We Get Around Network Acquired by Tom Sparks from Dan Smigrod21407
 WGAN ForumFounder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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  Video: Long-Time WGAN Member and Contributor, Tom Sparks, Buys We Get Around Network | Video courtesy of WGAN-TV Vimeo Channel | 1 January 2026  We Get Around Network Acquired by Tom Sparks from Dan Smigrod Hi All, After more than ten years as founder, managing editor and publisher of the We Get Around Network, and host of the WGAN-TV Podcast, I am excited to share some big news about the next chapter for WGAN. Effective today, January 1, 2026, I have sold We Get Around Network to long-time WGAN Member and contributor Tom Sparks of Sparks Media Group (@SparksMediaGroup) via his WGAN Holdings Inc. Tom is the Principal of WGAN Holdings Inc. Tom is the new owner, managing editor and publisher of We Get Around Network and host of the WGAN-TV Podcast. I will say more about Tom in a moment. First, I want to reassure you about what is not changing. We Get Around Network is staying exactly where you expect it to be. The We Get Around Network Forum, where we give and get help; the: ► WGAN-TV Podcast; ► WGAN-TV Training U; the ► WGAN Service Provider Map; the ► WGAN MarketPlace; and all the marketing partner programs and special offers you rely on will continue under Tom’s leadership. ► The WGAN Forum remains the trusted knowledge base for digital twins, 3D/360 cameras, platforms and related gear, tools and services ► You will continue to receive email notifications of new posts and discussions ► The knowledge base of 105,000+ posts across 19,000+ topics remains available exactly as it is today ► The WGAN MarketPlace, Marketing Partner offers, Find a Service Provider Map and WGAN-TV Training U all remain in place ► All current memberships and subscriptions continue without missing a beat ► The WGAN-TV Podcast continues on its regular cadence ► No changes to your login, user data or subscription systems ► Existing content, links and short URLs remain where they are ► Curated news about our space will continue, with Tom taking over my role scanning and sharing what matters This is a change in leadership - not a change in the DNA of We Get Around Network. Why This Change, And Why Now On August 24, 2014, I wrote my first post in what was then the Matterport User Group Forum. I started the community to bring together people who cared about the emerging world of digital twins - beginning with the Matterport Pro Camera and Platform, and expanding to other related cameras, platforms and third-party solutions. From day one, the mission was clear: create a place where we could give and get help. As new tools and services appeared, the community naturally broadened from a single-platform group into a cross-platform hub for professionals working at the intersection of real estate, imaging, technology and digital twins. After more than a decade of publishing, moderating, interviewing, building marketing partner programs, writing, editing and supporting this community daily, it is time to pass the baton to someone who can take WGAN even further. I wanted a succession plan that: ► Protects the community and the archives we’ve built together ► Places a working real estate photographer and subject matter expert at the helm ► Adds more capacity for business development, operations and marketing partner support Why Tom Sparks is the Right Next Publisher Many of you already know Tom as @SparksMediaGroup in the WGAN Forum and as a frequent guest on the WGAN-TV Live at 5 podcast. He also runs the Sparks Media Group YouTube Channel with nearly 7,000 subscribers and has been active in the WGAN community for years. Tom regularly reviews 3D and 360 cameras, platforms and third-party services. He works daily with Matterport, iGUIDE, Giraffe360, InnoDraw, InsideMaps and related cameras, platforms and tools that real estate photographers rely on. Through Sparks Media Group, Tom and his team deliver photography, video, floor plans and digital twins to clients in the field every day. Because Tom will continue running Sparks Media Group, the new publisher of WGAN is someone who actively works with the same tools, workflows and real-world constraints that many of you face. He understands pricing, scheduling, weather, client expectations, staff management and the practical realities of adopting new technology in a fast-moving marketplace. You will see this reflected in future WGAN-TV Podcast episodes, WGAN Forum discussions and WGAN-TV Training U content: more field-tested insights from someone who is right there with you. Here is how Tom described his vision when we signed the Letter of Intent to acquire We Get Around Network: “My goal is to build on the strong foundation Dan created, keep the WGAN Forum and WGAN-TV Podcast welcoming and useful, and expand our educational content so members can move faster with confidence. I’m