Just bought my ticket for Bitcoin 2013 in San Jose!

[glassuser]

Really looking forward to this, happy to meet everyone!

https://bitcoinfoundation.org/conference/register

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[Monster Tent]

Hope its better than the excruciatingly embarrassing ones of the past.

[glassuser]

this will be the first real one is the US right?

[smoothie]

$300 entry fee to go to a conference?

I rather wait for any videos that pop up on youtube that are taken at the conference.

[gweedo]

Bitcoin Tech and Mining: Discussions with bitcoin developers
Bitcoin Business: For people already running bitcoin businesses or interested in incorporating bitcoin into existing businesses
Regulatory Issues: Government statements on bitcoin and other indirect regulatory challenges

So are they just going to read the forum to everyone? Isn't this what is discussed everyday here? Why would you to go a conference pay $300? I am guessing it is sponsored by the foundation, cause it links to there twitter but why would they charge members? You have to pay a fee already now you have to pay another fee? I can already see those benefits for the foundation racking up...

I am with smoothie I wait for the youtube videos that will talk about nothing new than that has already been said on the forum. Waste of money and time.

[The Fool]

$300 entry fee to go to a conference?

This smells like elitism.

[The Fool]

$300 entry fee to go to a conference?

This smells like elitism.

This is a pretty normal fee.  If you're organizing a conference, you're lucky if the registration fees you collect as well as the vendor sponsorships are enough to pay the venue's 5 or 6 figure bill when it's all over.  It's also not outrageous when you consider that the average person is already paying $500-$1500 to get there when you consider airfare, ground transportation, and hotel.  If the conference were held in a public park, it wouldn't be $300, but it would also be so stupid as to not be worth traveling to, and the media would show up to laugh at us.  The only way to call it elitism is to be oblivious to the economics of organizing a conference.

It's totally normal for a conference venue to charge, oh, $25 a plate for every plate taken at a buffet line, or $5 for every soda taken from the courtesy table at the back of the room.  Not kidding!  That's how the hospitality industry works.  The food is served as though it's free but it's totally not.  The fee literally covers the cost of the venue.

BTW, I just bought my ticket.  I'll be driving out.  In my Porsche with "Bitcoin" vanity license plate.  Because I'm elitist like that and all.

I just thought Bitcoin had a grassroots-esque and "open to all people" type of thing going for it. I thought a conference would be a no-frills and "let's just get together and discuss Bitcoin".

This however has an industrial vibe going for it. It doesn't seem open to the low-income, volunteer open-source developer.

If the Bitcoin Foundation wants a "Macworld" for Bitcoin, I guess that's okay.

[smoothie]

$300 entry fee to go to a conference?

This smells like elitism.

This is a pretty normal fee.  If you're organizing a conference, you're lucky if the registration fees you collect as well as the vendor sponsorships are enough to pay the venue's 5 or 6 figure bill when it's all over.  It's also not outrageous when you consider that the average person is already paying $500-$1500 to get there when you consider airfare, ground transportation, and hotel.  If the conference were held in a public park, it wouldn't be $300, but it would also be so stupid as to not be worth traveling to, and the media would show up to laugh at us.  The only way to call it elitism is to be oblivious to the economics of organizing a conference.

It's totally normal for a conference venue to charge, oh, $25 a plate for every plate taken at a buffet line, or $5 for every soda taken from the courtesy table at the back of the room.  Not kidding!  That's how the hospitality industry works.  The food is served as though it's free but it's totally not.  The fee literally covers the cost of the venue.

BTW, I just bought my ticket.  I'll be driving out.  In my Porsche with "Bitcoin" vanity license plate.  Because I'm elitist like that and all.

The SAME material covered at these conferences can be found in:

1. this forum (free)
2. Bitcoin Magazine ($8.88...wow)
3. Google (free)
4. Youtube videos (if we're lucky...also Free)

There really isn't a point to pay for a total of $1500-$2500 for a 2.5 day conference just to get the same material you could with options 1, 2, and 3 listed above.

Right the next point would be networking right? Well you can easily do that on this forum alone or on the internet, skype, facebook, youtube, twitter, etc, etc, etc.

So should people pay $8.88 at most or pay a few thousand dollars to get the same material?

Sounds like a waste of time and money as mentioned earlier in this thread.

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Bottom line, people are better off keeping their finances and conserving than attending a bitcoin conference.

