Yossi Vardi
November 2006


Hello and welcome!

I would like to personally invite you to the Kinnernet 2007  to be held in Ahuzat Ohalo  (www.ohalo.com) – a scenic and  inspiring location on the bank of the Kinneret (Lake Galilee), in Northern Israel.  Kinnernet 2007 will open on Thursday, March 15th at 4 PM, and close on Saturday, march 17, 5:00 PM. The camp's main objective is enabling direct and informal exchange of ideas and opinions, among people who are engaged in net culture, net content, net enabling technology, net trends, robotics, do-it-yourself tech projects, digital arts, video games and every other aspect of tech creativity.

This is a free, private and closed event, by invitation only. This invitation cannot be transferred. Sadly, due to space constraints, we are unable to invite all the many good candidates that we would have liked, so please refrain from suggesting additional candidates, as it only causes unnecessary disappointments. We would like you to treat the event as private and keep it under the radar (blog mentioning after the event is OK). Please don’t invite other people to meet you within the compounds of the camp.

Family participation. Unfortunately due to space constraints, we cannot invite spouses to the camp. However, immediate family members are invited to join us on Saturday from noon onwards for lunch, the afternoon events, and the closing event. This invitation is restricted to immediate family members

Who else is invited? Some 225 people are invited along with yourself, all of whom are Internet and tech addicts, from many different net-related backgrounds and occupations. Our attendees are interested in  R&D, programming, internet culture, web site development, the blogosphere, online forums, social networks, chat services, instant messaging, P2P, search engines, web services, Wi-Fi, Open Source, electronic mail, infrastructure and access services, cellular services, computer gaming, interactive TV, VoIP, new trends and technologies, gadgets, security, robotics, digital art and many other topics. We would like to emphasize that the event is not intended to deal with business issues but rather as a meeting place for the discussion of culture, content, net technology and its future.  Following the camp, however , there is two day business conference which gives ample opportunities to meet and discuss business (see further down).

The Camp's format is inspired among others, by a similar camp - the very successful Foo Camp, established in the US by Tim O'Reilly, owner of O'Reilly publishing house. The basic premise is that the camp's participants are the camp's content, and it follows that the camp's program is mostly set up by its participants. Except for a few topics proposed in advance by the organizers, the schedule is for the participants to define. Meeting rooms of varying sizes will be available simultaneously, and each participant is welcome to reserve a time and room for his topics on a large schedule board. Participants will freely move among the rooms and topics based solely upon their interest (and common courtesy and politeness). Thus, the camp's schedule will continuously change for the duration of the event. The informal atmosphere and the freedom to express (and absorb) ideas will, hopefully bring about a continuous state of interaction, turning the camp into a lively and fruitful forum (see: impressions of Kinnernet 2006). One of the important criteria to be eligible to participate in the camp is the participant’s active contribution, as the all-important creation of a personal page in the camp’s Wiki, taking part in outdoor activity and in organizing as well as participating in meetings and discussions.  

Man does not live on net alone.The camp will also address other aspects of creativity. Ahuzat Ohalo - available to us on an exclusive basis for the duration of the camp - is an ideal location for such activity. We will have access to a sizeable turf area, a podium, and a large clubroom. As in last year's event, participants will initiate all sorts of activities - discussions, workshops, the What's Cool marathon, outdoor activities (don’t forget training gear and clothing!), an internet and computer gaming club, robot exhibits,  an air show, an evening of music, films and performances, the gadget Olympics and more topics and activities that your imagination can come up with. Have more ideas for activities? Let us know, or better - let everybody know in KinnerNet 2007's Wiki. Please bring along the projects you created,  your musical instruments, computer and computer games, video films and clips, audio-visual (or other) presentations and installations, toys, kites, telescopes, table tennis rackets, chess and other board games, magic tricks and so on and so forth. Please note: PowerPoint presentations are allowed for humoristic purposes only…

Official event web site. Please visit the KinnerNet 2007 Wiki. The Wiki is an online tool which enables easy access to adding and modifying content. You are the Wiki site's editors! For the sake of keeping our Wiki clean, the wiki editing function is password protected, (sent  to you in the invitation letter). Once you get confirmation of your registration, your assigned password  will be activated at the wiki site. Please Do not transfer this password to anyone. Once you are confirmed, when you enter  the Wiki, you will find your name in the participants list - please add a short Sentence about yourself.  When you click on your name at the participate list , you will also find a special personal page opened for you under your name - you are asked to fill this page with personal information and to add a picture of yourself, so other participants may get to know you. Please write  in the appropriate Wiki’s camp sections, topics and subjects  which you are interested to discuss, present  or speak about (you can always return and modify them later). Also, please add your name (and comments) to activities you would like to take part in. Send suggestions, comments and questions to the camp content director  Ami Ben Bassat.

To-bring list. Every participant is requested to  bring for the duration of the camp,  at list one item intended for the enjoyment of others. This may be a technological object, contributing to the camp's content and/or objects for general atmosphere, usefulness and fun: gadgets, computer games, gadgets, toys, electronic appliances of every type, flying machines, robots, playing instruments. One of the sessions will be a Show and Tell, where participants will share and explain their attachment to a specific toy. We will have a wireless network on site (we would most appreciate if you help by bringing hardware or installation know-how). Each participant is required to look after their own belongings. Camp organizers are not responsible for any damage or loss to you or your equipment. Your agreement to join the camp automatically indicates your agreement to this condition.