honored to carry this work forward.” Tom has also shared that he plans to communicate regularly - through posts, updates, reviews and direct engagement in the WGAN Forum - to ensure members always know what’s new and what’s coming. What Will Get Even Better Here are a few areas where you can expect WGAN to grow stronger: ► A publisher who brings editorial leadership and real-world digital twin production experience ► More structured business development and consistent follow-through with vendors ► More marketing partner offers and deeper integration of useful partner content (our community welcomes vendor participation because it helps professionals succeed faster) ► More subject matter experts on the WGAN-TV Podcast and deeper technical content ► A managing editor who understands your workflow because he lives it every day ► Additional back-office support for billing, reporting, content production and operations The goal is not to dramatically change WGAN. The goal is to give Tom the tools and support to do more of what you already value. Where WGAN is Headed: Digital Twins and AI When I started this community, nearly all discussions centered around the Matterport camera and platform. Today, We Get Around Network is a cross-platform community spanning Matterport, iGUIDE, Giraffe360, Urbanimmersive, Realsee, Leica BLK360, InsideMaps, SIMLAB STAGES/SIM-ON, InnoDraw, Fotello, Virtual Staging AI, ZUANT3D and many others. The next decade will be defined by: ► Digital twins and spatial data at scale ► AI integrated into every step of imaging, editing, marketing and operations AI is already reshaping real estate media - accelerating editing, improving virtual staging, automating marketing assets and enabling new capabilities built on top of 3D data, floor plans and point clouds. The WGAN role remains the same: help you navigate what matters, understand what is hype and turn new tools into profitable services. Under Tom’s leadership, WGAN will go even deeper into practical AI use cases for photographers, real estate media companies and proptech vendors. My Next Chapter So what about me? As part of this transition, I will move into the role of advisor to Tom for a period of time. I will work with him behind the scenes to ensure a smooth handoff and to transfer the institutional knowledge built over the past decade. You will still see me in the WGAN Forum, but not every day. I may appear for special WGAN-TV Podcast episodes, specific deep dives or projects where my background is helpful. I care deeply about this community. I am not disappearing - I am simply shifting my relationship. On a personal level, this transition gives me what I have not had in a long time: time. Time to travel the world with my wife - without a laptop. We have already booked a cruise around Japan in July 2026. Time to dance more. And time to take a deeper dive into my interests in AI and robotics. Thank You Thank you to every member who has posted, asked a question, answered a question, shared a workflow, recommended a camera, joined as a paid member and supported the community over the years. Thank you to our marketing partners, who enable We Get Around Network to operate at the scale that it does and who have believed in a proptech-focused media platform since the early days. Thank you to the subject matter experts who joined me for more than 250 one-hour WGAN-TV Live at 5 interviews. Every show has been syndicated across podcast apps and published in the WGAN Forum so the entire community could benefit. Thank you to everyone who watches WGAN-TV, listens to the podcasts, attends webinars or quietly reads threads at odd hours while solving a problem for a client the next morning. This community exists because you show up - again and again - to give and get help. What I Would Like You to do Next Please join me in welcoming Tom as the new owner, managing editor and publisher of We Get Around Network and host of the WGAN-TV Podcast. Say hello in the WGAN Forum. Tell him what topics matter to you. Let him know what cameras, platforms, tools and services you want to see covered next. Keep participating. Keep asking questions. Keep sharing what you know. And continue to be curious. Our space is changing daily. The DNA of this community has not changed. It is still about people doing excellent work with digital twins, AI and real estate media - helping each other succeed faster. Happy New Year, Dan Smigrod Founder and Advisor We Get Around Network | WGAN-TV Atlanta |
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 WGAN StandardClub Member Ocala, Florida |
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| Happy New Year and congratulations Dan and Tom! | ||
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @OrangeHill Much thanks! And, happy birthday! Thank you for being a long-time WGAN Member. Happy New Year, Dan |
