Aral Balkan

I don't know what the deal is with Flash Europe but there appears at best to be some serious lack of organization going on.

Peter Elst, who blogged earlier about not being able to reach the organizers [Warning: Really nasty comment spam alert], just contacted me to ask whether I had had any luck in contacting them myself. Alas, I have not. We've emailed nearly every email address on their site to confirm our new accommodation arrangements (the conference was postponed at the last minute last year from November 2004 to March 2005.) Just recently, I was able to contact Harold, who has in the past been in touch with me but I was told in a hurried conversation that he was "in Germany" and could he please call me back? This was last week.

I wouldn't normally blog about something that is a private and/or business affair but this concerns a far greater number of people: Those of you who have bought tickets to attend to see me and the other speakers present.

What prompted Peter's latest email was a comment from Nathan Moody on his blog. He writes: "Anyway, I wanted to comment because I paid for my registration, got NO confirmation, and I am now finding that registration@flasheurope.com is being BOUNCED from a host called uvision.net."

Owen has also had no luck contacting them recently and the web site has not been updated in quite a while (Peter Hall told me recently that he had informed them that he could not make it in November and his name is still listed in the speakers list.) Also, the old dates are still up at the FlashEurope.org site.

The fact that none of the speakers I know have been able to contact them is frightening. To echo Nathan's sentiments: this really doesn't smell good at all!

Comments

• Hi Aral,
  
  There are too many things in this event that makes me bother about it. Since the first time I was contacted by Harold there was some "strange" things. But I tried always to be positive and think about the great effort that a project like this takes to people involved in it.
  
  As you say, I didn't want to comment anything about it but there are too many things not going well with this festival, and is time to talk about it.
  
  Related to organization stuff...well, I send my bio and lecture summary in July and it never was published (they never update his site).
  
  I always miss some things like simultaneous translation (never offered to speakers) or the strange expenses policy applied to some speakers that makes the whole conference a less reliable event.
  
  I think Harold or others at Flasheurope must inform to all what is happend. A lot of people have spend money in their plane tickets and hotel reservation. This days the FlashEurope blog must speak about what's happen in order to people (audience, speakers, etc...) know what to do about it.
  

  by Carlos Rovira on 2005-01-20 05:57:40

• Hi guys,
  
  I was going to buy my tickets some months ago, but after seeing how things are goin, I preffered to wait a little more. I'd like to see a happy end in this story, as it's nice to have such an event in my city.
  
  As I live in Barcelona, I'll try to get to their offices (in the address shown at their site ) and whether there's someone there or not. I'll let you know.
  
  Daniel

  by Daniel Aguilar on 2005-01-20 06:43:40

• Hi Daniel,
  
  Thanks -- looking forward to your update! :)

  by Aral Balkan on 2005-01-20 07:04:48

• Hey Dani!
  
  That would be great!...nothing better like be in the city to get the lastest news from the source ;)

  by Carlos Rovira on 2005-01-20 07:40:55

• Hi Aral and fellow Flash developers,
  
  After not having heard from FlashEurope for two weeks now, I do start feeling that I made a big mistake by registering as an attendee. The person I had contact with was the guy called Udo. He confirmed he received my payment, however after that -nothing. I am wondering if anyone could help me with any contact information for these people or any ideas as to how to get money back from them. registration@flasheurope.com does bounce as well as several other email addresses listed on their website.

  by Igor Volk on 2005-01-24 07:03:48

• the same for us... we registered 6 weeks ago but never got an answer... i was also in contact with Udo. i think i will try to contact http://www.906090-design.com/ in germany. they made the website for them. perhaps they know the people behind?! we have to get the money back...

  by dCTRL on 2005-01-24 10:09:39

• I have tried calling them, and already emailed http://www.906090-design.com/ but so far to no avail. Does anyone know these people personally? What are the chances that this is not a genuine conference but some kind of hoax? Aral, at the last MMUG meeting I think you mentioned they gave money back when the conference was postponed in November, is that right?

  by Igor Volk on 2005-01-25 08:19:31

• Hi Igor,
  
  I am not 100% sure whether or not they gave refunds in November. I *heard* that some people were compensated for certain things. Niqui mentioned that they offered people a second ticket.

  by Aral Balkan on 2005-01-25 09:25:36

• I have spoken to the New Scotland Yard today and recon everyone who paid them should report what happened to their local police authorities. I have already done that. The guys have clearly taken our money and disappeared. The more cases we get on board - the better, but I would like to ask others what they think about this strategy.

  by Igor Volk on 2005-01-25 12:51:53

• I registered and sent money 10 days ago. Prior to my registration, Udo answered an email. Just a couple of days after that, registration@flasheurope.com bounced. No confirmation of payment. I also bought my flight ticket. Since I read about the conference on the blog of one of the speakers (respectable flash community guy), I didn't think it might be a hoax at all. How many of you are in the same situation? ..and are you still going to Barcelona?

  by martin on 2005-01-25 18:24:05

• hello all. I would just like to say that although your concerns are warranted - there is no need to contact scotland yard or authorities. ; )
  
  I too am scheduled as a speaker and since that time have relocated to Barcelona. I have spoken to Harold and noone is getting screwed. I won't go into all the details, but I think part of the issue is the lack of connectedness with the community since the promoters do not come from the flash world.
  
