DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

[The Dark Tangent]

Ok everyone, check out these floor plans. I'm not sure how to embed the images, so I'll provide the links:

Friday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg
Saturday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg
Sunday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg

This is the space we have to play with this year. I want to talk about how to use all the space. Before I lay down the official version, I want to spend some time thinking about the main speaking areas (We had three last year, but we could do four this year, and not have speaking run as long?), the new availability of the 106-110 rooms, and the strange availability of 101-102 and C+D.

Thanks for helping with the floor plan guys!

[Floorplans updated 4-17-07]

[DaKahuna]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Ok everyone, check out these floor plans. I'm not sure how to embed the images, so I'll provide the links:

Friday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg
Saturday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg
Sunday: https://www.defcon.org/images/defcon...-floorplan.jpg

This is the space we have to play with this year. I want to talk about how to use all the space. Before I lay down the official version, I want to spend some time thinking about the main speaking areas (We had three last year, but we could do four this year, and not have speaking run as long?), the new availability of the 106-110 rooms, and the strange availability of 101-102 and C+D.

Thanks for helping with the floor plan guys!

I think that it is outstanding that we have this much room. Just goes to show how successful DefCon has become. While I found it hard enough to make decisions on which talks to be present for all the talks I wanted to hear when there were only three rooms. Chances are with four speaker rooms, I am going to find it hard to make all the ones that I would really want to attend. However, four speaker rooms would mean that more talks subjects would be presented as well as a possiblity of ending some of the sessions earlier giving more time to party without missing some great talks.

Now for a shameless plug. The ChurchofWifi is looking to set up a Wifi Villiage similar to LockPick Village. While the items to be showcased are still being discussed, that is one group that could make good use of the expanded space as separation between some of the wireless gear would be a plus (bluetooth, RFID, etc.)

[signcarver]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

With the exception of the first day last year where everything was delayed a couple of hours I never felt the speaking lasted too long for the day. Though some might think it may have started too early, a weekend without sleep is almost to be expected.

I agree that with three rooms it was at times hard to make decisions as to which place to be and I'm sure four would make it even harder. Though many speakers probably would not want to make a repeat of their presentation it might be nice if a few of the better ones would... even if it was by way of video recorded earlier in the day for those who could not attend originally but I would prefer it to be live. Some speakers may even want their breakout sessions to be on the schedule for these other rooms. Perhaps another speaker on the same topic could also fill the extra spots.

Since I need to be in San Francisco that Saturday, I hope to see many presentaions on Friday so I would rather it not run short and hopefully start on time. No matter what, I'm sure I will love it again this year.

[Agent X]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

One of the requests I got last year was for a quiet room to do some coding in, essential a quite nerd room. Tables, chairs & outlets would be a good start, maybe toss a local lan only switch in there?

[The Dark Tangent]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

One of the requests I got last year was for a quiet room to do some coding in, essential a quite nerd room. Tables, chairs & outlets would be a good start, maybe toss a local lan only switch in there?

Great idea! Where do you propose putting it?

The vendor area will be in the same place it was last year.. I'll update my main post as we decide locations.

[TheCotMan]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Great idea! Where do you propose putting it?

The vendor area will be in the same place it was last year.. I'll update my main post as we decide locations.

If I recall correctly, there are not many places that remain quiet throughout the con.

The skyboxes overlooked last year's contests/events space in the main room and the CTF room, but the noise of the contests and event could be heard in the skyboxes.

There were small rooms along the hallways outside along the path to the various presentation, contest/event, and vendor rooms, but these could still be noisy when presentation end/begin and when new contests start/end.

People can use their hotel rooms for more quiet.

If such a room were to be located near the con, not much else would be allowed to happen near it unless it was also quiet.

I can't think of any con-space that could provide any kind of long-term quiet because of all of the other things that end up being scheduled in nearby spaces which lead to people coming and going (making noise) throughout the con.

Anyone else have ideas on quiet-space locations?
(Whenever I needed one, I just used my room.)

[converge]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

so.. for quiet space everyone is piling into TheCotMan's room ... that way the rest of us can be noisy mofos. cool deal.

[TheCotMan]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

so.. for quiet space everyone is piling into TheCotMan's room ... that way the rest of us can be noisy mofos. cool deal.

My room at the Alexis Park, of course! Just as for TheCotMan at the front desk, and they'll let you in.
(Just be careful, since the AC is busted, and the shower doesn't work quite right, oh yeah, and the cable TV reception sucks like deep space.

[hackajar]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

At DC8 I remember a "Chill" room that had ambient music playing during the day, with lights dimmed, and they had the B&W there at night. It would be nice to have that sort of chill room again.

