Re: Comdex 88 yatr

[Michael McClary <michael>]

LIKE the idea of using Xanadu to organize a comdex swoop, and letting them
see our deliberations, links, etc. as an example of how it can be used.
Any really internal stuff can be entered with limited read permission.

Put up a big disclaimer sign:

	The data on this system includes the real field notes of our
	personnel as they attend this conference.  Their evaluations
	of the products of other companies, especially those of our
	competition, may be WRONG.

	If you believe their notes are in error, especially if they
	unfairly malign your product, we invite you to annotate them
	with your corrections.

	If you make an error-correcting annotation about your own
	product, please ask one of us to quote it in his own notes.
	This will make it visible to readers who are looking only
	at Xanadu staff entries.

	We will give priority to assisting you in the following order:
	 - Our competition, when making annotations about their own product.
	 - Others, when making annotations about their own product.
	 - All others.

Make a few entries with quotations of limited-read-permission stuff,
so they can SEE that there are things they can't see.  Then let 'em play.

First thing they'll do is think "Gotta be fake."  So they look, and it's
got real notes.  So they think "What fools these Xan{ies,adudes,adoids}
be.  They're gonna let us see their real marketing strategy and/or let
some internals slip."  Then they hit a permission wall.

(Chuckle)

Of course the booth becomes jammed, as people realize they can "see"
more of the show by playing with our demo than by attending the show.
(THAT's what we're really selling:  Mind-amplification.)  Think of the
impression THOSE people will take home.

Now think of which people those will be:  The ones who can get the
vision.  High cross-membership with the ones who can be convinced
to want the product, yes?  And they just convinced themselves.  (So
if the show has already biased the crowd toward people who can order
it...)

	Am I dreaming?
	(And is it the right dream?)
	michael