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ron0987 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @DanSmigrod my goodness what a change and congratulations what away to bring in the new year and all the best to you and it’s been fun and thank you for allowing me to be apart of it. | ||
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @ron0987 Thank you for your kind words. And, thank you for being a long-time WGAN Member and all your insightful WGAN Forum posts to help the WGAN community succeed faster. And great visiting with you multiple years at Geo Week in Denver. Happy New Year! Dan |
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 WGAN FanClub Member Buffalo, New York |
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| Well hot lickity dang! Congrats to Dan and Tom! | ||
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @GETMYVR Thanks SO much! And, thank you for being a long-time member of the WGAN community. I understand that the great Buffalo area and gotten a ton of snow and freezing cold weather. (And more coming) Stay safe! Happy New Year, Dan |
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 Owner,Managing Editor and Publisher of WGAN Forum and WGAN-TV Podcast Fairfield, California |
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| Good morning from not so sunny California! @DanSmigrod thank you for trusting me with this. I know what it takes to build something like WGAN from scratch and keep it steady for years: the daily posts, the moderation, the interviews, the partner relationships, the behind-the-scenes work nobody claps for. You didn’t just create a website, you built a place where professionals can solve problems fast and stay ahead of a changing industry. When you said this is a change in leadership, not a change in DNA, that resonated with me. Because that’s exactly how I see it. To the WGAN Members Hey Everybody! (If you've watched my videos you'll hear that in my voice) Just wanted to comment and officially saying hi as the new owner / publisher. I’m not coming in here pretending I invented anything. I’m coming in as a working operator, still in the field, still dealing with real clients, real deadlines, real weather (currently raining and 46 degrees F where i'm at in the SF Bay Area), real pricing pressure… the same stuff you’re dealing with. Here’s my commitment: WGAN stays WGAN, and we’re about to SUPERCHARGE it. More tools, more education, more visibility for the people doing great work. This remains the place where we “give and get help.” The forum, WGAN-TV, Training U, Service Provider Map, Marketplace, stays intact and keeps improving over time. No disruption to your login, memberships, subscriptions, or the stuff you rely on day-to-day. To Our Marketing Partners Thank you for believing in this community and helping it run at scale. I’m going to treat partner relationships the way I treat my real estate media business and really everyone I interact with... sounds corny but I treat people like I would like my grandmother treated, (its worked for me over the years): Clear communication. Reliable follow-through. Deliver real value. If you’re a current partner, I’ll be reaching out and staying close. If you’re a future partner, we’ll keep it simple: help the community succeed faster, and you’ll win too. What I Need From You Nothing at the moment but over the next couple weeks i'll be making some posts and reaching out directly to learn more about what everyone enjoys about the forum and gathering your input/thoughts on improving it. Dan, congrats on this next chapter for you. Japan cruise in July sounds amazing! we'll expect at least one photo from you while you travel. Enjoy it. Happy New Year, everybody. Let’s build. Tom |
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| Hi Dan, Thank you so much for creating the forum, a safe space for many small business owners to question, comment and learn. You will be missed, but nobody can resent you taking more time for your wife and yourself. Hi Tom, Dan has chosen his successor well, I look forward to seeing how your different perspectives help the firum develop into the future. To both of you, The kindest regards, Oliver |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @SparksMediaGroup Tom, thanks you for acquiring WGAN. And, thanks for your intro note (above). @Gladsmuir Thank you for your kind words and for being a long-time member of the WGAN community (and your very helpful posts answering questions from WGAN Members). My wife and I hope to make it to Ireland this year or 2027. I look forward to visiting with you IRL. Happy New Year, Dan |
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 WGAN Fan Club Member Bratislavska, Slovakia |
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| Hey Dan, you've done an excellent job for our REP community! Congratulations to both of you, I believe that Tom @SparksMediaGroup (with your help) will take the platform even further! Happy New Year to all of us  |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @JanHamorsky Thank you for your kind words and for being a long-time WGAN community member. If my wife and I make it to Bratislavska, Slovakia we will reach out to you IRL. Happy New Year! Dan |
