Doc No: ISO/IEC JTC1/SC22/WG21/SD-5
Date: 2024-03-15
Project: JTC1.22.32
Reply To: Herb Sutter
          Convener, SC22/WG21
          Microsoft Corp.
          1 Microsoft Way
          Redmond WA USA 98052
          Email: hsutter@microsoft.com
          Tel: +1-425-707-6533

WG21 (C++) Mailing and Meeting Information

1. Mailings

New papers are posted as "mailings" once per month. The paper submission system is at isocpp.org/papers and is available to WG21 paper authors. All documents, including the working drafts of the standard, are made available in Adobe Acrobat PDF or HTML formats.

The mailing deadline is the 15th of every month, and the mailing is usually posted a week or so after the deadline.

2. Meetings

WG21 members interested in sponsoring meetings should contact the WG21 Convener. (See section 4, Contacts.)

2.1 Meeting Dates

Meetings are currently scheduled three times per year, roughly in the months of March, July, and November. WG21 meetings currently run Monday through Saturday.

2.2 Meeting Sponsors and Locations

WG21 meetings should have ISO/IEC JTC1 national body sponsors such as ANSI (US), BSI (UK), DIN (Germany), etc. but that can be pro forma. The financial burden is almost always assumed by corporate sponsors.

Note: The host should be sure to inform their national body well in advance and ensure they issue an official invitation to host the meeting in their country.

Benefits of sponsorship/hosting: The meeting hosts is listed on the meetings page, and it's acceptable for a host to advertise themselves such as by putting up a banner or having a table with brochures. The meeting host gives a short welcome presentation at the beginning of the meeting (Mon morning plenary session). Some hosts and WG21 members find mutually beneficial recruiting opportunities come up from being present in the same place together for a week. Some sponsors arrange local user group meetups during the meeting week (e.g., on a free evening), or a conference adjacent to the meeting week, to arrange for WG21 member(s) to give invited talks to take advantage of their being available; such talk invitations should be arranged individually with each WG21 member and should be scheduled to avoid conflicting with daytime sessions (which are Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, and Sat 8am-2pm).

The selection of meeting sponsors and locations reflects that we try to:

• meet outside the continental United States, and preferably outside North America, annually;
• vary the geographic location of meetings so as to encourage widest participation; and
• arrange meetings respecting the order in which sponsors have volunteered.

2.3 Meeting Costs

In recent pre-pandemic meetings, WG21 has been attended by about 200 people. Since the pandemic, we have been meeting with both in-person and on-line Zoom attendance, with about 120 in person and 50 on-line.

Based on recent meetings, the cost for hosting a meeting ranges from USD 25,000 to USD 40,000, depending on location and whether the host includes (optional) meals or a reception. Recognizing that these costs can be prohibitive for a single sponsor, we encourage multiple sponsors to join in sharing the meeting cost.

The rules of ISO, as well as some national bodies, do not permit the imposition of a mandatory facilities charge upon attendees. The hotel can impose guest-room rates upon each guest and reasonable charges can be made for meals, but neither can be made mandatory for day attendees.

2.4 Meeting Invitation

The usual process for WG21 meetings begins with sending the WG21 convener a written confirmation that the sponsoring company commits to hosting the meeting with a range of acceptable potential dates, including providing adequate support including internet service and morning/afternoon break refreshments.

2.5 Meeting Information Distribution

Meeting sponsors should distribute the meeting information package (2.6.1) no later than two meetings prior to the one they are sponsoring. For example, the package describing the spring 2024 meeting should be available at the summer 2023 meeting.

2.6 Meeting Support Requirements

2.6.1 Meeting Information Package

Meeting sponsors must prepare a meeting information package which includes:

• final meeting dates (including mention of the informal Sunday 6:00pm evening welcome reception prior to the first day of the meeting, just so people know about it -- it does not require any host meeting space);
• the nearest major airport and its distance to the meeting facility;
• the meeting hotel(s) and their distance to the meeting facility, including specifying a single "recommended" hotel if more than one hotel is listed;
• available ground transportation for getting from the airport to the lodging and meeting facility, which could include comments on price and relative convenience of train, taxi, subway, and bus transport; and
• the address and telephone numbers for use in locating the hotel and meeting locations and to make reservations as necessary.

