Expectations at Defcon

[FarmerPete]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

Bah. And here I thought I was being clever by purchasing plane tickets in advance. I guess I wont have anything to do in Vegas after all. I guess me and my friends will have to find something fun to do...who am I kidding. I don't have any friends. :-( I guess I'll just go sit in one of the vacant Riviera conference rooms by myself (and a fifth of whatever is handy/cheap). Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be another antique political button show going on.

[Ne0nRa1n]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

1. DEFCON + Me = Yes

2. I expect to be very, very tired. Oh, so very tired.

[Ne0nRa1n]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

I enjoy Shmoo and Defcon for different reasons.

You will get out of any conference what you choose to...

You can have an awful time at Defcon, or an amazing one...it is up to you.

With much respect to LosT, I must say I find myself agreeing with xor.

I've never been to Shmoocon (yeah, I know) but I must say I really enjoy the smallness of Notacon. I wouldn't say that I enjoy Notacon more then DEFCON but I do have a more relaxing time because, let's face it, there just really isn't anything relaxing about 7000+ people in one place.

My experience of DEFCON has very much changed in 10 years I've been going. That isn't much of a surprise because I think DEFCON itself has changed in those years as its grown. People will tell me stories about crazy things that happened in past years, and I'll think to myself, "Where the hell was I? We were both at the same conference."

When you have a conference that big you just aren't going to have the same type of shared experience that you get with a smaller conference.

So, yeah....I agree that you might get out of a conference what you put into it, but I would argue that different environments will nurture different types of experiences.

[xof7]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

1) This is my third DefCon. Went to DC15 as a graduation present.

2) This year I would like to see an area for people that aren't of legal drinking age to bs and hang out at. I'm 19 but have passed for 21 since I was 17... But still it isn't fun to have to leave an area when there is drinking going on because I am under 21.

IE the former conference track across from little deli (now closed),near the escalators, a few of us where just bs'ing and using the wifi when goons and cops started throwing people out of the room for being underage...

A place might even exist, I just don't know/haven't heard about it yet.

[LosT]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

With much respect to LosT, I must say I find myself agreeing with xor.

...

let's face it, there just really isn't anything relaxing about 7000+ people in one place.

Agreed.

When you have a conference that big you just aren't going to have the same type of shared experience that you get with a smaller conference.

I would agree with this to some extent. I know people who have had a bad time at smaller conferences because they didn't know anyone, and the small groups kept to themselves. It still depends on the people. Agreed it would be easier to be involved in more of the 'stuff' at a smaller conference, but it would be easier to find a 'place' at a larger conference due to the sheer volume of events taking place. There will be some loss of intimacy with 7,000 people around you, but sometimes to create something with a small group of people AMONGST the 7,000 can produce a unique type of experience; bonding with a small group in the presence of the mob can be an interesting social experience. You can get that at larger conferences, you can't do that at the smaller ones.

So, yeah....I agree that you might get out of a conference what you put into it, but I would argue that different environments will nurture different types of experiences.

I would agree with that. And you know I think the world of you! ;)

I like both types of conference for different reasons. And I have different expectations for each.

1057

[Dark Tangent]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

1) This is my third DefCon. Went to DC15 as a graduation present.

2) This year I would like to see an area for people that aren't of legal drinking age to bs and hang out at. I'm 19 but have passed for 21 since I was 17... But still it isn't fun to have to leave an area when there is drinking going on because I am under 21.

That chill out area / DJ zone is supposed to be an all ages hang out place for wifi - redbull - and music. If you guys got kicked out last year then something when wrong. Wish I should have known. Sounds like another hotel screw up.

[noid]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

That chill out area / DJ zone is supposed to be an all ages hang out place for wifi - redbull - and music. If you guys got kicked out last year then something when wrong. Wish I should have known. Sounds like another hotel screw up.

Actually I think I know what he's talking about, but I'll take up that discussion with you in person.

[Ne0nRa1n]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

I would agree with this to some extent. I know people who have had a bad time at smaller conferences because they didn't know anyone, and the small groups kept to themselves. It still depends on the people. Agreed it would be easier to be involved in more of the 'stuff' at a smaller conference, but it would be easier to find a 'place' at a larger conference due to the sheer volume of events taking place. There will be some loss of intimacy with 7,000 people around you, but sometimes to create something with a small group of people AMONGST the 7,000 can produce a unique type of experience; bonding with a small group in the presence of the mob can be an interesting social experience. You can get that at larger conferences, you can't do that at the smaller ones.

Hmm, now that you mention it you have a really good point that I never really considered before. Up until this present moment I never really considered how the fact that I have spoken at DEFCON in the past would have affected the experience that I'd have at other conferences in the present.

I must admit that I've had people recognize me, or tell me that they have heard of me when I have attended other conferences. This leads to making automatic friends because you already have pre-approved trust. This is definitely a lot different than having to find your own way without the same past.

Oh my gosh, up until this moment I never realized how utterly spoiled I was! I am kind of embarrassed by this lack of self-awareness.

I happily concede to your point.

And you know I think the world of you! ;)

As I adore you.

[YenTheFirst]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

If I'm able to go this year, it will be my third. 15, I talked to almost no one; 16 I was a little more social, and I had a better experience for it.

I second (or third, or whatever:)) [or is it (.*:)] the idea of having better recognition/areas/whatever for the under 21/designated driver/non-drinking folks. Alcohol certainly is a big part of defcon, but there are many people under 21 (I was when I first went), or people who just don't drink. (I don't remember for sure, but I thought I overheard Joe Grand saying he doesn't)

hmm. maybe as an unofficial event, who would be interested in a non-alcoholic brewing contest? Many beverages were originally brewed, like root beer or ginger beer, but had an extremely low alcohol content. Would there be enough interest to have a parallel contest?

[Rhenium]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

Actually I hear that DEFCON has been retroactively canceled, and thus never happened... something about the assassination of DT's grandparents...

On a more serious note,

1) This will be my third DEFCON.

2) What am I expecting? I'm going to try and find the social side of DEFCON, not easy when there's n thousand people around, but maybe delurking from the forum's will help.

[blindgeek]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

1. No, this is my first Defcon.
2. I expect that I will meet a lot of new people, do some drinking, identify individuals via their Bluetooth-enabled devices, and generally find interesting things to do that do not depend entirely on a sense of sight.

[saxdr]

Re: Expectations at Defcon

1) Have you ever been to Defcon before? Yes, DEFCON 16.

2) What are your expectations when attending Defcon this year? I expect to do some lurking, go deeper in topics I listened to last year, take more pictures than last year, do better in the lockpicking village, meet up with some friends from last year, expect to embarrass myself in a couple of the contests this year, expect to have problems getting through airport security when they x-ray my stuff and can't figure out what it is, and to consume about as much alcohol as last year. I don't expect anyone to remember me from last year, to get in trouble, lose as much money on the roulette table, or leave my hotel room trashed.