Just my 0.02 btc

Smoothie  

[Meni Rosenfeld]

Hope its better than the excruciatingly embarrassing ones of the past.

this will be the first real one is the US right?

Previous conferences are infamous for having been organized by people who have since gone into disrepute - NYC by Bruce Wagner, Prague with involvement from Bitcoin consultancy, London by Nefario and Bitcoin consultancy. But I think all of them were actually quite good (and the first real conference in US is definitely NYC Aug 2011).

1. They have all been reasonably organized, and better with each conference.
2. The organization is just an excuse. It's an important excuse inasmuch as it's what brings people together, but it's actually meeting other people from the community that is important. And we've done plenty of that.

Edit:

The SAME material covered at these conferences can be found in:

1. this forum (free)
2. Bitcoin Magazine ($8.88...wow)
3. Google (free)
4. Youtube videos (if we're lucky...also Free)

There's your problem, right there. You think conferences are about "material". The material is an excuse to get people to meet (and to get press coverage, too).

internet, skype, facebook, youtube, twitter, etc, etc, etc.

!= Meeting in person.

[prezbo]

$300 entry fee to go to a conference?

This smells like elitism.

This is a pretty normal fee.  If you're organizing a conference, you're lucky if the registration fees you collect as well as the vendor sponsorships are enough to pay the venue's 5 or 6 figure bill when it's all over.  It's also not outrageous when you consider that the average person is already paying $500-$1500 to get there when you consider airfare, ground transportation, and hotel.  If the conference were held in a public park, it wouldn't be $300, but it would also be so stupid as to not be worth traveling to, and the media would show up to laugh at us.  The only way to call it elitism is to be oblivious to the economics of organizing a conference.

It's totally normal for a conference venue to charge, oh, $25 a plate for every plate taken at a buffet line, or $5 for every soda taken from the courtesy table at the back of the room.  Not kidding!  That's how the hospitality industry works.  The food is served as though it's free but it's totally not.  The fee literally covers the cost of the venue.

BTW, I just bought my ticket.  I'll be driving out.  In my Porsche with "Bitcoin" vanity license plate.  Because I'm elitist like that and all.

The SAME material covered at these conferences can be found in:

1. this forum (free)
2. Bitcoin Magazine ($8.88...wow)
3. Google (free)
4. Youtube videos (if we're lucky...also Free)

There really isn't a point to pay for a total of $1500-$2500 for a 2.5 day conference just to get the same material you could with options 1, 2, and 3 listed above.

Right the next point would be networking right? Well you can easily do that on this forum alone or on the internet, skype, facebook, youtube, twitter, etc, etc, etc.

So should people pay $8.88 at most or pay a few thousand dollars to get the same material?

Sounds like a waste of time and money as mentioned earlier in this thread.

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Bottom line, people are better off keeping their finances and conserving than attending a bitcoin conference.

Just my 0.02 btc

Smoothie  

Conferences usually are about making new (business) connections, and that's something that's very difficult to put a price on.

[The Fool]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin.

Bottom line, people are better off keeping their finances and conserving than attending a bitcoin conference.

Only in the same way looking at porn is a better way to enjoy sexuality than going out on dates.

In smoothie's defense, paying people a large sum of money just to socialize is usually associated with prostitution.

Your analogy can go that way as well.

Also, no harm intended. I hope the conference is enjoyable.

[gweedo]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin. 

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

[prezbo]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin.  

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

They say they're a nonprofit organization, so this money will eventually be put into making bitcoin better... Anyway, nobody is preventing anyone from hosting their own conference that would be less expensive, so go for it!

[gweedo]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin. 

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

They say they're a nonprofit organization, so this money will eventually be put into making bitcoin better... Anyway, nobody is preventing anyone from hosting their own conference that would be less expensive, so go for it!

They already brainwashed you, and you completely glanced over it, so I will put to you again, you pay a fee to them already why do they need $300 more dollars when they have so much, and they don't even give a discount or anything. But yet Gavin gets his pay day!

[SgtSpike]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin. 

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

They say they're a nonprofit organization, so this money will eventually be put into making bitcoin better... Anyway, nobody is preventing anyone from hosting their own conference that would be less expensive, so go for it!

They already brainwashed you, and you completely glanced over it, so I will put to you again, you pay a fee to them already why do they need $300 more dollars when they have so much, and they don't even give a discount or anything. But yet Gavin gets his pay day!

Because they have expenses other than the conference to pay for, and events other than the conference to promote, and people other than those hosting the conference to pay.

