – Make your reservations before May 24!

Unfortunately the Hyatt has informed us that they are not taking additional reservations for June 24, 25, and 26 at the IPS rate. However you can still get the IPS discount rate for the IPS conference June 27 through July 2.

Chicago is serviced by two major metropolitan airports: O'Hare and Midway. All major international and US carriers are represented.

There are several options when traveling from the airports to the conference hotel (Best Western Grant Park):

• Airport Shuttle Vans
  • GO Airport Express - O'Hare and Midway
  • Operates 06:00 to 23:30 (22:30 from Midway)
  • Shuttles depart approximately every 10-15 minutes
  • Shuttle departures are located outside baggage claim
    • O'Hare Doors 1E, 2D, and 3E
    • Midway - Door 3, Lower Level
  • Return fare is approximately $49US (see website for other fare options and group/pair rates)
  • Toll free reservations and information: +1 888-284-3826
  • Reservations are not required when traveling from the airports to downtown. Return reservations are required.
  • Credit/Debit cards are accepted at airport kiosks, drivers accept cash
  • Travel time between the airports and downtown can take up to 1 hour!
• CTA/Metra Trains
  Chicago Mass transit trains run 24 hours a day, trains leave every few minutes. Chicago Mass Transit is safe and (mostly) clean. Tickets are available at any station. The tickets are electronic and you can load them with one fare or multiple fares, up to any amount. You can not refund unused fares back into cash.
  • O'Hare serviced by Blue line trains
    • Approximate fare: $2 US
    • Approximate travel time from O'Hare to Best Western: 50 minutes
      • At O'Hare follow signs for Mass Transit or train symbol
      • Tickets are available at the station
      • All trains leaving O'Hare are BLUE LINE trains
      • Exit the BLUE LINE train at the JACKSON Station
      • at JACKSON take the underground transfer tunnel to the RED LINE
      • Take the RED LINE south (95th/Dan Ryan) and exit two stops later at ROOSEVELT Station
      • The Best Western Grant Park is at 1100 S. Michigan Ave., 1 block North and two blocks east of ROOSEVELT Station
  • Midway Airport serviced by Orange line trains
    • Approiximate fare: $2 US
    • Approximate travel time from Midway to Best Western Grant Park: 35 minutes
      • Follow signs for CTA Trains / Mass Transit - it is a long walk to the CTA station- 10 to 15 minutes
      • tickets are available at the train station
      • All trains leaving Midway are ORANGE LINE trains
      • Exit the ORANGE LINE train at the ROOSEVELT Station
      • The Best Western Grant Park is at 1100 S. Michigan Ave. - 1 block North and two blocks East of ROOSEVELT Station
  • RTA Website
• Taxi
  • There are several taxi companies that operate out of both O'Hare and Midway
  • You can find a list of taxi company phone numbers on the airport websites
  • Expect to spend $40-$50US from O'Hare to the Best Western Grant Park, $30US from Midway

Please check the IPS 2008 website for potential air travel discounts offered by United Airlines.

Driving from Midway Airport (12 Mi, 19 km) Driving Directions

Downtown Chicago & Hyatt (IPS 2008 Conference Hotel)

Submitting via the DUG Library:
Of course the DUG FTP site is the preferred method to transmit demos and library entries. Please follow up any FTP submissions with an email to both Karen Klamczynski and Mark Webb so they know to look for them. Also, please be sure to let them know whether you want the submission entered as a demo only or for submission to the DUG Library and eligible for an award.
FTP site name: ftp.es.com
login: usrgroup

Please check back for information regarding DII demos.

Submitting via Post for D3:
Mark Webb
Adler Planetarium
1300 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605
USA
+1 312 322 0826

When submitting D3 demos, USB and Firewire portable hard drives are preferred.

Please make your best effort to have all demo materials in Chicago by June 6! Please do not plan on hand carrying demos to the meeting!

(Available systems information pending)

  Tuesday, June 24	
	4:00 PM - Standards Committee Meeting at the Adler Planetarium
	
	6:30 PM - Opening Reception at the Adler Planetarium (reception closes at 10:00 PM)
			Come join us at the Adler Planetarium for food, beverages, a behind the scenes tour
			of the Adler Planetarium including our new Space Visualization Laboratory.
			Be the first to see previews of upcoming Adler fulldome productions!
 

  Wednesday, June 25		
	8:45 AM - Continental breakfast at Adler Planetarium 

	9:00 AM - Welcome remarks, Business Meeting (Universe Theater)
	
	12:00 PM - Lunch (Universe Theater Lobby and/or Theater)

	 1:15 PM - Business Meeting continues (as needed) followed by Feature Request Forum

	 2:30 PM - Adler presentation: Techniques for scientific visualization in fulldome and 3D

	 3:15 PM - DUG Attendee presentations in the Universe Theater 
			This session is for presentations that do not require the dome or D3 system.
			If this presentation time is not needed then the group will join the public for shows in the theater at 4:00 & 4:45

	 5:45 PM - Leave for dinner at Gino’s East Chicago Pizzeria
				
	 8:00 PM - Return to the Adler for DUG attendee D3 demos and dome presentations
			(Note –at this year's DUG meeting DII demos will need to be converted to D3)
				
	10:30 PM - Return to hotel
 

Thursday, June 26
	 8:00 AM - Continental breakfast at Adler Planetarium (Fulldome Theater Lobby)

	 8:45 AM - E & S dome presentation and special announcements

	10:30 AM - Bowen Technovation workshop (Universe Theater)

	12:00 PM - Lunch (Universe Theater Lobby and/or Theater)

	 1:15 PM - E & S workshops (Universe Theater)

	 3:15 PM - IPS sneak preview, door prizes, 

	 5:00 PM - Return to hotel or - Optional trip to Chicago’s Navy Pier 
			Admission is free but all activities at the Pier are pay as you go and not included in the conference fee


Friday, June 27
	10:00 AM - Optional post-meeting tour (separate fee) to Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry 
		     Transportation and Museum admission included 				
	
	 4:00 PM - Return to hotel, IPS registration is open

	 5:30 PM - Transportation leaves Hyatt Regency McCormick Place for IPS reception at Adler