Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

[bascule]

So there's a couple people I've thought would really fit into the whole Defcon scene, but so far haven't managed to convince them attend (or haven't even asked).

Here they are:

RU Sirius, a sort of countercultural journalist type of guy, creator of the Reality Hackers/Mondo 2000 zine, and has an awesome interview with Steve Wozniak about pranking and phreaking. There's also some awesome discussion about what and asshole Kevin Mitnick was for hacking The WELL.

I think RU could probably give a pretty awesome talk on something, although I'm not sure what he'd actually pick to talk about.

Free Radio Berkeley: I know they came to Defcon long before I started attending and had a little run in with the FCC. Perhaps they'd have better luck now that the climate has somewhat mellowed out (or perhaps is simply awash in an asston of people). If they came I think they could have a pretty awesome electronics workshop.

So my question is, do you think either of these people would be interesting to have attend?

[noid]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

Frankly, they know what DEFCON is and if they wanted to attend they would.

[bascule]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

Frankly, they know what DEFCON is and if they wanted to attend they would.

I've emailed RU in the past and his perpetual excuse is he doesn't have the money (although to be fair, I emailed him this year with no response). If he gave a talk that'd at least subsidize his travel, particularly if he goes the take the badges and hock them at a discount route.

[shrdlu]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

I've emailed RU in the past and his perpetual excuse is he doesn't have the money (although to be fair, I emailed him this year with no response). If he gave a talk that'd at least subsidize his travel, particularly if he goes the take the badges and hock them at a discount route.

Please, no more "guest speakers". This year was enough, thanks. I'd rather have defcon tv back, so I could see the talks that were interesting to me. Really, if someone's interested, they're already coming anyway.

When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought you were going to talk about friends of yours, and why they should go to defcon.

Seriously, I don't think we need to work on drawing more people. That seems to happen no matter what. More talks with meat in them is better.

[theprez98]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

Perhaps its just the choice of words, but I'm not sure I'd want to go to a talk of someone who had to be dragged to DEFCON just to speak, and only if their travel was subsidized.

[bascule]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

Seriously, I don't think we need to work on drawing more people. That seems to happen no matter what. More talks with meat in them is better.

I think the quality of a talk RU could give substantially exceeds the quality of most talks at Defcon, but that is just a hypothetical. The man has been journaling the underbelly of the cyberculture for decades and has ample amounts of public speaking experience.

And again, he has expressed interest in going every time he's responded to me, but money has always been an issue for him. I don't know if he's ever even considered speaking.

I'm somewhat surprised at the overwhelmingly negative reaction I'm receiving, though.

[noid]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

I think the quality of a talk RU could give substantially exceeds the quality of most talks at Defcon, but that is just a hypothetical. The man has been journaling the underbelly of the cyberculture for decades and has ample amounts of public speaking experience.

And again, he has expressed interest in going every time he's responded to me, but money has always been an issue for him. I don't know if he's ever even considered speaking.

I'm somewhat surprised at the overwhelmingly negative reaction I'm receiving, though.

Frankly, if I was gonna pay to fly someone out I'd pick someone who was at least a little more culturally relevant. Sure RU Sirius is a notable figure who's been around the fringe for years, I was a huge MONDO 2000 fan, but lets face it..he's a dinosaur. If this was 1995, I'd say 'hell ya!', but here in 2009 I dont see the point..

[securityninja]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

I don't really like the idea of paying people to speak at the conference especially if they don't have much interest in attending without this remuneration. I have plenty of friends I'd love to bring along because the conference is a great experience for anyone.

I wanted to speak at DEFCON so I submitted a CFP and got selected, my travel to and from Ireland wasn't exactly cheap but I wanted to speak so I coughed up

I have to say I agree with shrdlu about the guest speakers, we have enough very talented people (who are "celebrities" in our own communities in some cases) submitting proposals to talk each year without needing "guest speakers".

SN

[bascule]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

Frankly, if I was gonna pay to fly someone out I'd pick someone who was at least a little more culturally relevant. Sure RU Sirius is a notable figure who's been around the fringe for years, I was a huge MONDO 2000 fan, but lets face it..he's a dinosaur. If this was 1995, I'd say 'hell ya!', but here in 2009 I dont see the point..

For what it's worth, I continue to read his zines (namely H+) and blogs.

Edit:

And to further address the point, being a "dinosaur" is not necessarily a bad thing. He can address the history of hacker culture in ways few other individuals can. I'd be curious how many Defcon attendees are even familiar with The WELL...

[barry99705]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

[cough!]Thorn[/cough!]

[sintax_error]

Re: Who I'd like to drag to Defcon next year

I'm going to have to go 100% with shrdlu on the topic of guest speakers, down to the letter.