Why does defcon exist? Why do we keep going?
The #1 reason that I go to defcon is for the people. The talks are interesting to some, I'm sure, but honestly most are too boring for my tastes.
So how do you meet and talk to new people? Parties and socializing. Many groups are more than happy to donate their time and money to get parties going so that their friends can have a good time.
These parties are getting harder and harder to either locate or get into, especially since more and more are being moved off site. If you don't know the right people, you can't even get in. I remember my first defcon, I hardly knew anyone, I certainly didn't know anyone well enough to get invites to all the cool parties. Fortunately, it was at the AP and most parties didn't HAVE invites, they just opened their doors to everyone. Even as a complete defcon n00b I felt welcome into the group.
Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen any more. And there's no easy way to fix it.
So DT, I know you read some of these posts. When negotiating and setting up Defcon 18, could you please also help out the unofficial parties? We've wanted to, say, have Monaco tower be defcon only for years, maybe we have enough sway now to make that happen? Plus the "no outside alcohol" is a ridiculous policy. Defconers just aren't the kind of crowd that will be happy buying overpriced rum and cokes from a slow-as-fuck hotel bartender!
Thanks!
Kallahar
The #1 reason that I go to defcon is for the people. The talks are interesting to some, I'm sure, but honestly most are too boring for my tastes.
So how do you meet and talk to new people? Parties and socializing. Many groups are more than happy to donate their time and money to get parties going so that their friends can have a good time.
These parties are getting harder and harder to either locate or get into, especially since more and more are being moved off site. If you don't know the right people, you can't even get in. I remember my first defcon, I hardly knew anyone, I certainly didn't know anyone well enough to get invites to all the cool parties. Fortunately, it was at the AP and most parties didn't HAVE invites, they just opened their doors to everyone. Even as a complete defcon n00b I felt welcome into the group.
Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen any more. And there's no easy way to fix it.
So DT, I know you read some of these posts. When negotiating and setting up Defcon 18, could you please also help out the unofficial parties? We've wanted to, say, have Monaco tower be defcon only for years, maybe we have enough sway now to make that happen? Plus the "no outside alcohol" is a ridiculous policy. Defconers just aren't the kind of crowd that will be happy buying overpriced rum and cokes from a slow-as-fuck hotel bartender!
Thanks!
Kallahar
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