NG-Conf: My First Tech Conference
As i write this, I'm in Salt Lake City Utah preparing to start Day 2 of NG-Conf--a 3-day tech conference that attracts hundreds of developers from around the country to learn the latest trends and best practices for development using the front-end Angular framework. Here are a few thoughts:
1. The technical aspects of this conference are top-notch. After watching something like 15 different keynote speakers on Day 1 using thousands of slides and several multi-media presentations, I couldn't identify even one technical glitch or delay due to technical issues. This is remarkable.
2. I find myself frequently trying to assess the skill level of the room to see where I fit in. Obviously, this should't matter too much, but I often wonder how I measure up in my industry. Many of the speakers were moving through their subjects so quickly that I had a hard time following them. Was that unusual? Were most others feeling the same way or were they tracking along step-for-step? Many of the developers here seem very knowledgable about Angular, as evidenced by a few of the private conversations I've had as well as obscure things like big laughs from the group on some very abstract techie jokes. On the other hand, I understood almost all of those same jokes too, and sometimes I laughed loudly because of the exhilaration that comes from understanding a joke that I know would be missed by 99.9% of adults. Also, many other people are silent all of the time. Is much of this information flying by too quickly for them just as it is for me?
3. Amidst all of this immense knowledge and impressive skill, there is an laughable amount of time and focused attention given to something that seems childish: the code of conduct. Everywhere we look, we're seeing signs that tell us how we are to behave ourselves:
In addition to that, the first day of the conference began and ended with a surprisingly long explanation of the Code of Conduct and how everyone is expected to abide by it and how to report Code of Conduct violations and the obligations that we all have to report them and how previous conference attendees and speakers have been disinvited because they didn't follow the Code of Conduct. They are NOT kidding around when they talk about this thing. The Code of Conduct is by far the most serious subject for them. Just feels so funny to me that with all of these adults here for an expensive 3-day conference to learn about programming, we need so much attention paid to telling us to mind our manners lest someone be offended.
Day 2 had many breakout sessions, and these were very very helpful. I am feeling much more encouraged now about my progress in Angular. It's been especially helpful to be able to talk to so many Angular experts and get their help with my code.
Day 3 is more like Day 1 in that everyone is together in the one big room. I think the conference would've been much improved by taking the Day 2 approach for most of it.
1. The technical aspects of this conference are top-notch. After watching something like 15 different keynote speakers on Day 1 using thousands of slides and several multi-media presentations, I couldn't identify even one technical glitch or delay due to technical issues. This is remarkable.
2. I find myself frequently trying to assess the skill level of the room to see where I fit in. Obviously, this should't matter too much, but I often wonder how I measure up in my industry. Many of the speakers were moving through their subjects so quickly that I had a hard time following them. Was that unusual? Were most others feeling the same way or were they tracking along step-for-step? Many of the developers here seem very knowledgable about Angular, as evidenced by a few of the private conversations I've had as well as obscure things like big laughs from the group on some very abstract techie jokes. On the other hand, I understood almost all of those same jokes too, and sometimes I laughed loudly because of the exhilaration that comes from understanding a joke that I know would be missed by 99.9% of adults. Also, many other people are silent all of the time. Is much of this information flying by too quickly for them just as it is for me?
3. Amidst all of this immense knowledge and impressive skill, there is an laughable amount of time and focused attention given to something that seems childish: the code of conduct. Everywhere we look, we're seeing signs that tell us how we are to behave ourselves:
In addition to that, the first day of the conference began and ended with a surprisingly long explanation of the Code of Conduct and how everyone is expected to abide by it and how to report Code of Conduct violations and the obligations that we all have to report them and how previous conference attendees and speakers have been disinvited because they didn't follow the Code of Conduct. They are NOT kidding around when they talk about this thing. The Code of Conduct is by far the most serious subject for them. Just feels so funny to me that with all of these adults here for an expensive 3-day conference to learn about programming, we need so much attention paid to telling us to mind our manners lest someone be offended.
Day 2 had many breakout sessions, and these were very very helpful. I am feeling much more encouraged now about my progress in Angular. It's been especially helpful to be able to talk to so many Angular experts and get their help with my code.
Day 3 is more like Day 1 in that everyone is together in the one big room. I think the conference would've been much improved by taking the Day 2 approach for most of it.
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