Bitcoin Conference 2011 NYC

[python]

What could be more fun?

[manifold]

Well, we were thinking seriously of going, but I guess we waited too long.  The price for a vendor table jumped from 5 to 10 and is now at 75.  I guess that means there's a lot of demand.

75 BTC? Isn't that a little bit too much, Bruce?

[stsbrad]

so seriously this is 100% legit? dates are for sure? this isn't going to be lame, cheesy and thrown together at the last moment will it? were about to buy plane tickets and just hoping this isn't going to be 8 guys standing around staring at each other. I'm bringing a multimillion dollar investor and possibly someone who runs a London hedge firm. are there going to be decent speakers talking about relevant topics?

[stsbrad]

anyone care to comment on my last please?

[Gabriel Beal]

I think it will be a little cheesy and it seems it has been thrown together at the last minute.  That said, I've heard from enough people that are going to think it's not just going to be a dozen dudes.  Well planned or not, Bruce is still hosting the first large international meetup.  This is not being run by people who seem to have a lot of experience running conferences, but people are rallying around it just the same.  I'm going with low expectations for the planned events and high expectations for the conversations and networking.

On a related note, I'm sad to announce I will not be selling SquareWear shirts at the conference as I previously announced.  I don't think I'd be able to sell anywhere near the number of shirts necessary to cover the 75 bitcoin vendor table fee.

[Bitcoin Swami]

I think it will be a little cheesy and it seems it has been thrown together at the last minute.  That said, I've heard from enough people that are going to think it's not just going to be a dozen dudes.  Well planned or not, Bruce is still hosting the first large international meetup.  This is not being run by people who seem to have a lot of experience running conferences, but people are rallying around it just the same.  I'm going with low expectations for the planned events and high expectations for the conversations and networking.

On a related note, I'm sad to announce I will not be selling SquareWear shirts at the conference as I previously announced.  I don't think I'd be able to sell anywhere near the number of shirts necessary to cover the 75 bitcoin vendor table fee.

75 bitcoins can't be real, I think its a mistype.

[stsbrad]

thanks for the info Gabriel. see you there I guess. just hope I don't look like an asshole bringing some very important investors to this thing. Im hoping for the best! bring some t's regardless. I'll ninja buy some. lol

[stsbrad]

bruce can you give an update on how many vendors have signed?

[Littleshop]

On a related note, I'm sad to announce I will not be selling SquareWear shirts at the conference as I previously announced.  I don't think I'd be able to sell anywhere near the number of shirts necessary to cover the 75 bitcoin vendor table fee.

Ditto if I came.  I would estimate breaking even at 25 BTC table cost if there were 500 attendees and no competition.  Of course no one can tell how much one could sell, but factoring in what I would be able to bring is a start.  10 btc  would allow me some profit.

[Intervex Digital]

Well, we were thinking seriously of going, but I guess we waited too long.  The price for a vendor table jumped from 5 to 10 and is now at 75.  I guess that means there's a lot of demand.

We're in the same boat, 75 BTC is going to price a lot of small, but possibly important startups out of the game.  I was about to sign up and went to the site only to see the 75 BTC price...  As a small business owner, I just can't justify nearly $1,000.00 in addition to the travel cost for an unproven event.

  I suppose this all depends on the exchange rate at the time you sign up, but given the price change since the conference was announced I would expect the price in BTC to be going down...

  The date is fast approaching, but if there were to be a steep reduction in the cost in the next few days, we would still entertain the idea of attending.

[GoWest]

thanks for the info Gabriel. see you there I guess. just hope I don't look like an asshole bringing some very important investors to this thing. Im hoping for the best! bring some t's regardless. I'll ninja buy some. lol

Explain it to them this way: if it was already a large, formal conference, it would already be too late to invest.  Think of it like being invited to the garage where Google started their operations.  That would have been the greatest time to invest in Google, even it would have just looked like a couple of teenagers playing around on a computer.

[stsbrad]

thanks for the info Gabriel. see you there I guess. just hope I don't look like an asshole bringing some very important investors to this thing. Im hoping for the best! bring some t's regardless. I'll ninja buy some. lol

Explain it to them this way: if it was already a large, formal conference, it would already be too late to invest.  Think of it like being invited to the garage where Google started their operations.  That would have been the greatest time to invest in Google, even it would have just looked like a couple of teenagers playing around on a computer.

+1 to you.

[BitPay Business Solutions]

+1 to you.

Why not just pay the 2 bitcoins and attend?  The "vendor table" expo is only for 2 hours of the 2 days anyway.

[stsbrad]

+1 to you.

Why not just pay the 2 bitcoins and attend?  The "vendor table" expo is only for 2 hours of the 2 days anyway.

Wow only 2 hours That's not good

[buttcoin]

thanks for the info Gabriel. see you there I guess. just hope I don't look like an asshole bringing some very important investors to this thing. Im hoping for the best! bring some t's regardless. I'll ninja buy some. lol

Explain it to them this way: if it was already a large, formal conference, it would already be too late to invest.  Think of it like being invited to the garage where Google started their operations.  That would have been the greatest time to invest in Google, even it would have just looked like a couple of teenagers playing around on a computer.

