A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

[Chris]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Dude I always look LosT.

TIP: WATER is appreciated almost as much as alcohol at certain times. Try offering water if you're under age. It will work most of the time. Vegas is hot.

Just a note. Don't offer a Goon an opened beverage. We probably won't take it, and we definitely won't drink it. Sealed, unopened water is always appreciated though.

[astcell]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Just a note. Don't offer a Goon an opened beverage. We probably won't take it, and we definitely won't drink it. Sealed, unopened water is always appreciated though.

In one box is an unopened Rolling Rock, and in the other box is an unopened water. Choose wisely.

[HighWiz]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Just a note. Don't offer a Goon an opened beverage. We probably won't take it, and we definitely won't drink it. Sealed, unopened water is always appreciated though.

To further that note... Don't accept open beverages from others.

It will save you possible trouble later on.

[KillerSpud]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

To further that note... Don't accept open beverages from others.

It will save you possible trouble later on.

You might want to rethink that with all the tamper evident tricks going around these days

[HighWiz]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

You might want to rethink that with all the tamper evident tricks going around these days

Not really. There are far easier ways to fuck with someone, if you're willing to put in the effort to actually tamper with their beverage. Though, do you have a picture? I'd be happy to flash it up at 101 and tell people not to accept any beverages from you, at all.

In the case of Roamer, I don't know if he'd really accept any beverage from someone he didn't know (Sans the bartender).

[Dallas]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Um ...my 1 cent..

Wonder around, hand people beers, go to the parties, don't fall asleep at the parties, don't throw shct out the window at the parties, basically most is in the faq..

Making friends, easy, just walk up say your a newbie and start talking..better yet volunteer to help...

On going cheap..look at Bill Gamblin Hall and other low cost hotels, cheap to stay and easy to get back to. If you work it right you probably will only come back to crash and maybe take a shower...I prefer Bills as its the lowest cost jumping point for Black hat parties until Defcon starts..after that..still looking..but as others said -- go crash with someone random--makes life more interesting.

consider coming over the the Alexis park. If a man offers you a drink of Habanero or random drink from different types of dispenser..go with it..just don't fall asleep or end up in the emergency room.

These folks who are replying are golden, write their names down - go say hi, most will even buy YOU a beer..

Greetings,

I've been a computer nerd for as long as I can remember and have visited these forums on and off since I was a young lad. Last year I finally turned 21, and thus I naturally have started considering going to Defcon. I checked the FAQ and didn't find answers to these questions, so I decided to pose them here. I'd be grateful to anyone who could answer any of them:

1. How much can one expect to spend in total to have an enjoyable time at Defcon? As in, do you have to spend to fully experience the con, or can I use my thrifty cheap college student skills to still get a rich experience and save money?

2. Is it recommended for first-time con-goers to submit a paper to talk about? I've been working at a datamining lab for four years and have a couple of papers floating around in the academic peer review system. I think I might have some interesting things to say, but it's mainly my work and perspectives from academia (aka fantasy) land. I'm also scared I might end up making my first time less enjoyable in case I get selected to talk.

3. Is it easy to make new friends at Defcon? If I were to go, I might have to go alone.

4. Any behaviors in particular that are widely looked down upon?

Thanks much.

[blakdayz]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

so says the man with the bug sprayer of unknown alcoholic content.

Um ...my 1 cent..

Wonder around, hand people beers, go to the parties, don't fall asleep at the parties, don't throw shct out the window at the parties, basically most is in the faq..

Making friends, easy, just walk up say your a newbie and start talking..better yet volunteer to help...

On going cheap..look at Bill Gamblin Hall and other low cost hotels, cheap to stay and easy to get back to. If you work it right you probably will only come back to crash and maybe take a shower...I prefer Bills as its the lowest cost jumping point for Black hat parties until Defcon starts..after that..still looking..but as others said -- go crash with someone random--makes life more interesting.

consider coming over the the Alexis park. If a man offers you a drink of Habanero or random drink from different types of dispenser..go with it..just don't fall asleep or end up in the emergency room.

These folks who are replying are golden, write their names down - go say hi, most will even buy YOU a beer..

[blakdayz]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

you know how people who participate in elections get a spiffy little oval "I Voted" sticker to wear the rest of the day? Imagine if Goons had something like that... "I Bought A Beer" stickers.

We did... Goon bribe cards. If you were esp. cool we coined you with our wooden nickels.

[Furby_Hunter]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

1. How much can one expect to spend in total to have an enjoyable time at Defcon? As in, do you have to spend to fully experience the con, or can I use my thrifty cheap college student skills to still get a rich experience and save money?

Instead of repeating what others have said I'll tell you what I spent at defcon. I'm a 21 year old college student living in Chicago (explaining my flight expenses and why I didn't rent a car).