Information on local attractions is optional but appreciated.

It is strongly preferred that:

• there be a single primary meeting hotel, although some attendees may elect to stay at other nearby hotels (e.g., because of corporate travel and lodging requirements); and
• the meeting rooms are at the hotel or within a 10-minute walk of the hotel, otherwise transportation shuttle arrangements between the hotel and meeting location would be required each day and for any evening sessions.

If the sponsor desires to use meeting rooms in corporate, academic, or standards institution facilities, the sponsor must be sure that security arrangements will be acceptable to all the attendees. The following arrangements have usually been acceptable: signing-in, signing-out, wearing a "guest" badge. Arrangement like the following are not acceptable: non-disclosure agreements, national-security requirements, country-of-origin requirements.

Venues sometimes engage in renovation and other construction. Hosts should check with the venue that construction noise will not distract from the meeting, especially during daytime sessions.

2.6.2 Lodging Arrangements

Attendees of North American meetings like to pay less than USD 200 per room per night. If the venue hotel is more expensive, it is highly desirable to have cheaper alternatives nearby. A designated conference hotel or list of hotels is acceptable. When negotiating room blocks, please allow some number of rooms for Saturday arrival and Sunday departure to let long-distance travellers recover from jet lag.

2.6.3 Meeting Rooms

WG21 meets Monday through Saturday in joint session. The daily schedule is usually 0830-1730 (in Hawaii meetings, it is 0800-1700 and all other times below are shifted ahead by 30 min). Normally, the Monday session starts 30 minutes later to allow for initial setup. Sometimes technical sessions are scheduled in the evening, usually 19:30-22:00.

A single room capable of holding 120 people is needed for the plenary sessions at the beginning and end of the meeting: Monday morning 0800 to (approx.) 1030, and Saturday 0800 to 1400. Microphones are needed for this large room.

At other times, the committee splits into typically six or seven breakout rooms at a time, the largest of which is typically about 60 people. Thus, the minimum requirements are one large and six smaller rooms. If the large room is available all week, it can be used for the largest breakout room; if it can be split with a divider, it can be used for two breakouts.

Breakout rooms must provide table seating (no theater style setup). Smaller breakouts are usually set up as a hollow square with attendees around the outside, and larger breakouts are typically set up with tables in rows (classroom setup).

The Standard C++ Foundation provides portable computer projectors for six rooms, and the host or committee members may need to provide two or three additional projectors. Larger breakout rooms will need projection screens. Smaller breakout rooms can use projectors and screens, or can opt to use an HDMI TV that some hotel meeting rooms are equipped with and may make available for little or no charge.

Essentially every attendee will bring a computer, and therefore there should be adequate power strips to plug in and adequate desk space to use a laptop comfortably. Good internet access is essential. The committee makes extensive use of a wiki (off premises) with international access, to facilitate exchange of information and participation by those who cannot attend in person. Attendees will also need internet access even when meetings are not in session.

2.6.4 Refreshment Services

Morning coffee, tea, and pastries (bagels, danish, muffins, etc) are expected to be provided one-half hour prior to morning start time. If most attendees are staying in the meeting hotel, and if the hotel provides the coffee-and-pastry service as part of the WG21 room rate, then the host need not provide redundant service in the meeting room.

Daily morning and afternoon refreshment breaks are expected to be provided at 10:15 (Mon-Sat) and 15:30 (Mon-Fri), with coffee/tea/juice/sodas and snacks.

Lunch service is not necessary, but advice on where to eat is welcome.

2.6.5 Evening Reception or Entertainment

Some meeting sponsors optionally host an evening reception. To contain costs, other companies might be involved in the planning and funding of a reception. Some members travel with families, so please indicate if families are welcome at the reception.

The best evenings for the reception are, in decreasing order of desirability, Thursday, Wednesday, or Tuesday.

3. Contacts

To inquire about hosting a meeting, please contact the WG21 Convener.

4. Acknowledgments -- Previous Meetings and Corporate Sponsors

See the meeting list for previous meetings and sponsors. Thank you to the many past hosts for your support for C++ standardization!