Aware IM Developers Conference.... Ideas!

customaware

Hi Guys,

The 2016 Aware IM Developer's International Conference is almost a distant memory already and it is time to start thinking about the next one.

Where and when.....?

I have thought about Europe for a change but probably a bit of a challenge for USA folk again.

Suddenly had a brainwave....

AWS Invent 2016 is 26th-30th November.

How interested would everyone be if we tacked our conference on either immediately before or immediately after that back in Vegas?

Doable?

tford

Immediately before would be a challenge with Thanksgiving in U.S. being Thursday, November 24, 2016. I might be able to swing after November 30th for a few days.

johntalbott

Vegas certainly helps make it more possible for me.

I'm guessing there will always be folks that can't attend in person. It would be great to incorporate some live streaming of at least some of the sessions.

BenHayat

Why don't you try "Virtual Webinar" this year? You will certainly get more people to attend. This eliminates the traveling time, being away from their business, traveling cost, hotel cost, car rental and etc. When you add these up, it not justifiable for many.

Almost all companies have switched to virtual webinar. In person conference is dead and is an old thing. With all the new webinar services, (you don't need any server or streaming server and etc.) from different companies, authors from around the world can give lecture live and everyone can benefit. Why waste so much time & money when it is not necessary?
Everything can be recorded and whoever could not attend, can pay the same amount and get all the materials and watch on their time.
It is a lot more profitable as well, because you will have more attendees.

Telerik now does all of their seminars (either free or paid) as webinars, and it is always full. Microsoft does almost all of their in a hybrid format. They invite the VIPs and MVPs in a small place but do a full live stream for the rest of the world.

weblike

BenHayat wrote
Why don't you try "Virtual Webinar" this year? You will certainly get more people to attend. This eliminates the traveling time, being away from their business, traveling cost, hotel cost, car rental and etc. When you add these up, it not justifiable for many.

Almost all companies have switched to virtual webinar. In person conference is dead and is an old thing. With all the new webinar services, (you don't need any server or streaming server and etc.) from different companies, authors from around the world can give lecture live and everyone can benefit. Why waste so much time & money when it is not necessary?
Everything can be recorded and whoever could not attend, can pay the same amount and get all the materials and watch on their time.
It is a lot more profitable as well, because you will have more attendees.

Telerik now does all of their seminars (either free pr paid) as webinars, and it is always full. Microsoft does almost all of their in a hybrid format. They invite the VIPs and MVPs in a small place but do a full live stream for the rest of the world.

+10

tpis001

On the other hand, Mark has made the materials available for purchase the past couple of years for those who couldn't make it (although this doesn't guarantee it for future conferences). And the chance to meet other Aware Dev's, face to face is a really unique opportunity.

Yes, there is an expense to attending, but this is more than ofset by the benefits of being there in person and being able to team up with other community members....

This is just my view as someone who has previously been to one of conferences.

BLOMASKY

can i suggest both?

Its' easy peasy to stream (and record for later viewing) the conferences, and this does allow remote presenters, etc. etc. However, this does not help with the interpersonal networking, the ability to find 3-4 guys who have similar interests, needs, etc. and us getting together to work on something that pertains to us.

I do suggest that you do plan to stream the conf. live for those who can not attend. (Have a lot of experience with that, and also a lot of equipment since I do this every 3 months for a 3 day music festival.). But, do pick a place, try to skip major holidays and while not everyone can / will attend, those of us who do, will be able to experience things that those who are "virtual" wont.

(Hey, how about East Coast? DisneyWorld? Maine, Cape Cod (wait, cape cod is cold in NOV)

Bruce

BLOMASKY

BTW, Ben I love you but your comment that in-person conf. are dead is not ZACTALLY right. What we don't have any more are the generic "Comdex" conferences, but we do have focused meetings (there is one for Node.JS at least 2-3 times in NYC each year with 100's of peeps).

Matter of fact, I am "thinking" of going to http://www.html5report.com/conference/newyork/

so not ALL dead yet.

Bruce

BenHayat

BLOMASKY wrote
BTW, Ben I love you but your comment that in-person conf. are dead is not ZACTALLY right. What we don't have any more are the generic "Comdex" conferences, but we do have focused meetings (there is one for Node.JS at least 2-3 times in NYC each year with 100's of peeps).

Matter of fact, I am "thinking" of going to http://www.html5report.com/conference/newyork/

so not ALL dead yet.

Bruce

Most of the "Live" conferences, like Google or Amazon or Node and etc., they also offer a large "Exhibition" for third party to showcase their products. Those are still alive because you want to hookup with vendors. However, most "Conference only" have been converted to Virtual conferences. The savings are humongous for both sides.

I think this is a good time for people to tell Mark, what the prefer, rather than just not responding and ignoring.

customaware

The only reason I hold the Conferences is that I think there is enormous value in sharing some time with like minded people
and exchanging ideas and experiences - face to face.

I am not prepared to arrange Streaming or Webinars. (Did the webinars and virtually nobody turned up.)

Not to worry.... It was just a thought.

Back to the drawing board.