More than 500 journalists gathered in Santa Clara in early October for CAR Trek '94, the most ambitious computer-assisted reporting conference ever. The four-day conference included 60 panels, 75 hands-on training classes and a constantly buzzing demonstration room where conference-goers got one-on-one tutorials. Attracted by the wide array of offerings and the presence of the best in the business, journalists came from more than 30 states and from several foreign countries, including Brazil, Australia, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Costa Rica. Although nearly half the attendees were from California, some made a good showing from other states: 21 from Minnesota, 18 from Washington, D.C., 18 from Florida, 16 from New York and 13 from Virginia.
While the conference built upon the success of last year's event in Raleigh, N.C., it quickly took on its own character. Among the highlights:
Instructors found advanced classes that they wanted to take, whether it was in mapping software, building friendly front-ends, building databases, or statistics.
The Internet classroom stayed filled for the conference. Initially, the classroom threatened to become a netmare when it refused to come online, but a phone cable problem was solved by Thursday night and the 25 networked Power PCs kept the room warm and toasty until Sunday.
A demonstration room that exhibited the latest technology such as magneto optical drives, CD-ROMS, Internet tutorials, tape drives and a variety of software.
A high-energy ethics supersession led by Michael Josephson, a lively speaker who continually kept several panelists on their toes.
More than 130 classroom computers, including 50 Power PCs, 50 Acers, and 30 IBM miscellaneous compatible personal computers. All were set up and loaded within two days.
A track for more than a dozen top editors brave enough to face a high-tech future.
A keynote speech by John Batelle, managing editor of the hot new magazine Wired.
A first-ever panel of some of the pioneers in the field: Elliot Jaspin of Cox Newspapers, Dwight Morris of the Los Angeles Times and Philip Meyer of the University of North Carolina.
CAR TREK was sponsored by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (a joint venture of IRE and the Missouri School of Journalism) and the San Jose Mercury News.
If you want to hear the tapes of panels you missed or get panelists' electronic handouts on diskette, call IRE at 314-882-2042 or via e-mail at jourire@muccmail.missouri.edu. If you want more information about training, call NICAR at 314-882-0684 or via e-mail at nicar@muccmail.missouri.edu.