And why does it matter that Gavin gets paid?  What does that have to do with this conference?

[prezbo]

They already brainwashed you, and you completely glanced over it, so I will put to you again, you pay a fee to them already why do they need $300 more dollars when they have so much, and they don't even give a discount or anything. But yet Gavin gets his pay day!

No one brainwashed me, I'm not a member - but I did donate because I think developers need to get paid for what they're doing. Maybe they're raising money to be able to pay more developers, who knows.

[gweedo]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin. 

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

They say they're a nonprofit organization, so this money will eventually be put into making bitcoin better... Anyway, nobody is preventing anyone from hosting their own conference that would be less expensive, so go for it!

They already brainwashed you, and you completely glanced over it, so I will put to you again, you pay a fee to them already why do they need $300 more dollars when they have so much, and they don't even give a discount or anything. But yet Gavin gets his pay day!

Because they have expenses other than the conference to pay for, and events other than the conference to promote, and people other than those hosting the conference to pay.

And why does it matter that Gavin gets paid?  What does that have to do with this conference?

Well then they need a better PR because I have yet to see them do anything or promote anything. This is the there first event and it is $300 dollars, and they can't do a 20% or 50% for members, I think that is when they are horrible organization. Honestly I truly in my heart want to believe the foundation is good, but they make it so hard believe they really are, when multiple times they have yet to redeem themselves. I am just wanting to see the benefits which there are none obviously.

[SgtSpike]

You people who plan to go and are organizing this conference are better using that money to further bitcoin, not have fancy conferences where you basically tout your LEET skillz in making tonz of moneyz.

Having a conference in fact is using money to promote Bitcoin. 

But if people are paying for the foundation already shouldn't they be using that money to promote Bitcoin and put on a conference? Instead of them being greedy and looking for more money.

They say they're a nonprofit organization, so this money will eventually be put into making bitcoin better... Anyway, nobody is preventing anyone from hosting their own conference that would be less expensive, so go for it!

They already brainwashed you, and you completely glanced over it, so I will put to you again, you pay a fee to them already why do they need $300 more dollars when they have so much, and they don't even give a discount or anything. But yet Gavin gets his pay day!

Because they have expenses other than the conference to pay for, and events other than the conference to promote, and people other than those hosting the conference to pay.

And why does it matter that Gavin gets paid?  What does that have to do with this conference?

Well then they need a better PR because I have yet to see them do anything or promote anything. This is the there first event and it is $300 dollars, and they can't do a 20% or 50% for members, I think that is when they are horrible organization. Honestly I truly in my heart want to believe the foundation is good, but they make it so hard believe they really are, when multiple times they have yet to redeem themselves. I am just wanting to see the benefits which there are none obviously.

I agree it would be nice and foresightful (is that a word?) of them to have offered a discount to foundation members, but calling people brainwashed and saying that the foundation is being greedy is taking a few leaps and bounds of liberty in assumption.

I chalk it up to them being a new foundation.  As they mature, I expect members will see more benefits, such as discounts at conferences, etc.

FWIW, I am not a member and have no plans to become one at this point.  It's too rich for my poor blood. 

[DeathAndTaxes]

The detractors in this thread are sad and simply show how small they are.  $300 for a conference cna be an amazing deal if it is well organized with good speakers.  Free conference absolutely worthless (because there will still be airfare, hotel, etc) if it is poorly planned and thus a waste of time.  How good will the foundation's first conference be?  I don't know but the value is based on execution not a $300 entry fee.   As IT events go, $300 for a conference is actually pretty low.  Bitcoin is still small and conferences generally have high fixed costs.  Maybe next year (or the following year) they can have multiple options and the fee will come down as it is amortized over more attendees and sponsors.  I wouldn't be surprised that even at $300 per person the foundation loses money.  However the PR, and press may be worth it in the long run and you got to start somewhere A solid conference in a real venue that doesn't make international press think Bitcoin is a couple of nerds hopelessly out of touch costs a lot more than most people realize.

Still when you compare it to say the embedded linux conference (11th year) the prices don't really seem out of line.

http://events.linuxfoundation.org/events/embedded-linux-conference/register

Professional Registration Fee: US$550
Hobbyist Fee: US$100*

[dacoinminster]

I just paid my $250 early-bird registration.

I have no idea what activities and speakers I paid $250 for, or why they asked me about dietary restrictions, but this is the first bitcoin conference in the U.S., and I wouldn't miss it!

The official thread is here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=135407.0