If you replace teenagers with PHD students and garage with Stanford computer lab, then yeah you are exactly right.

[error]

It was Apple (Computer) that started in a garage, not Google.

[GoWest]

thanks for the info Gabriel. see you there I guess. just hope I don't look like an asshole bringing some very important investors to this thing. Im hoping for the best! bring some t's regardless. I'll ninja buy some. lol

Explain it to them this way: if it was already a large, formal conference, it would already be too late to invest.  Think of it like being invited to the garage where Google started their operations.  That would have been the greatest time to invest in Google, even it would have just looked like a couple of teenagers playing around on a computer.

If you replace teenagers with PHD students and garage with Stanford computer lab, then yeah you are exactly right.

They lied to me!!!  (I stand corrected)

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/smallbusiness/1103/gallery.business_creation_myths/4.html

[Bruce Wagner]

I would agree with the comments here.

We have zero experience organizing a large formal conference.   If you're expecting the Grand Ballroom, and a dozen large conference rooms for breakout sessions, at the Marriott Marque.....you are going to be disappointed.

If impressing your investor suits with a lavish hotel conference is what you expect,  please do not even come to New York.

This is the WORLD'S FIRST International Conference.  And yes, it will look much more like a garage than a Grand Ballroom.    

However, as has been pointed out here....  The tremendous value -- the priceless value -- is the networking and the face-time you will have with all the key movers and shakers in the Bitcoin World globally.

Mind you, admission is currently 2 Bitcoin.  At the current price of $12.76... that's about $25.52

In case you were not aware, you cannot buy a cheeseburger and coke for two people, plus tax and tip...... for $25.52 in Manhattan.  

So don't come expecting a $900 conference, professionally organized and sponsored by the unlimited budgets of global corporations.    This conference is spondered ONLY by Bruce and Ed of OnlyOneTV....  

If you are going to complain about the professionalism.... or the lack of austerity... please don't come.   Instead, organize your own bitcoin conference please.

So you know, we originally had planned to actually use  hotel conference facilities out in Queens, near LaGuardia.    However, almost 100% of the feedback we received said, "No. Please! We want to be in Manhattan.  We want to see and be near OnlyOneTV, Meze Grill, Hudson Eatery, MetroPCS (all in Manhattan), and  O-Crepes (Brooklyn)...

We totally understood that sentiment.  However, after a couple teams of people searched for spaces in Manhattan....  We found that:

Most hotels in Manhattan either have no conference facilities,  or meeting space for 16 people maximum.

We found one non-hotel venue nearby, but they wanted $3550 per day... plus Meze Grill catering (any outside catering) is not permitted.

Finally we determined that, in spite of the fact that it will be "cozy, Manhattan style"....  The best solution would be to actually use our OnlyOneTV Studios themselves... in effect, opening our home to you.  

We have the entire 5th floor of a 5th Ave office building.   Of course, several of the rooms will have to be locked off...  However, we will convert the largest room, Studio 1, into a space for the vendor tables displayed...  and reuse (again, Manhattan style) that same space filling it with folding chairs for the keynote speakers.

We have two decent sized conference rooms which we will clear out for breakouts.   There are also several large dining rooms at adjacent locations next door and across the street, which we can also use for breakout sessions and as overflow for private conversations, etc.

The main value will be the people you will get to meet face-to-face, and the conversations that will be "history in the making".....    And we will all be able to say that "We were there."

So, again, if you expect lavish, please don't come.  

Also, as to the cost of the Vendor Tables, I panicked when people began buying two at a time...  and we seemed to be selling 1 vendor table for every 2 attendees.  

I don't know exactly how many tables we can accommodate, and the exact size.  Ed is working on renting or buying the actual tables.  Then we can more accurately gauge how many we can sell.  

So far, I'm pretty sure no one has paid 75 btc for a table yet.  So I effectively just stopped selling tables temporarily.... until I know for sure how many I can fairly sell (have space for).  

Once Ed tells me how many will fit, I will reduce the price for tables again.. until we reach that maximum.    I will post here in this thread if and when the price for tables is reduced again.

Finally,  as for keynote speakers...

Of course, our buddy, Gavin Andresen will be giving a speech on the future direction of bitcoin development.  

But I need to act fast in nailing down commitments for a few others speakers.

Please help me out by quickly responding in this thread with YOUR top three choices for the very BEST people we could possibly have as keynote speakers. I'll get on the phone and book them immediately.   I'll also update the online PDF of the schedule then too.

Please reprint the latest version of the official schedule (PDF) again at the last minute, before you travel, just in case there are any majors changes or updates.

[LightRider]

Does the recent mybitcoin service disruption have a significant impact on the operation or execution of this conference?

[BitcoinBug]

...

This all sounds reasonable and I can't wait for it to happen. Thanks for doing it!
I hope all speeches and presentations will be put on youtube for the rest of us who live too far away.