DEF CON 19 Vendors

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

I am getting ready to release the DC19 Vendor FAQ and start taking applications for vendors this year. I was hoping to get some feedback from you guys.

We will certainly have the usual suspects in the vendor area this year (Irvine Underground, Jinx, Ninjas, Ghetto Geeks, Unix Surplus, MECO, etc) but I have about 1000 square feet more to work with this year and I'd like to get some new, different vendors in.

Other than T-shirts (we almost certainly won't have a new T-shirt vendor this year) what would you like to see being sold in the vendor area? I'd like to improve it some because I think it's gotten a bit stagnant with mostly the same vendors selling the same stuff the past few year. Now's your chance to let me know what you're looking for and I'll see what I can do to make it happen.

Thanks,

Chris

[big chopper Member Find all posts View Profile Close big chopper]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

Recruiters?

[Amazon Member Find all posts View Profile Close Amazon]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

This may well just be me being girly, but I love buttons/pins, bags, art prints, custom art, stickers, and random accessories included but not limited to the aforementioned items, key chains, barrettes, etc..

You could always hold an auction, too. For items or people's 'services'/knowledge base.

[Agent X Head of Speaker Ops Find all posts View Profile Close Agent X]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

Hard to find custom and exotic hardware, and tools. Especially small hard to find things that you want to get a personal touch for before you buy. So every day carry toys, lock picks, customer small market stuff.

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

Recruiters?

I'd like to get other people's take on this. The idea of having recruiters in the vendor area has been brought up to the planning staff before and we have always shot it down. If this is something a lot of people would like to see we can readdress it.

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

Hard to find custom and exotic hardware, and tools. Especially small hard to find things that you want to get a personal touch for before you buy. So every day carry toys, lock picks, customer small market stuff.

This is something I am shooting for this year. I have had a couple of companies that fall into this area contact me already and I plan to have them in this year. I like the idea of "hard to find" especially. I'd like to get vendors in that sell things that are difficult to find otherwise. The issue of course is that with online shopping being what it is, there is very little that is actually hard to find anymore.

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

This may well just be me being girly, but I love buttons/pins, bags, art prints, custom art, stickers, and random accessories included but not limited to the aforementioned items, key chains, barrettes, etc..

You could always hold an auction, too. For items or people's 'services'/knowledge base.

Everything but the auction should be in there this year. I can't imagine that I am going to have an "auction your services/knowledge" area though. Auctioning off services seems a little too corporate for my liking.

[big chopper Member Find all posts View Profile Close big chopper]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

I'd like to get other people's take on this. The idea of having recruiters in the vendor area has been brought up to the planning staff before and we have always shot it down. If this is something a lot of people would like to see we can readdress it.

Given the current economic conditions, I'd think that many people would like to have the ability to find, or upgrade, their work situation. Also, identifying recruiters at DEFCON may inspire some younger attendees to study the craft more seriously and make infosec a career.

I'm not sure I understand the downside of having recruiters at DEFCON. The conference is full of recruiters anyway, why not identify them put them all in one place?
--bc,

[astcell Human Rights Issuer Find all posts View Profile Close astcell]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

The guy who had the UNAMERICAN stickers was cool, I miss him.

More toys. MECO and UNIX SURPLUS are great but I want more!

Recruiters...not in the vendor area, maybe in a breakout/lounge area or a skybox equivalent.

And since we have a "secure" network how about someone make "The network from hell, logon at your own risk." After all, we say it may be dangerous, so let's MAKE it dangerous. Open a wifi IP range and promise us rootkits and trojans and all sorts of hassles on it. For some it can be fun, for others it can be a bit of awareness.

[Club81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Club81]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

In honor of this thread, I think it'd be cool to see vendors that sell MOLLE packs. The LA Police Gear website (and others that are similar) have all sort of useful packs/clothes/etc...

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

The guy who had the UNAMERICAN stickers was cool, I miss him.

More toys. MECO and UNIX SURPLUS are great but I want more!

Recruiters...not in the vendor area, maybe in a breakout/lounge area or a skybox equivalent.

And since we have a "secure" network how about someone make "The network from hell, logon at your own risk." After all, we say it may be dangerous, so let's MAKE it dangerous. Open a wifi IP range and promise us rootkits and trojans and all sorts of hassles on it. For some it can be fun, for others it can be a bit of awareness.

I contacted the Unamerican guy (Srini) already and am trying to get him back. I agree. He was one of my favorite vendors.

I'm working on other hardware/toys. Thanks for the input on that.

Also thanks for the feedback on recruiters. That sentiment is what I personally think the overwhelming majority agree with. If I'm wrong though I'll revisit it.

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

In honor of this thread, I think it'd be cool to see vendors that sell MOLLE packs. The LA Police Gear website (and others that are similar) have all sort of useful packs/clothes/etc...

Awesome. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll see what I can do.

[Club81 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Club81]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

I'd like as much stuff with the DEFCON logo on it, but that may interfere with the official DEFCON Swag Store (Who runs this? Will they have more room? Are they putting a call out for suggestions?).

I'm not even sure what else I'd like to buy, but I'll buy all sorts of goofy things that have the mention of DEFCON on them.

[Chris Great Satan of the East Find all posts View Profile Close Chris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

I'd like as much stuff with the DEFCON logo on it, but that may interfere with the official DEFCON Swag Store (Who runs this? Will they have more room? Are they putting a call out for suggestions?).

I'm not even sure what else I'd like to buy, but I'll buy all sorts of goofy things that have the mention of DEFCON on them.

The official DEFCON store is different. They are the only ones allowed to sell stuff with the DEFCON logo. Everyone else has to brand things specific to THIS DEFCON (aka DEFCON 19, DEFCON 2011).

Once the Official store shuts down everything they have left is moved over to Jinx's booth in the Vendor area.

[eris Giving birth to a star Find all posts View Profile Close eris]

Re: DEF CON 19 Vendors

I wonder if some of the Scavenger Hunt sponsors would be interested in being a full fledged vendor. Would ThinkGeek.com be a welcome addition? Or Evilmadscientist? I have no idea if they would be interested but I have contacts I could share with you, Chris.