Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

[valkyrie]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Well, HighWiz, since you have owned the FAQ, do you wish to own this effort, I mean since there are so many wonderful people who are interested, perhaps you would wish to own what talks are most important? I do agree with Thorn, speed topics are perhaps the best? Love the idea of photos, etc., as long as those individuals are okay with that.

Regards,

valkyrie
__________________________________________________ ____________________
sapere aude

[valkyrie]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

I would love to hear from Render and Grey, Thorn, HighWiz, perhaps from AstCell, DT if he would grace the newbs with his most awesome presence and perhaps a girly or two: Jackalope comes to mind. So does Mouse.

Regards,

valkyrie
__________________________________________________ _____________________
sapere aude

[Dallas]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Id offer up the topic of parties, not being a dick, how to potentially get into one, ect..

Things to bring, swag, ect..

[astcell]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

This reminds me of my college days. The week before classes started we had a primer on everything from how to study to how to dance. Folks could choose between two tracks in case one was not interesting to them. They did not want folks wandering off and possibly not coming back.

There are many good topics to cover. May I suggest that we have one track for the computer literate and one for the folks who aspire to computer literacy one day?

I made a comment ages ago which Cotman still refers to. We do not care if you run the shake machine at McDonald's. Be proud of who you are and the direction you wish to travel in life. Do not try to hoodwink us with your leet secrets like tracert, ping, and the NSA IP of 127.0.0.1. We are not as impressed by knowledge as much as the ability to attain knowledge. And a step above that? be one of those selected to represent Defcon to the newbie track a few years down the road. This is the completion of the circle.

Let us speak of what we know, and share our experiences. Maybe you are a leet coder who knows wi-fi, but at DC9 you were sharpied. Or maybe you ended up in the pool. Or maybe you drank a little too much. As respected as some folks are now, we did not all start out that way. We had to earn our respect. Those of us here have attained that level. Fucktard Hall shows the corpses of many who failed to achieve the minimum expectations to even glance in our direction.

If I was considered of a caliber to share my defcon experiences with others, my topics of choice would be:
-Photography and what orifices will house your camera if you are not careful
-Why beer is the currency of choice
-Why looks do not matter, or Supergeniuses that just want to share a beer (Kevin, Robert, CC)
-Why 9pm is not a good bedtime but 9am may be

There may be other topics that I am able to discuss, but we shall see the varieties of folks who sign up here and what is offered.

BTW I plan to have at least a beer the entire talk, shouldn't we all?

[valkyrie]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Id offer up the topic of parties, not being a dick, how to potentially get into one, ect..

Things to bring, swag, ect..

bring your hat. :-D

[astcell]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Id offer up the topic of parties, not being a dick, how to potentially get into one, ect..

Things to bring, swag, ect..

How to get into a dick?

[Dallas]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

How to get into a dick?

Um..not dick, party. Crap that sounded wrong when I wrote it.

[valkyrie]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

How bout 101 level talks? Tabling the "Social introduction" to DefCon for a moment, and thinking more about Tech based talks to give "New Hackers" or "Would be Hackers" a primer or jumping off point. What kind of things would be good to cover?

I don't know about format, whether quick talks or longer discussions would be better, so it's something to be discussed. But throwing out ideas for both types is never a bad thing, they can be shrunken down/expanded depending on what's ultimately decided.

For an example, maybe Thorn and Renderman doing a primer/something on wireless. Valkyrie talking about Crypto in an intro to code breaking or something along those lines?

I'm sure some of this information is covered in the villages or can be found there. However, we/you people can be intimidating to a "Newbie" even if you're not trying to be. So a Newbie Track dealing specifically with those topics can be helpful in this format.

Let me know what you all think, whether that's the direction we want to go or rip down my ideas, it's all good...

