Hello,
most of the answers i read so far were about the "content" of wineconf. Here are two different ideas:
1. when i looked around a wineconf i noticed that wineconf 2012 is not fixed jet. I know lots of companies here in Germany who ask their employee to announce the plans for the holidays within the first two month of the year or even earlier. How is this handled in the rest of the world? This might become a problem for developers their job is not working on wine. Wineconf may be within their holidays or shortly after. They may need to take some days of for travel and can not, ...
2. Think about the time of the year. Last year wineconf was earlier as the two year before. <joke> It was during Octoberfest in Munich. Where do you like to got better? </joke>. What about conflict with courses/exams at university.
Or just ask (in private mails?) the members of wineconf 2010, who stayed away in 2011 what may need to change for 2012 to see them again. What about GSOC workers, have they all been at wineconf? These are the next generation wine developer.
Regards Stefan