In conference review process, what do “author response” and “author notification” mean?

Question

I just visited a conference website where organizers, for the submitted paper review process, listed a date for paper submission, a date for "author response", and another date for "author notification".

It's the first time I see this double wording. I suppose that "author notification" is when they communicate to authors if their papers have been accepted or not, but what does "author response" stand for?

Thanks

Answer 1

It has to be a conference with a rebuttal phase, where the authors can answer the main points raised by the reviewers, who in turn will be able to draw more conclusive remarks on the paper itself

see also here: http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/mckinley/notes/blind.html

Answer 2

As ElCid and Pieter said, there is a rebuttal phase in the reviewing process (last paragraph of the CfP).

The review process this year incorporates several improvements. Authors, reviewers, and area chairs indicate subject areas. With the help of these subject areas, area chairs and reviewers bid for papers. A first reviewer for each paper will be selected from those bids. New this year, two area chairs will also be assigned to oversee reviewing of each paper. Each area chair will manually appoint an additional reviewer for each paper using input from the bids. Authors will have the opportunity to see and respond to the reviews (and optionally revise their paper) before a final decision is made. Final decisions will be made using the input from all reviewers, the author feedback, the area chairs, and the program chairs. Reviewing for ICML 2012 is double blind between authors and reviewers.

Answer 3

I assume that during this period you can respond to any questions or criticisms raised during the review of the paper. After this round of feedback the final decisions will be made.