Web Directions North in two months
Having been to a few different conferences now, I'm getting a sense of what I like and don't like to see. So, with Web Directions North just under two months away, I have to say that I'm getting pretty excited.
Meeting people
First of all, I enjoy meeting new people which has traditionally been at odds with my personality. I tend to be shy and talk very little, especially in large crowds. While I'm not the best at remembering names, I love hearing people talk about what they do and how they do it. (I still feel weird hitting up the after parties and realizing that you've got a room full of geeks talking about web stuff. It seems strangely cool.)
In any case, there's a couple people in particular that I'm looking forward to meeting. They recently announced that Douglas Crockford will be speaking on Ajax security. Crockford is a leader and pioneer in the field of JavaScript development and I really hope that I have time to not only meet him, but to chat with him as well. I also hope to meet Jeffrey Zeldman, whom I've missed meeting at the last two conferences I was at (FOWD and SXSW).
The speaker lineup already looks really good and I can't wait to listen to a great blend of speakers. Cameron Adams is always highly entertaining and informative. Boris Mann's presentation on The 3 Stages of Content Management should be interesting (I have a special place in my heart for CMSs). Fellow Canadian, Daniel Burka will be presenting UI case studies, which should be plenty good.
Well Organized
Last year's event was so well organized. Sure, there's the inevitable lack of wifi (you almost have to go in expecting that the wifi signal is just going to be jammed and near useless) but everything else was flawless. Snacks were available between sessions and lunch was offered up in the hotel restaurant. It was great not having to miss the first session of the afternoon (as apparently happened with a few people who missed my session at FOWD). This year's event is in a different location but I don't doubt that the caliber of the event will be just as good.
With two days of workshops before and two days of skiing afterwards, it really is a great conference.
You can still get tickets at the early bird price of $795 until December 7th, after which it'll be $895. Even better, if you're a student, it's only $195.
Oh, and I'm speaking
If you feel like hearing me yammer on about Ajax Frameworks, you'll have to make the trip (and if you have any topics that you think I should specifically address in my session, let me know).
Conversation
I'm looking forward to it too. About the wifi though, it will be a bit disappointing if it's totally unusable. At Apple's WWDC conferences they manage to provide reliable wifi for thousands of attendees, so Web Directions north should be able to do it, at least in theory.
Hey Jonathan will you be heading out to @media in May in SF? I'd love to meet you- just like you'd like to meet Zeldman. Does that make you all warm and squishy?
We've got a special dialogue going with the hotel right now to try and make sure the wifi stays up. Cross your fingers...
Thanks for the post, we're glad to have you as a speaker this year!
BTW, keep in mind that providing wifi for a few thousand when you're a company with a market cap in the hundreds of billions may just be an easier task than providing it for a few hundred when you're a small independent organization operating on a (relative) shoestring. Economies of scale and all that. ;)
It's not about the number of people using it so much as the cost of a reliable connection, and working with people that understand the challenge. We had assurances last year it would be up the whole time, for what that's worth.
A shame I won't be able to go this time around, I had a blast when I attended earlier this year. And there is a superb-looking lineup coming up too. But I'll be watching the feeds for news of the event, for sure.
Sounds like a great conference. Unfortunately I can't go myself, but maybe next year I'll be able to make it!
I empathize with the constraints Dave, hence my quip "at least in theory". Apple had what looked like fairly advanced Cisco repeaters on tripods spread around the convention centre - likely not cheap.
See you there brutha. It will be good to catch up in person.
Oh student price how I love thee!
I may have to wait it out a bit... I may be scheduled to go to Concordia for UNCC and leave WDN-08... although I'm hoping something will work out...!
A voice from the Arab world.
i really just wish for event organizers to take a look at the Arab world specially the middle east, the web movement is growing very fast here. we only lack such events, to keep us on top of things and well informed with whats coming.
Hope my voice will be heard one day
i can not stay here any more
I am really looking forward to this too. Last year's stellar line-up of speakers was the best I had ever seen on one conference roster. I would also agree that it was one of the best organized events I have ever attended and the wrap party was worth the price of the flight alone. I can't wait!
"I'm getting a sense of what I like and don't like to see"
Or do you mean, "Who" you like and don't like to see lol
I'd love to hear you yammer on about Frameworks, but have distance i can't travel.
You will have to do a special entry about the after party :)