1 - What are virtual conferences?

Virtual conferences are held online and attended by participants all over the world. Participants log into the conference interface and watch web presentations, participate in question and answer sessions, network with other professionals, and more.

2 - Is the conference free to attend?

Yes. Due to the generous support of sponsors and exhibitors, the virtual conference will be free to attend for all registered ProZ.com users.

3 - How do I register for the virtual conference?

Go to http://www.proz.com/virtualconference and register with the virtual platform provider, Unisfair.

4 - Where can I find my profile ID number?

Your profile ID number is the last number at the end of your profile URL. To see it go to My profile and check the last numbers shown in the URL of your profile box at the top left of your profile. If you don't have a ProZ.com profile, create one for free.

5 - What time will the Virtual Conference begin?

The Virtual conference will open at 10:00 GMT and close at 22:00 GMT. You can check session start times, and conference count down in your own local time zone at http://www.proz.com/virtual-conferences/

6 - Do I have to be there for the whole event?

No. You are welcome to come and go as you please.

7 - Will the virtual conference be on ProZ.com?

No, the platform and software for the Virtual Conference is provided by the technology partner for this event, Unisfair.

8 - Can I test to see if I meet the system requirements?

Yes. A system test is available here.

9 - What are the system requirements to attend the Virtual Conference?

Up to date flash, browser and operating systems are required. Specifications can be found here.

10 - Will there be conference sessions?

Yes, ProZ.com has scheduled 8 sessions throughout the day. The complete schedule can be found at http://www.proz.com/virtual-conferences/

11 - Do I need to register for sessions I will attend?

No. As opposed to in-person conferences, at the virtual conference you can just show up and view or participate in any session you wish.

12 - What if I miss a session?

Don't worry. All sessions will be available to view again, approximately one hour after the session broadcast time. Just stop by the conference hall to see them.

13 - Will I be able to see myself walking around in the environment?

No, attendees will be able to navigate within the virtual environment but will not see their avatar walking. However, photos can be uploaded so others can see you when chatting and networking.

14 - What information about me will be visible to booths I visit and how will it be shared?

As indicated on the registration page at http://www.proz.com/virtualconference information provided to the Unisfair registration platform will be shared with exhibitors whose booths you visit, and anyone you elect to share that information with while networking via the exchange business card feature. When you visit a booth, the registration information provided to Unisfair is automatically stored for that booth to download after the event.

15 - How do I upload an image for my avatar?

Registrants are given an opportunity to upload a photo at the time of registration. If you did not upload a photo at this time, you can do so when you enter the conference for the first time by adjusting your settings. Photos must be 100 x 100 pixels, in .gif or .jpeg format and under 80 Kbs. For more information see this document.

16 - Is a telephone number mandatory to register?

No; not all registration information is mandatory. You may also edit, add, or remove any details at any time by visiting the "settings" tab within the virtual environment.

17 - Where do I go to join the conference on September 30th?

Visit http://www.proz.com/virtualconference and enter your login name and password. This is found on the lower left side of the page, and will not be "open" until 10:00 GMT on September 30th.

18 - What do I do if I have forgotten my password or login name?

Reminder emails will be automatically sent 1 week, a few days prior, and the day of the event with your login details and password. You may also visit http://www.proz.com/virtualconference and click on the left side link that says "forgot password". The form will ask you to enter your email, and your password and login information will be sent to that email address.

19 - Will there be a long wait to talk with representatives?

There should not be. The event registration of over 5,000 represents 100+ countries and their time zones. Over the course of the 12 hours of the event it is anticipated that the volume of attendees at any given moment will fluctuate and with attendants moving from area to area, there should not be too much congestion in the environment, and wait times to chat with representatives should be reasonable.

20 - How will I be able to network during the event?

Attendees will have multiple options to network. You can visit the networking lounge, participate in language-specific forums, and invite other visitors in the lounge to private chats. Attendees can also use the networking navigation bar – this will permit searching for other attendees by language, country, service type, specialty field and more. You can send messages to these attendees (even if they are not in the conference environment at that time), invite them to chat, or exchange business cards (join network).

20.1 - Is it ok to jump off to other communication technologies (such as skype) while the event is underwa

Yes.

21 - What is the attendee briefcase?

This is a virtual briefcase that attendees can populate with messages they have received, announcements that have been made, reminders to attend sessions, and any collateral or documents that they have downloaded. These items can then be sent to the attendee's email address as a zip file.

22 - How do I participate in the prize giveaways?

Many exhibitors will be giving prizes away during the event. Complete details are available for each prize giveaway in the resource center in the virtual environment. Some prizes will require attendees to visit exhibitor booths and register with the exhibitor. Others will require completion of a survey about the virtual conference environment and exhibit booths.