BreakOut Sessions...

[TheCotMan]

Been done for years in an informal fashion (often one-on-one) but see if there is supply and demand for specialist breakout sessions.

Examples: Hands-On work to build something which was discussed in a presentation. PCB work, Locks, Stack exploits, using gdb to identify risky segments of code when src is not available (unchecked buffers), postscript printer exploits, HR Q&A for people with genuine interest, etc.

There are various small rooms which can handle small groups of 10 to 30 people located in different parts of the Hotel. (Consider where the forum meet has met in different years. I recognize the rooms from the pictures.)

Sadly, this may give rise to "Teach Me to hack" and attract "the wrong crowd." Also, this does run counter to the "hacker approach" to learning in isolation and sharing of concepts.

Comments, complaints, thread highjacking? All welcome.

[1.4 months left]

[LosT]

I would be more than happy to get on the microcontroller train (hardware or software)- I've always enjoyed the think-tank type atmosphere...

LosT

[pr0zac0x2a]

Only problem I could see with this is the huge number of people that would end up getting turned away. A lot of the talks already get huge crowds, lines, and disappointed would-be goers. Something that only 10-30 people could be involved in would only magnify this problem. Something like a advanced sign up sheet or the like might be helpful...

-zac

[AlxRogan]

Only problem I could see with this is the huge number of people that would end up getting turned away. A lot of the talks already get huge crowds, lines, and disappointed would-be goers. Something that only 10-30 people could be involved in would only magnify this problem. Something like a advanced sign up sheet or the like might be helpful...

-zac

Honestly, I don't think it will be a problem. Sure, all kinds of talks get full up, but that's why they have so many. I love it when I see new ideas presented at DC, especially things along the lines of more technical presentations, like the TCP/IP devices and Robot competition of DC12. I wish more people had come by and entered for those, and if we can fill those up so people have to stand in line to get into those, all the better. Sure, hearing about the latest XSS vulnerability or 'sploit is interesting, but I can see tons of that stuff across FD or Bugtraq all the time, I like seeing innovative stuff at DC, not the same old shit every year.</diatribe>

Good luck with this.

[TheCotMan]

Responses combined:

I would be more than happy to get on the microcontroller train (hardware or software)- I've always enjoyed the think-tank type atmosphere...

That would be really cool: generating more interest in embedded devices, microcontrollers, and electronic tools may help to encourage more participants in future competitions. (Though I told you in person, congrats on your win :-)

Only problem I could see with this is the huge number of people that would end up getting turned away. [snip] Something like a advanced sign up sheet or the like might be helpful...

Others:
* Tickets w/ unique ID
* Prerequisites
* "Security by Obscurity" locations kept secret (1337 security! ;-)
* Proper marketing of sessions
* Speakers reserve slots and allocate seating assignments
* Video of popular sessions
* Charge with trade/money/services

If it is a good idea, and worth the effort, this problem can be solved.

There are many ways to deal with this, but none are worth the time if we do not have enough people willing to talk, join, or listen.

Honestly, I don't think it will be a problem. Sure, all kinds of talks get full up, but that's why they have so many. I love it when I see new ideas presented at DC, especially things along the lines of more technical presentations, like the TCP/IP devices and Robot competition of DC12. I wish more people had come by and entered for those, and if we can fill those up so people have to stand in line to get into those, all the better.

Good point; popularity often follows perceived shortage. You also bring another great side-effect: 10-30 people in a breakout session are 10-30 people NOT in line for another track.

Sure, hearing about the latest XSS vulnerability or 'sploit is interesting, but I can see tons of that stuff across FD or Bugtraq all the time, I like seeing innovative stuff at DC, not the same old shit every year.</diatribe>

Also good points. Breakout sessions could provide a productive outlet for a growing crowd of DC attendees (and veterans) looking for new or educational experiences they cannot enjoy online or in books, and of course, this would be new. :-)

Thanks starfighter!

[LosT]

There isn't a problem with the forum meet, and there wasn't a problem with the toxic BBQ....and we even didn't really have a problem with the trip to the locksmith shoppe....

So I don't see a problem with this...

Hell, the room wasn't even half full at most of the competitions at DC12....


And I kind of like the idea of only people showing up that gave a damn, or that were talented....look at Caesars Cipher....

LosT

[Vyrus]

Sounds like a good idea to me...

Evan if it's too much to delegate a system like this if nothing else it would by itself form groups of people who walk out of a talk and say "hay u want to try this :P" who normaly would never have evan talked to each other. It alows for much more progress to be made by saying " yea i hooked up with some folks at DC and we tried it and got it to wrok.. now that i know how it works let me try this" as aposed to "wow that was cool, let me go in a hole and spend all of next year learning how they did it"