Info - General Information about SIA 2008
About é
The City of San José spells its name with the accented é. This is not followed by everyone, but this site will try to use the proper spelling.
Getting to San José
By Air
Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) is served by over 350 flights per day from 13 different carriers. The Conference hotel, The Sainte Claire, is about 3 miles from the terminals and is a $15-17 cab ride, which may be cheaper if several travelers share. There is a free VTA (Valley Transit Authority) Shuttle, the SJC Airport Flyer, to the light rail Metro-Airport stop. Light rail runs directly by the hotel, the Convention Center stop. Light rail is $1.75 (the ticket machines for light rail can make change) and runs approximately every 10-12 minutes during the middle of the day on that segment. There are two desinations for light rail on that segment (Winchester and Santa Teresa), either one works to reach downtown. There are also airport shuttle services, some with advanced reservations capability.
Generally, it will not be necessary to rent a car for Conference activities, transportation will be provided. Public parking is available downtown, but is fairly expensive, around $18/day. The hotel has valet parking for $21 per day.
San Francisco (SFO) and Oakland (OAK) airports are within 45 miles. The popular web travel sites offer "any nearby airport" searchs for the lowest prices (e.g. QSF on expedia.com and others). Both SFO and OAK have various shuttles and car services to reach San José. (Cabs are rather expensive for that journey.) There are rather elaborate connections to BART and rail services from both airports, but be sure to work out schedule details in advance, as the rail services are infrequent during the day.
Every now and again somebody makes a mistake and confuses us with San José, Costa Rica. So, don't let a cheap fare to SJO or a discounted room at the Presidente lead you astray.
By Rail
San José Diridon Station is served by the Amtrak Coast Starlight (daily service between Los Angeles and Seattle) and the Caltrain (San José/San Francisco), and Capital Corridor (San José/Sacramento) trains. There is free downtown area shuttle service (DASH) and light rail and bus service to downtown.
By Car
US 101 (please don't call it "the 101", that is LIKE, SO TOTALLY Southern California!) is the major North/South highway through San José. The Convention Center Garage is across the street from The Sainte Claire. Daily rates are approximately $18. Hotel valet parking is $21. For the frugal, there is free parking at many light rail stations, though check the VTA web site as various stations are closed for upgrades, one way fares are $1.75. Parking in downtown is covered here. For the paper sessions on Saturday at SJSU, parking in downtown garages is free, 6 AM - 6 PM, but has a $2 charge after 6PM (long story, don't ask...) For real time traffic information go to http://www.511.org/home.asp
Weather
The weather in late May in San José should be lovely. May has an average high of 77F and an average low of 52F. There isn't much chance of rain. The Bay Area has many very different micro climates. Should you be going on the tours to Santa Cruz or Richmond, you should be prepared for lower temperatures (mid 60'sF) and wind. Similarly, if you plan to sample the wines of the Livermore Valley, be prepared for temperatures 10-20 degrees warmer than San José.
Gear
None of the planned tour visits require specialized clothing etc. If a hard hat and steel toes make you feel better, go for it, but they aren't really needed. With new baggage charges going into effect on some carriers, packing light is a good plan. Almost every tour includes places where open toed shoes, sandals etc. would be ill advised. Please bring/wear sensible shoes.
All the usual SIA Road Rules apply, above all stay safe!
Conference Hotel
A block of rooms has been reserved at The Sainte Claire, a Larkspur hotel, located at 302 S. Market St. in downtown San José. Mention Group Code GASN10 when making reservations at 866.870.0726 or 408.295.2000, or click for the on-line reservation form. Reservations at the Conference rate must be made by April 28, 2008. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and a member of the Historic Hotels of America program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the hotel has been lovingly restored, and offers all the most modern amenities. Click on the Virtual Tour button on the hotel home page to see panoramic images.
Dining
The lure of Silicon Valley has drawn people from around the world, bringing with them a rich panoply of cultures, shopping and FOOD! There are restaurants from a wide variety of cultures and at every possible price range within easy walking distance of the hotel. Go ahead, try something new!
Registration and Check-in
You may register for the Conference either on-line at http://www.siahq.org or by mail. On-line registration will open approximately one week after the brochure is mailed, and incur late fees after May 15. Due to changes to improve the security of credit card transactions at MTU, credit cards may only be used on-line. Other mechanisms (email, fax) cannot be processed. Children attending the Conference should register as Students. Registration for the full Conference (regular and student) includes: Thursday Early-Bird Tours, Thursday Opening Reception, Friday Tours, Saturday Paper Sessions, including the luncheon, and Sunday Stay-Over Tours. The Saturday Banquet is not included in the full Conference Registration, but is a separate option. We have provided a low cost option for those who want to attend only the Paper Sessions on Saturday, which includes the luncheon. This option does not include any tours, nor does it include the banquet. The on-line versions of the brochure and registration form have been updated.