I am in complete agreement with you about this. Yes, more detailed information about these topics is available elsewhere at con, however, as was pointed out, if one is not adept at researching the forums then one doesn't really know all that is going on. Hit them with the fire hose and then let them choose where they want to go deeper. The topics suggested are good. I would also suggest the following:

Overview of CTF events
Overview of DefCon Logistics (many folks really don't know what goes into putting this thing on)
Art and Music of DefCon (Anyone who saw my badge from last year knows what I am talking about)

Good suggestions? Not so good suggestions?

regards,

valkyrie
__________________________________________________ ___________
sapere aude

[HighWiz]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

So is anyone else besides valkyire, astcell, thorn and dallas really interested in being involved?

[Ænder]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Reading over this, I am continually impressed with the lengths that both seasoned vets and newbies are willing to go to, to make this con better and better. I've been lurking the forums for a while now, and it really surprises me. Not because I believe that Defcon and its attendees are of a certain personality archetype, but because people in large groups have a tendency to not care. It's like with charity: a few will give more, but with an exponential rise in population the amount given goes down equally.

I am very excited to see what comes of this project. I, for one, would love to attend a primer and learn more about the various facets and events going on at this, my first ever Defcon. I will be delving into proper etiquette moreso as I am going to Shmoocon and Notacon this year as well. And, I say this with all sincerity, I can't wait to buy a few beers for the many friends I hope to make, while listening to some good stories and close to the vest wisdom I know many will have.

[Dallas]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Great Work HighWiz, looking good..

[astcell]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Really looking good. I am so liking this.

[DaKahuna]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

I agree. This is an outstanding idea. The biggest problem I see is finding the appropriate time to fit it in and a place to hold the meeting.

If we can get the use of one of the speaker rooms on Thursday and can do it sometime between 1300 - 1600, I think that might work, Otherwise what about 0800 - 0900 Friday morning?

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

The biggest problem I see is finding the appropriate time to fit it in and a place to hold the meeting. ... Thursday and ... sometime between 1300 - 1600, I think that might work, Otherwise what about 0800 - 0900 Friday morning?

i think that Thursday evening or Friday morning may be the best option.

Heh, of course i'm speaking with my own interests in mind since i'd love to participate in this but all of Thursday except the evening winds up kind of running right into all the things that i coordinate or participate in that day... the DC-Shoot in the morning until noonish, gun cleaning noon to one or two, Titanium Chef from about two until four or five, and by then the TBBQ is getting going pretty well, etc.

Of course, Thursday evening is theSumit event, and i don't want to step on their toes, either. Friday morning may be the best bet. Just hope my fellow TOOOL people don't mind if i'm not there bright and early setting up our skybox.

In fact, speaking of... would a skybox maybe be a good option for this? For instance, it seems like some of the people interested in this are the type of folk who contribute to and hang out in the villages... if we took a vacant skybox (or, possibly even a double skybox with the wall opened up, depending on the level of interest expressed) that morning it would be a good, out of the way spot where people don't need badges in order to go... right?

[Dallas]

Re: Newbie Track: surviving defcon and other related items

Only thing I would throw in, is having it on Thur (or both thur and Friday), is to make people more aware of events like the Summit and TBBQ. Maybe at 14:00 - 15:00 ?

i think that Thursday evening or Friday morning may be the best option.

Heh, of course i'm speaking with my own interests in mind since i'd love to participate in this but all of Thursday except the evening winds up kind of running right into all the things that i coordinate or participate in that day... the DC-Shoot in the morning until noonish, gun cleaning noon to one or two, Titanium Chef from about two until four or five, and by then the TBBQ is getting going pretty well, etc.

Of course, Thursday evening is theSumit event, and i don't want to step on their toes, either. Friday morning may be the best bet. Just hope my fellow TOOOL people don't mind if i'm not there bright and early setting up our skybox.

In fact, speaking of... would a skybox maybe be a good option for this? For instance, it seems like some of the people interested in this are the type of folk who contribute to and hang out in the villages... if we took a vacant skybox (or, possibly even a double skybox with the wall opened up, depending on the level of interest expressed) that morning it would be a good, out of the way spot where people don't need badges in order to go... right?