[astcell]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Can the "Church of WiFi" use the hotel's chapel?

[renderman]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Can the "Church of WiFi" use the hotel's chapel?

Don't tempt me, it's never a good idea.


The wireless village would probably do well with at least one (2 might be better) skyboxes overlooking the contest area. The balcony gives us a place to expand out long antenna shots across the contest area should we need the space for such things.

One note to improve next year is signage. It took people a while to figure out how to get up to the skyboxes and they missed out on some cool stuff.

[The Dark Tangent]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

If I recall correctly, there are not many places that remain quiet throughout the con.

The skyboxes overlooked last year's contests/events space in the main room and the CTF room, but the noise of the contests and event could be heard in the skyboxes.

There were small rooms along the hallways outside along the path to the various presentation, contest/event, and vendor rooms, but these could still be noisy when presentation end/begin and when new contests start/end.

So you are suggesting ??

I had always thought the Top of the Riv would be cool as a chill out area with the views and all, but it's too out of the way I think. We could try using 101 or 102 (which go away on Sunday) also out of the way.. a pain to get network down there, though. C and D also go away on Sunday, but are closer to the speaking areas and traffic flow.

If we think it will not be used much we could just use a couple room like 106+107 combined.

[TheCotMan]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

So you are suggesting ??

For a quiet space, there is always their hotel room. People going to Defcon to sit in a quiet room coding, or chatting online in IM, or whatever just seems strange to me.

For me and what appears to be a majority of attendees, Defcon seems to be about the activity, talking, discussion, occasional yelling and everything that goes with having people together to have a good time or learn. When people needed quiet time to get away from the noise, the booze, or to rest, they've often visited their hotel rooms.

I had always thought the Top of the Riv would be cool as a chill out area with the views and all, but it's too out of the way I think.

In this case, if people want a quiet room, this room being so far away from the con would likely help with it being far from the normal noise of defcon, but being so far away, I don't think people would use it, or even find it or know about it even with adequate signage.

If "quiet" were a requirement of a new space, then distance from the convention would be necessary unless there were new "shhush! goons." (heh heh.) They could be recruited from a local library. ;-)

We could try using 101 or 102 (which go away on Sunday) also out of the way.. a pain to get network down there, though. C and D also go away on Sunday, but are closer to the speaking areas and traffic flow.

If we think it will not be used much we could just use a couple room like 106+107 combined.

101/102 make sense. Most people entering or leaving presentations tend to head to other presentation rooms, the outside chill-out space, the contest area, or the vendor room, except in the morning when presentations start, lunch/dinner and when the spaces close in the eve.

If there really are enough people that want quiet spaces, you will probably see the greatest use of such a space in a place like 101/102.

If people want more quiet than that, I really don't see why they can't use their own hotel rooms.
(If I am missing something with this idea of people using their own hotel rooms, please let me know what it is.)

[hackajar]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Reading CotMan's post, it kinda hit me. After each talk there is always a group of people who mob the speaker after the talk. What about a section near the presentation area's that they could stay on their soap box without creating this congestion for the next talk? Or clog the walk way somewhere for that matter.

[TheCotMan]

Re: DEF CON 15 Floor Plan Usage

Reading CotMan's post, it kinda hit me. After each talk there is always a group of people who mob the speaker after the talk. What about a section near the presentation area's that they could stay on their soap box without creating this congestion for the next talk? Or clog the walk way somewhere for that matter.

Yes, this is a good idea. Overflow space after presentations for between presentations was discussed after the AP and the policy decision to empty rooms between presentations. (To speed the egress of people and not discourage post-presentation Q&A.) Now, in the Riv, we have those large hallways, but having a space really close to presentations for these discussions, away from foot-traffic, could help avoid blocked hallways with people loitering and blocking flow in people-conduits (hallways.)

I was /msg-ed after I posted the thing about, "just send 'em to their hotel rooms," and was informed of the following:
1) Not everyone has a hotel room.
2) Some people share a room, and their room is not quiet.
3) Some people are not allowed access to their room (shared) until they choose to sleep
4) Some people have rooms in other hotels in Las Vegas, which can cost $5-$40 and more to visit (round trip)
5) Some people may not trust someone enough to invite them to their room if they want a quiet space.
6) It can be quite a trek to walk from the con to the room, even if it is in the Riv.

Ok. So, there are reasons for not just telling people to go to their rooms if they want quiet. (Thanks for the /msg to let me know. And you will remain anonymous as requested.)

Sorry that I didn't consider such cases. :-)