On-site registration and Conference check in will be at The Sainte Claire near the main entrance, but the selection of tours will likely be limited. The check in/registration table will be open from 9:00AM to 5:00PM on Thursday, May 29 and from 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM on Friday. For special arrangements, such as Wednesday or Friday arrival, please contact the Conference, sia2008@knightsia.org as far in advance as possible.
Refunds and Adjustments
Requests for refunds must be made before May 15, 2008, as various pre-payments based on attendee counts must be made shortly after. Partial refunds or adjustments are not supported.
Opening Reception
The opening reception will be held at History San José, located in Kelley Park (Phelen and Senter Rds.) about three miles from the hotel. Shuttle buses will start at 5:30 PM, and begin returning at 8:00 PM, with a last run scheduled for 8:45 PM. The main parking lot gates will be locked about 6:00 PM, so DON'T PARK THERE! Parking is available within History San José, just keep clear of the trolley tracks, as the trolley will be operating.
There will be a light supper and a cash bar for beer and wine and free water and soft drinks in the Plaza. The venue doesn't lend itself to formal presentations, so only a few opening remarks will be made.
First time attendees are invited to meet the Board and others in the lobby of the Pacific Hotel on the Plaza at History San José starting at 5:30 PM. Please check the box on the registration form to let us know how many new friends we'll be meeting.
Tours
All tours on Thursday and Friday will depart from a location near The Sainte Claire. Your registration packet will have detailed directions. Schedules are fairly tight, and the buses cannot wait for stragglers. Be on time! Some of the Thursday tours will use public transit, VTA bus passes will be furnished to those who have signed up in advance.
The informal tours on Sunday will start from specific locations, most are coffee shops or equivalents. You are responsible to get to the starting point. VTA bus passes will be provided to those who have signed up in advance.
Paper Sessions and Annual General Meeting
The Saturday paper sessions will be held in Room 225-229 of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on the San José State University campus at 4th Street and San Fernando Street. The library is a joint venture between the San José Public Library and SJSU. A light breakfast will be available at 8:00 AM, with the paper sessions starting at 9:00.
The Annual General Meeting and luncheon will begin at 12:30 in the Loma Prieta Ballroom of the Student Union on the SJSU campus. Should there be more papers than can be presented in the morning session, the paper sessions will resume in the Library at 2:30.
Conference Banquet
The Conference Banquet will be held at the Computer History Museum, 1401 Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View. Shuttle buses will start leaving from the hotel at 6:00 PM and will begin returning approximately 8:30. The Museum is approximately 12 miles from the hotel. The Museum has the worlds largest collection of computer-related artifacts. Some of the most interesting ones will be on display in Visible Storage, where trained docents will be available to answer your questions or just to enrich your visit with some of the stories behind the artifacts.
Charles Babbage's Difference Engine #2 (designed in 1847-49, constructed by the Science Museum, London starting in 1987) should be on display. This remarkable piece of Victorian engineering has over 8,000 brass parts, weighs 5 tons, and is about 11 feet long and 7 feet high. As the operator turns the crank by hand, every four revolutions produce the next number in a mathematical table and print and typeset the result. Here's a YouTube video of the machine in London. This is actually the second Difference Engine built by the Science Musuem. The first one became operational in June 1991 as part of a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Babbage's birth. Former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold commissioned the construction of a second machine, and has generously let it be shown at the Computer History Museum.
Before dinner there will be a cash bar for beer and wine with free water and soft drinks. After a buffet dinner, our speaker will be David Laws, a veteran of the semiconductor industry since 1964, and the author of Silicon Valley, Exploring the Communities Behind the Digital Revolution, which has been used in planning some of the tours. David was also the lead curator for the Museum's recent programs on Fairchild at Fifty, chronicling the history of this pioneer semiconductor company, and the online exhibit The Silicon Engine which chronicles the history of semiconductors.
Other Things To Do
Most book stores have shelves of guides to the area, and there is an enormous amount of web material, e.g. here. Here's a personal, whimsical guide to some other things to do here, recycled from an earlier event. If you want some other, personal recommendations, contact Jay. Oh, and by the way, there's a cool orange bridge in a smaller city to the north.