Fourth batch of Speakers Selected + Rum0rzz

[The Dark Tangent]

The fourth batch of speakers is now selected and up!
http://www.defcon.org/html/defcon-13/dc13-schedule.html

After being called ‘sell-outs’ for over a decade, we thought we’d cash in on it. In our case, it’s not cash, its good old fashioned stimulants * caffeine and tobacco. While caffeine is proven addictive, and tobacco both addictive and deadly, both are consumed in mass quantities at DC. So why pay for it, when multinational corporations are willing to give it away? We are proud and happy to announce that DC goers will receive free Red Bull to keep them awake (while quantities last, one day only). For those already addicted to nicotine, we are pleased to announce that your DC budget will be a bit smaller * due to the generosity of the Sante Fe Natural Tobacco Company, nicotine will be provided.

[alklloyd]

Ack, Long and Fyodor on at the same time...that's it. I'm bringing a tv tuner with my laptop this year. That's one thing about Defcon, you never can see all the talks you'd like to.
Looks like a good bunch of speakers, though.

Al

[Gadsden]

Now if we can only score free beer...

[Deviant Ollam]

Ack, Long and Fyodor on at the same time...that's it. I'm bringing a tv tuner with my laptop this year. That's one thing about Defcon, you never can see all the talks you'd like to.

actually, i've been told that much like previous years the schedule is still in it's "being populated with names" phase. once they have a handle on who's going to be there, many slot shifts occur. the organizers put tons of effort into trying to get things to flow properly and fit just right. i agree, though, that very often it can be a hard call to make when planning one's schedule. thank god for the fact that the talks are all broadcast on the AP tv network. one of the best features of the con, frankly.

i think it would be awesome if the potential attendees and speakers all had some sort of automated web-form system where they could vote on their favorite talks as the schedule came together and then computerized sorting would take a stab at arranging talks with less chances of conflict by popularity. this could also help in determinig where seating would be most needed. yeah... because that would all be really easy to code. heh.

Now if we can only score free beer...

heh... with friends like you guys, i seem to walk around much of my time at defcon as if surrounded by free beer. at least it appears that way, so often are random huge coolers being publicly offered. it's only when i get home and look at credit card receipts for the vegas liquor stores that i realize how much i contribute to the "free" liquor that i enjoy so much. :surprised

[TheCotMan]

i think it would be awesome if the potential attendees and speakers all had some sort of automated web-form system where they could vote on their favorite talks as the schedule came together and then computerized sorting would take a stab at arranging talks with less chances of conflict by popularity. this could also help in determinig where seating would be most needed. yeah... because that would all be really easy to code. heh.

Something like this was suggested in another thread, but two counter ideas came up to make this more difficult:
1) Since it is a hacker convention, someone will think it fun to stuff the ballot box-- whatever idea is employed to limit votes per user, it will be attacked. (Also, speaker may view it as a popularity contest, and this could add another motivation to fixing votes.)
2) Since it is DefCon, people who vote online may not be the people who attend, and of those who attend, how many might actually skip the presentation they voted to see?
[added:]
3) Since the organizers try to balance things out, it is in their interest to force difficult decisions with highly desired presentations up at the same time so there isn't a case of everyone flocking to see one of the 3 presentations. (Such information may work against spreading out the presentations we want to see in person.)

[dYn4mic]

How many batches is there going to be? 6 maybe?

Getting to see all the talks you'd like to, or trying to get in, then seeing a 100 person line in 100 degree weather, only to run back to your room to catch it on DefconTV.
Its always hard, but before my friends and I leave for the con, we go out to dinner and everyone talks about the days ahead, and we print out the schedule and ciricle the meets we'd really like to see and then later try to make decisions on to go for track 1/2/3 if there's a conflict.
Mine normally has a lot of circles.. heh.

[cindy]

* due to the generosity of the Sante Fe Natural Tobacco Company, nicotine will be provided.

Free Smokes??? Really?? Will it come with defcon packaging? And matches, since we can no longer bring a lighter on the plane. (Stupid security control)

is this true? Free Smokes? I may come just for the smokes, being Canadian, It just may be worth the plane fare.

What's the catch?

[robman]

I have never been to one of these conventions, but I have a suggestion.

It sounds as though a lot of people have trouble with picking one speaker over the next. Maybe somebody could record all of the speakers and place them on a DVD. The DVD's could then be sold for profit help funding the Defcon movement.

[TheCotMan]

I have never been to one of these conventions, but I have a suggestion.

It sounds as though a lot of people have trouble with picking one speaker over the next. Maybe somebody could record all of the speakers and place them on a DVD. The DVD's could then be sold for profit help funding the Defcon movement.

Heh. :-) This has been done, and every year there is a company that offers paper ads to tell people where they can buy the videos. (Prices are a bit steep though. $600-$1000 IIRC.)

I think they offered audio of the previous year's cons cheaper, and the DefCon site often puts up streaming video of some past presentations.

[The Dark Tangent]

Funny you should mention that..

Now if we can only score free beer...

Well, we were in discussions with a beer sponsor, a good one. But then I decided I didn't want the Hotel and Insurance problems associated with it.. Maybe next year.

[John D]

Another good sponsor would be PMC Ammo for the Defcon Shoot types. ;)

They're located in Boulder City, Nevada.

http://www.pmcammo.com/

John D.

[goathead]

Some friends and I were just discussing how DC, as well as a couple other regular events we attend, would be (excuse the pun) ripe for a deoderant company... Axe or whatever competing product line.

We have oregon country fair starting soon, I think my friends would be doing a community service to contact axe and get enough to fill a backpack sprayer... and have at it.

but in seriousness, the maker's of turbo truffles would be awesome. i think i'll try to bring a tub of those down on my own, but 100 caffeine candies wont last too long when sharin.

[astcell]

Fourth batch...sounds like we're baking cookies here.

Anyway, a few years back I had a few ideas regarding sponsorship which were quickly shot down. My favorite was a Defcon VISA card. if they can put my mug on a credit card, why not a DC logo, and let some of the benefits trickle back to DT. Seems the folks gotta watch who they endorse and vice versa. Sort of like a pepsi factory worker getting caught with a Coke I suppose.

What I am doing is finding vendors who should really be at Defcon and letting them know about the vendor tables and other goings on. So far I knew some people going to DC13 because of me, but I don't know if any vendors have persued it for business reasons.

[russ]

Fourth batch...sounds like we're baking cookies here.

We're baking speakers...

[Adrenaline]

hey, if redbull's being given out, perhaps they'll throw in some of those cute red-bull girls to give it out as well. I can only hope, they're usually always pretty hot. :)