Language. the camp will be bilingual - Hebrew and English. Since we expect some 80 guests from overseas and all Israeli participants are fluent in English, the person who offers to hold a session has the right to choose either of the two languages. Notwithstanding, all sessions offered by our guests from abroad will be in English. In Addition, we will make sure that during the session times,there will be always at least one session in English taking place in one of the discussion rooms. the evening and outdoors programs (Gizmothon on Thursday and Extravaganza on Frida ) will be conducted in a mix of Hebrew and English. (Heblish)

Logistics.You will find direction and map on the camp web site  . (Note: the event will take place at Ahuzat Ohalo on the shores of the Kinneret and NOT in the Ohalo College in Katzrin). Transportation offers and requests should be posted on the ride share wiki page. For our overseas guests: further you will find Gili's contact details, he will help you in any issue, transportation included.

Duration. KinnerNet 2007 opening event, with ice cream on the turf, will take place on Thursday 4 PM, and the wrapping-up event is expected to take place Saturday 4:00pm. The camp is intended only for those who could commit for the entire duration. If you can not attend the full length of the camp, please don’t register and contact us.

Accommodation. This invitation covers accommodation and full board. Ohalo rooms include a kitchenette and bathroom, and will house 3 persons per room (please try to see if you have preferable roommates on the Wiki participants’ list, so to make placement easier for everybody). If you can sleep in your own tent on the Ohalo turf - please inform us using the registration form or directly by email. This will enable us to invite more people.

Meals. Full board is included, starting with ice cream and crepes on Thursday 4 PM and ending with ice cream and crepes on Saturday 4:00 PM, through 3 meals a day as well as coffee and cakes along the way. After dinner a  "snack corner" will also be available. On both Thursday and Friday at midnight we are going to have our "cooking madness"  - cooking by our participants. For the religious among us: Ohalo is a Kosher location; you may stay in Ahuzat Ohalo until the Sabbath is over.

Cloths. The simpler, the better. Tee shirt, shorts and sandals will do. However, since the weather in March is unpredictable, bring also some warm cloths. Long pants and light coat or long sleeves sweat shirt may become useful. Alternatively you may elect to come in Black Tie, this is also fine with us.

Price. We strongly wish to make KinnerNet a tradition, inspired by the free spirit of the internet. Since we value providing access to the broadest spectrum of people, The whole  event, including accommodation and full board, is free of charge. However, if you feel an uncontrollable urge to fully or partially participate in the cost of your board, you may do so by using credit card during registration (as an indication:  the full cost for board and bed for a single participant for the full duration, is 690 NIS or $160). Please don’t feel oblige to do so. If after you paid, you decide to cancel, you will be reimbursed in full.

Registration. Important! We have limited availability of space. If you are not a 100ure you are able to attend the event  - please do not register. If you do register, we will take this as your word of honor to participate in the camp from beginning to end. If, after registration, you encounter a force majeur that prevents you from participating - please be courteous and let us know at once. Whatever happens, do not become a "no show" – otherwise an already a positively reserved room will stand empty and useless while we have people who wish to participate and  whom we can not accommodate. Please remember the invitation is personal and not transferable. Also, please note: the code of behavior of the event as detailed in the registration site is obligatory.  

Contact Person for overseas guests. Gilli Cegla volunteered to act as the camp’s ambassadir for overseas participants. He will be happy to assist you. Feel free to contact him at gilli@novawind.com  or at his phone number: 972-544-543010. more information for our guests from abroad you can find at the "Participants From Abroad" page in the wiki.

Please let us know within a week from receiving this email if you will participate, or not by clicking on the corresponding link. If you reply positively, you will have to register within a week in the registration site. No-reply is considered as a negative reply and your place will not be reserved.   


The Marker, the leading Israeli business newspaper , is organizing two  days major Internet conference on March 18-19, immidetly after the camp, in Tel Aviv, which will be open to the public. The Marker invites all overseas  kinnernet participants to attend in the conference. Please let us know ,through the registration form,  if you are plan to attend.   Let us also know  if you are willing to speak at the The Marker conference. Should they be interested , The Marker was kind enough to offer to provide complementary Hotel accommodations  for the nights of Saturday March 17 and Sunday March 18 for all our overseas guests who will participate in the conference.

If you have any one in particular that you would like to meet while in Israel, please don’t invite him to the closed  Kinnernet camp,  but rather  you are welcome to invite him to Tel Aviv conference.  Please let us know and we will be happy to send him an invitation


On March 20, Mishkenot Shaananim will conduct a one day symposium about "internet – government and society" in the historic Mishkenot Shaananim center.  All our guests from aborad  who will attend the symposium will be offered a complementary room in the center's guest house for the night of March 19. A bus will transfer all participants from tel aviv to Jerusalem on march 19 eve.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ami Ben Bassat and all the many volunteers whose help is invaluable in organizing the event;  to the Oscar company for producing the event voluntarily; and  to the Ahuzat Ohalo management.

Hoping to see you soon,

Yours,

Yossi Vardi and the Team of volunteers: Ami Ben Bassat, Ruth Koren; and the: Ariel, Avi, Boaz, Nimrod, Guy,  Zvika, Gil, Erez, Eyal, Eyal, Ilan, Ilit, On, Yael, Ya'akov, Ofer, Ohad, Yonni, Yuval, Yuval, Michal, Rafram and many others.
 
Important addresses you need to know:

Email address for registration inquiries: oscar@oscar4b.com
Camp’s web site:  2007.kinnernet.com   (there’s NO www in the URL)
Email of camp directors:  benbasat@inter.net.il
Ahuzat Ohalo web site: www.ohalo.com