The BBQ Topic for 1999:
INFLUENCING HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FOR MUSIC ON COMPUTERS OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS

This October 14th-17th, 50 of the brightest minds in the computer industry once again traded the comforts and chaos of corporate America to converge on a secluded 360-acre ranch in Texas without modern distractions to discuss, argue, debate, brainstorm and possibly alter the course of history for music on computers over the next five years.

The Fourth Annual Texas Interactive Music Conference and BBQ is a unique and highly effective way to answer some of the toughest questions facing our industry today.  It is one of the most prestigious, influential and beneficial networking events of the year.  This unusual conference gathers the movers and shakers of the audio industry together for a long weekend of concentrated, uninterrupted discussions, debates and roundtables, as well as topnotch panel and speaker sessions with industry leaders.

Unlike conventional meetings, BBQ shuns neckties, company logos and fluorescent lights as detrimental to group thinking processes.  BBQ uses natural catalysts to deepen and broaden thought--attendees do their work under wide Texas skies.  They sleep in cabins named for philosophers, are fed gourmet food, and given lots of equipment for making music and adequate structure for brainstorming.

BBQ has given the competitive edge to its attendees, who have formed alliances and organizations that have been long-standing:

• On more than one occasion, what appeared at first to be rifts in the industry became alliances at BBQ.  Where there were two competing standards forming, BBQ attendees were able to either make plans to merge the tow standards, or create agreeable ways for developers and end-users to not have to support both standards.
• Several industry working groups of significant impact have bee formed at BBQ, including the Platform Development working Group, the Audio Awareness working group, and the Multiple Formats working group.
• For its influence, BBQ has received letters of thanks from Microsoft and Intel, who made use of the group's input to create their own powerful audio standards.

Project BBQ continued last year's topic but with deeper consideration of the changes that might occur in how audio is produced.  With the advantage of the same core of hardware, software, and content development people as last year, and the same great atmosphere of cooperation, we saw the group do the impossible again.

EXECUTIVE CHAIR:
George Sanger;
The Fat Man

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Teresa Avallone;
CEO
Avallone Media Group

Linda Law;
Vice President
Fat Labs, Inc.

Mark Miller;
Director US Business
Harmonix Music Systems

Van Webster;
President
Webster Communications

Tom White;
President
MMA

next section

select a section:  1. Introduction  2. Speaker Summary  3. Executive Summary  
4. The Big Picture Group  5. The Impact of Digital Distribution on the Various Constituencies Within the Music Industry Group  
6. The Apostles of the Church of Appliantology Group 
7. The Sound Pressure Lobby Group   8. Schedule & Sponsors