Flight: $481 round trip after taxes (Southwest)
Hotel: $632 (at Rio, 8/3-8/7)
Cabfare: ~$130 ($30ish each way to/from airport so be prepared to spend that even if you never leave the hotel.)
Meals: ~$160 ($12-$20 per meal, generally a $3 pack of pop tarts for breakfast. I ate almost exclusively at the Rio to avoid cabfare)
Drinking: $25, I only visited the pay bar like 3 times (one being for a goon). Most of my drinking was at the casinos where they give it for free. I didn't party much (at all) while at defcon.
Gambling: $250, I won some and lost some but came out down $250 at trips end. I only played poker.
Defcon badge: $150
So overall I spent about $1828 at defcon. Be prepared to spend more if you want a lot of drinking, hookers, strippers, ect.

3. Is it easy to make new friends at Defcon? If I were to go, I might have to go alone

I went alone and had no issues socializing.

4. Any behaviors in particular that are widely looked down upon?.

Just don't be a jerk. Go to DC101 and look for a guy called High Wiz on the panel, see how he acts and do the opposite. Acting like him (at least on the panel, I didn't see him afterwards) will ensure you get no friends at Defcon.

[Bbox]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Just don't be a jerk. Go to DC101 and look for a guy called High Wiz on the panel, see how he acts and do the opposite. Acting like him (at least on the panel, I didn't see him afterwards) will ensure you get no friends at Defcon.

NEVER, EVER judge a book by its cover and don't judge someone by seeing them on stage for a short amount of time.

High Wiz does more to make people welcome at Defcon and feel part of the Defcon community then most.

If you are ever lucky enough to have a real conversation with him, I guarantee, you will regret your prior statement.

[Furby_Hunter]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

NEVER, EVER judge a book by its cover and don't judge someone by seeing them on stage for a short amount of time.

High Wiz does more to make people welcome at Defcon and feel part of the Defcon community then most.

If you are ever lucky enough to have a real conversation with him, I guarantee, you will regret your prior statement.

And if I ever do and have a change of heart he will get a personal apology from me. Although short, he made his presence to a lot of newbies to defcon a very rude and egocentric one. That's the only reference many first timers including myself have of him.

[Verio]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

And if I ever do and have a change of heart he will get a personal apology from me. Although short, he made his presence to a lot of newbies to defcon a very rude and egocentric one. That's the only reference many first timers including myself have of him.

I just thought he was having a good time? I think you may have read too much into it. I went to DC101 and this was my first DefCon... and I didn't get any douchebaggery from HighWiz. Yes, he did make fun of a few people, but they were mostly well deserved.

[Furby_Hunter]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

I just thought he was having a good time? I think you may have read too much into it. I went to DC101 and this was my first DefCon... and I didn't get any douchebaggery from HighWiz. Yes, he did make fun of a few people, but they were mostly well deserved.

Some were, some weren't. For instance the guy who had sun glasses on had a condition, he kept them off until High Wiz was doing something else then put what appeared to be prescription drops in his eyes and put the shades back on. If it were more back and forth, or even shared with other members of the panel, it would be more having a good time. It mainly consisted of him acting like an insult comic, except his insults weren't particularly witty. I guarantee you if some random guy acted like that and tried to make friends he would fail. The rest of the members of the panel conducted themselves much more maturely and left a far better impression.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I read him wrong; I don't know. All I know is what I saw, I also talked to a few other people about it and they agreed with me. If in future years I end up talking with him and am shown wrong as I said before I will give him an apology.

[Dallas]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

Its very interesting how different people view others. High Wiz, is generally golden.

And a note on costs:

$ 400 SW
$ 30 (total) Cab - look for other hackers, share the cost.
$ 50 food - get ride to grocery store, pop tarts, pbj, and party food
$ 150 - alcohol - I bought some to give away
-$ 150 got a lot in return
$ 8 (bug sprayer)
$ 0 Badge - Volunteered
$ 350 Hotel - RIO - Buy Early...
$ 200 for workshop (Got $ 100 in free gear, worth every penny)
$ -200 Got a lot of free food at parties and other events, but i go to the black hat afterhours meals as well.

It can be costly, but with a bit of effort it doesn't have to be... the unavoidables are the airfare and some taxi, after that the rest can be pretty low cost.

[HighWiz]

Re: A few questions about Defcon; I've never been to it before

NEVER, EVER judge a book by its cover and don't judge someone by seeing them on stage for a short amount of time.

High Wiz does more to make people welcome at Defcon and feel part of the Defcon community then most.

If you are ever lucky enough to have a real conversation with him, I guarantee, you will regret your prior statement.

I just thought he was having a good time? I think you may have read too much into it. I went to DC101 and this was my first DefCon... and I didn't get any douchebaggery from HighWiz. Yes, he did make fun of a few people, but they were mostly well deserved.

Its very interesting how different people view others. High Wiz, is generally golden.

BBox, Dallas & Verio : Thanks for the kind words.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I read him wrong; I don't know. All I know is what I saw, I also talked to a few other people about it and they agreed with me. If in future years I end up talking with him and am shown wrong as I said before I will give him an apology.

Feel free never to apologize to me.