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WGAN Fan Club Member Bratislavska, Slovakia |
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| @DanSmigrod Sounds good, I look forward to see you here! Or in Spain, which is my second home. If you happen to be traveling to Alicante or Valencia, I live right in between these two cities, in Dénia. Best, Jan |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @JanHamorsky Yes, Spain is a possibility too in the next year or three.  Happy New Year! Dan |
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| Congratulations to you both!! Dan, thanks so much for creating this awesome community! Besides being an incredible resource to absorb knowledge and creative inspiration for our businesses, it has been a really cool platform to connect with like-minded folks from around the globe. Tom, I'm really excited to see what directions you decide to steer the WGAN ship! I have the utmost confidence in your abilities to guide us through the uncharted waters of this rapidly evolving 3D landscape. To everyone in the WGAN community, Happy New Year!! |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Video: WGAN Forum Sea Shanty for Matterport Service Providers inspired by Nathan Evan's The Wellerman | Video courtesy of WGAN-TV YouTube Channel | 7 February 2021 @JamesG Thank you for your thoughtful note and thank you for being a long-time member of the WGAN Forum community. It is amazing how we have all been able to connect with others around the globe that have similar businesses. I am thrilled to pass the baton to Tom. Please help him steer the ship (please see video above). Happy New Year, Dan |
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| This is great! I can't think of a better person to take up the mantle. @DanSmigrod thanks for all your hard work; enjoy your free time! |
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 WGAN FanClub Member Queensland, Australia |
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| Congrats to Dan and Tom and Happy New Year to everyone! | ||
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 WGAN StandardMember Lisbon, Portugal and London |
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| Happy New Year to all, and congratulations to Dan and Tom. Dan, Thank You for everything you have done for me, and all the support and information given, when I found your Forum years ago I found what I was lacking being one of the first ones in Portugal to aquire and work with Matterport, I was missing knowledge, experience and information, and thanks to you and your forum I was able to find all the above. I will misse our talks and your advice, but I am happy that you have decided to spend more quality time with your Family. Dan do not forget to contact me when you visit London and Lisbon. Tom I would like to wish you all the best for the giant task in front of you, and I look forward to exchange ideas and knowledge with you and all the members in a near Future. Happy 2026 to everyone, full of Peace, Love and Health |
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@DanSmigrod Ha! I hadn't heard this one yet- a fitting sea shanty it is  |
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 WGANStandard Member Osaka, Japan |
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| Happy new year! @DanSmigrod Thank you for starting running this server for so long. The information I have found here has always been interesting and helped me make a business out of digital twins. Often videos shared from Youtube have helped me find information I wouldn't have known how to search for. Also, the profile page members get has been a useful source of leads coming from outside of Japan. I hope to see you when you cruise to Japan! (Please let me know your schedule). @SparksMediaGroup I have enjoyed your videos on YouTube as well. I hope to see more of your content here as well. |
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| Thank you, Dan, for your continuous support and invaluable insights over the years. You’ve been the perfect news co-pilot for me — connecting so many of us to the global Matterport and digital twin community. Wishing you all the best for your new adventures, and I hope you’ll continue to share your perspectives on AI and robotics. If your travels ever bring you to Berlin, please drop me a note — it would be great to meet and chat in person. And good luck to Tom! Your early videos on the Matterport Pro3 range and its capabilities were a huge help. There’s so much exciting innovation happening in 3D capture and visualization — from Gaussian Splatting to AI-driven workflows and intelligent agents. Looking forward to seeing how WGAN continues to explore these emerging fields in the years ahead. |
