tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144813210603379421.post9217087369486555549..comments2023-03-27T18:20:44.386+11:00Comments on Geek Diva: Is BarCamp for me?Damana Maddenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506368430609135921noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144813210603379421.post-86506759170720688212008-04-02T06:32:00.000+11:002008-04-02T06:32:00.000+11:00BarCamps are all about the law of two feet. You'll...BarCamps are all about <A HREF="http://www.gurteen.com/gurteen/gurteen.nsf/id/X004395C6/" REL="nofollow">the law of two feet</A>. You'll have brilliant sessions and tedious ones in the same proportion as you have brilliant people and tedious people - the thing is, you can and <I>should</I> walk out of tedious sessions and try to find the interesting ones (as well as expect others to treat your sessions the same way - it's nothing personal and is often subjective). <BR/><BR/>If there aren't any fun sessions, then you could just hang around outside and talk to others who're also hanging around outside for the same reason.<BR/><BR/>This of course means that BarCamps have a couple of pre-requisites:<BR/>1)More than one track at a time (3 parallel tracks seems fair for about 200 participants)<BR/>2)An open space where people who find all sessions currently running un-interesting can hang out and talk<BR/>TW Bangalore fit the bill really well - <A HREF="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/barcampbangalore2" REL="nofollow">BCB 2</A> which happened in our office is definitely my favourite even today, a half dozen xCamps later.<BR/><BR/>I've found BarCamps in India to generally be good fun and a place to meet really cool people and learn awesome stuff. I'm pretty much a 'freetard' I guess, but I must admit, C# is the best mainstream language out there today - and I've heard much the same from other 'freetards' at BarCamps. I guess it works out well if everyone is out to learn new shit and have some fun rather than prove a point.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11938300811286150164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2144813210603379421.post-31504750919667256402008-03-30T01:37:00.000+11:002008-03-30T01:37:00.000+11:00I attended my first (and only) barcamp earlier thi...I attended my first (and only) barcamp earlier this year in Bryan Texas (usa). I was a little nervous about the whole 'No spectators, only participants' thing but it turned out to be no big deal. There were a lot more people willing to present topics than there was time for presentations and we went till after midnight the first night. I feel like I 'participated' by being a good listener and asking questions (when there was time for them).<BR/><BR/>I think it's probably pretty normal for first time barcampers to lurk in the crowds and get a feel for the whole thing. <BR/><BR/>As far as the whole freetards business ... ya, there are a bunch of them. The one I went to was mainly open source and mac people. I've never seen so many macs in one room ever. They were all cool about me being there even though I don't know jack about the open source / linux / mac scene. There were a lot of us Microsoft types in the crowd. <BR/><BR/>It was a great way for me to talk to a different crowd and get a new perspective. I'd say the biggest group was web devs of one shade or another. I'm a sql guy but I still took away enough to make it the best conference I've ever attended.<BR/><BR/>I can't wait for the next Barcamp (BarCamp San Antonio Texas BABY!) I'll be there and I'll have a couple powerpoint slides and some sql to talk about - just in case!<BR/><BR/>TimAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07998917891150849916noreply@blogger.com