Barry Wilkes wrote:
I think that the workshop format is a unique opportunity to get feedback on ones ideas from a group with a wide range of experience.
I agree with Barry here. The workshop's "unique selling point" is the breakout group format. If you want to hear talks about Lisp or just have a chat with other Lispers, you can go to the ILC or the ECLM. But the breakout group format was a nice intermediate between the "just sit and listen" character of a typical presentation and the "anything goes" character of an informal chat.