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| Congrats, Dan, on this milestone. Welcome, Tom. If there's any way I can contribute, please let me know. Dan, if and when you travel to India, don't forget to hit me up. Cheers! |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @Fathom3D Thank you for your kind words and for being a long-time member o the WGAN Forum community. [I will reply to other messages shortly.] Dan |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Text Me 5 Minutes Before WGAN-TV is Live | WGAN-TV | How to Publish to Google Street View from Matterport +10 GSV Pro Tips | Guest: Wingman Media Brisbane Owner Michael Lysov | www.WingmanMedia.com.au | Thursday, 18 July 2024 | Episode: 222 @Wingman Thank you for being a long-time member of the WGAN Forum community and for your kind words. And, thank you for being my guest on the WGAN-TV Live at 5: sharing your expertise on Google Street View. I also appreciate all the answers that you provide to WGAN Forum members and your work on robots for 360 photographers. Wishing you continued success in Queensland, Australia. Happy New Year, Dan [I will reply to other WGAN posts shortly. Thank you for your patience.] |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| 102 WGAN-TV | 21 Tips for Creating Matterport Tours of a RV Showroom with 30 RVsLisbon, Portugal-based TEX MEDIA PT Founder Pedro Teixeira (@Pedrotex69) @Pedrotex69 Thank you for your very generous words. Much appreciated. And, thank you for being my guest on WGAN-TV Live at 5 in May 2021 about: 21 Tips for Creating Matterport Tours of a RV Showroom with 30 RVs. Just the Vimeo version of this episode was viewed 7,344 in the lastfour years. So glad that the WGAN community was able to help London and Lisbon, Portugal-based TEX MEDIA PT succeed faster. And, thank you for helping Tom @SparksMediaGroup succeed faster too. I look forward to visiting IRL in London or Portugal. Happy New Year, Dan [I will reply to other posts shortly. Thank you for your patience.] |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Video: Sing-a-Long: Do the Matterport Dance! | Video courtesy of WGAN-TV YouTube Channel | 23 September 2024 @JamesG Glad you liked the WGAN Forum Sea Shanty for Matterport Service Providers. Did you see the video: Do the Matterport Dance! (above) Happy New Year, Dan [I will reply to other WGAN Forum members shortly. Thank you for your patience.] |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Text Me 5 Minutes Before WGAN-TV is Live | WGAN-TV | Daniel Brown with Meidansha: My Journey as a Matterport Service Provider | Guest: Meidansha Inc. President Daniel Brown | Thursday, 7 November 2024 | Episode: 231 www.Meidansha-co.com WGAN-TV | How to Create a Matterport Digital Twin of a 400,000 SQ FT Convention Center | Guest: Meidansha Inc. President Daniel Brown | Wednesday, 18 December 2024 | Episode: 234 | www.Meidansha-co.com | @Meidansha Video: We Get Around Network Shoutout by Daniel Brown, Spatial Capture Technician for Meidansha Incorporated | www.meidansha-co.com | WGAN Forum Member: @Meidansha @Meidansha Thank you for your very kind and thoughtful words. Much appreciated. And, thank you for being my guest twice on the WGAN-TV Live at 5 podcast. (episodes above) And, for your shout-out video for the 10th birthday of the We Get Around Network Forum in August 2024. (above) I look forward to getting together in Japan. I will let you know which ports we will be in when - when we get closer to our July 2026 cruise around Japan. Thank you again for your kind words. Wishing you a Happy New Year. Atatakai o kotoba o aratamete arigatōgozaimasu. Yoiotoshiwo omukae kudasai. 温かいお言葉を改めてありがとうございます。良いお年をお迎えください。 Dan |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Video: We Get Around Network Shoutout by Florian Wagner, Managing Director of Mesh Images in Berlin, Germany | www.MeshImages.com | WGAN Forum Member: @MeshImages @MeshImages Thank you for being a long-time WGAN Forum member. And, thank you for your numerous insightful posts over the years that have been so helpful. I am glad that the industry news that I have posted in the WGAN Forum has been helpful to you too. And, thank you for your shout-out video for the 10th birthday of the We Get Around Network Forum in August 2024. (above) Yes. When we are in Berlin, I will reach out to you to meet up IRL. Happy New Year, Dan P.S. Yes. Tom is "on it" creating a ton of useful/helpful videos on the latest tech. |
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WGAN Forum Founder and Advisor Atlanta, Georgia |
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| @adostrophe Thank you for your kind note recognizing this milestone. Much appreciated as well as your many WGAN Forum posts. I look forward to connecting in India when our travels take us there. Happy New Year, Dan |
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