BloggerCon

I signed up for the mailing list for BloggerCon a few days ago, and also add the RSS feed to my aggregator. Today I got the same invitation e-mail that Teresa writes about but apparently my attention span was just short enough that I didn’t read a salient point. I was vaguely considering going to this thing, Boston in October on a Saturday, make a weekend of it and have some fun. The bit I missed was this one:

10. Okay this didn’t turn out to be that short. Hehe. Hmm. Anyway, it’s time to say that seating is very limited, so if you want to come, please sign up right away. The cost for this incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience is a mere $500, and if you’re a student (please provide a photocopy of your ID) it’s only $250. Harvard affiliates also qualify for the discount (Harvard ID, or harvard.edu mail address). We’re using the money (where needed) to get the talent in and out of the city, and to put on a few great parties so we can all mingle, share ideas, and learn a lot.

$500 for a one day blog con is kind of, um, nutbar. I never bothered to turn my Dragon*Con guest paperwork in, and I was balking at the notion of paying $90 for a 4 day con. Teresa says what I was thinking and more. Really, how much party do they need that $500 a head is necessary? Damnation.

Update on 8/9:
Since I wrote this I’ve seen a lot of stuff by people talking about how $500 is reasonable for a one day technical conference. As it is being sold, it sounds less like a technical conference and more like a shindig. I’m used to things like the Seybold publishing conference or Java One, which are around $2000 for 5 days, but that’ s a big ass production with lots of amenities. Plus, I’ve never written those checks. It’s always my employer that has sent me to these things. If I went to BloggerCon, there is no one who will pick up the tab for me.

Here is Tom Tomorrow’s take on it.

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Dave Slusher is a blogger, podcaster, computer programmer, author, science fiction fan and father. Member of the Podcast Hall of Fame class of 2022.