  I put together the programs for the first 2 FlashInTheCans and have been to my share of Flash events. I am now coming on board and working to make this event the best I can. I saw these posts and had to do something just based on the negative energy.l think this event coud possibly be one of the best conferences yet. So please - I will have more news this week we are working on some things and I am busting ass to get things going - speakers mail list and confirmed information.
  
  I feel where you are coming from - I felt the same way - but I am now working with Harold to ensure this thing goes off brilliantly.
  I will add more info as I get it. It is NOT a hoax and noone will get ripped off. Things need to be done right and I am lending a hand to ensure they do.
  
  
  

  by Craig Swann on 2005-01-25 22:20:02

• Hi Craigh,
  
  thanks for coming and spoting some light on this subject. Though I'm afraid most people won't be very receptive due to the amount of time without any communication from FE's organization, it's nice to finally have someone who people can talk to.
  
  Regards,
  Daniel

  by Daniel Aguilar on 2005-01-26 05:09:31

• Oups! sorry for the typo in your name, you're obviously Craig, not Craigh. ;)

  by Daniel Aguilar on 2005-01-26 05:11:39

• Thanks a lot for getting in touch Craig. Still I wonder why it should take mentioning police for FlashEurope to finally start communicating with the attending community. Is it possible to get a confirmation from FE asap because without it I won't be ale to get a visa to travel to Barcelona?

  by Igor Volk on 2005-01-26 06:59:32

• Well Igor - for starters I do not *represent* FE officially I am merely stepping in to assist and make it the conference it could, should and will be.
  
  I am communicating with the community because I am part of the community. I am also not posting because of any police action - I saw this thread last week and met over the weekend to see how I could help get all of this straightened out. I've only been on the case a few days! It was cooincidence that there was a post about Scotland yard when I came here to let you all know that it is not dead - and certainly not a scam.
  
  I hope to have some further information later this week. I am going to have to get in touch with speakers and confirm details, etc. There is a new site to launch and we would like details to be cemented when it launches so that there are no further misconceptions or misunderstandings.
  
  I hope you all will bear with me - I am not the organizer merely acting as a Program Director to try and best put together a schedule that reflects the talent of the speakers as well as accomodates attendees in the best way. I've got a lot of work ahead of me and I am doing this merely for the love of community and to see a successful Flash conference in Europe take place.
  
  peace

  by Anonymous on 2005-01-26 11:38:23

• Hi Craig,
  
  Thanks for stepping in -- as I have said many times before, I do hope that FlashEurope will go ahead and be a great success.
  
  So far, however, the organizational troubles go far beyond "lack of connectedness with the community". Changing the date so close to the conference last year, having the registration email bounce and not responding to speaker's emails for over a month are simply signs of bad organization.
  
  Best of luck with everything.

  by Aral Balkan on 2005-01-26 14:29:22

• Thanks again, Craig. Look forward to news from you, for so far it doesn't seem likely we are gonna get it from anyone else.
  
  I have also got a reply from Judith Herder from http://www.906090-design.com/ who said she will forward my email to Harold Polo's address not listed on the FE's site.

  by Igor Volk on 2005-01-27 06:34:40

• Hi guys
  
  What's the latest with this Flash Europe debacle?
  
  I'm meant to be attending in March, however, haven't heard anything from Udo, or anyone else etc etc.
  
  

  by Joe on 2005-02-09 15:42:38

• has anyone looked at the flasheurope site recently? There is a new flash front end thingy going on, but the biggest change that caught my eye was the date in the top right-hand corner. June? This better not be another reschedule, i've just bought plane tickets...
  
  anyone got more info?
  
  
  Rob

  by robnet on 2005-02-15 20:39:03

• Ow Man! At last something that looks like an update, but JUNE?!?! I already booked my damn plane tickets as well!! This really pisses me off!

  by Preset on 2005-02-16 14:17:09

• [...] read other people's experiences, read the comments here, [...]

  by Flash Ant: Flash and Rich Internet Applications (RIA) Blog . :: The sorry end of FlashEurope on 2005-04-21 05:27:53

• How can i contact you mr Alkan ?

  by yasam on 2008-08-18 16:38:40