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Message-ID: <40C0F32D.2020005@stason.org>
Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2004 15:09:49 -0700
From: Stas Bekman <stas@stason.org>
Organization: Hope, Humanized
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To: mod_perl Mailing List <modperl@perl.apache.org>
Subject: mod_perl presence at OSCON (and other CONs) is at danger
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It so appears that in the last few years we get less and less mod_perl talks 
and tutorials at the big (non-YAPC) conferences. And that's a bad trend. It 
certainly affects the number of mod_perl job offers, since those who decide 
which technology to choose for their next project go to those big conferences 
and chances are very high that they will pick the technology that had a 
dominating presense in terms of tutorials and presentations.

How can you change that? Go to the big (non-YAPC) conferences and especially 
to mod_perl tutorials. Since conference organizers get a lion chunk of their 
revenues (even if only to cut it even) from the tutorials, that's where the 
battle is. The less tutorials on the mod_perl technology you have, the less 
mod_perl presentations and overall presence will be, the less new mod_perl 
jobs will be created.

This year mod_perl's presense at OSCon really sucks. We have two tutorials 
which are under a question that will happen at all and just one mod_perl 
presentation. Plus a few more related presentations of technologies riding 
mod_perl. Just a few years ago, we had about 25 tutorials and presentations.

If some of the mod_perl tutorials will be canceled this year, don't expect the 
conference organisers giving them a second chance next year, which brings us 
pretty close to zero presence. And that's a gloomy future if you ask me.

So if you want to change things, go to your bosses and ask them to send you to 
the tutorials. If they can't afford two, make it one and make that choice 
Geoffrey Young's "Programming the Apache Lifecycle"
http://conferences.oreillynet.com/cs/os2004/view/e_sess/5082
Why Geoffrey's? It's because the stuff I'm going to teach you at my tutorial 
is ready available in the online documentation and you can read it by 
yourself. But not so for Geoff's unique material. And all those who have ever 
heard Geoff presenting, will agree with me, that he is one of the best 
speakers OSCon (and other conferences) ever had and most of us, speakers, need 
to learn from Geoff. I'd go for Geoff's talk just for the great experience, 
even though I know most of the material he presents. His tutorial will be 
covering both mp1 and mp2 if you didn't know.

So if you enjoy your mod_perl job and want to continue so in the future, make 
sure that you come to the mod_perl tutorials and presentations at OSCon and 
other big conferences.

Here is the OSCon info.
http://conferences.oreillynet.com/os2004/

p.s. the deadline for tutorial cutoffs (at least 20 attendees) is June 21th. 
So if you were planning to go to the tutorials, make sure you register (or add 
the tutorials if you already did) before that date.

-- 
__________________________________________________________________
Stas Bekman            JAm_pH ------> Just Another mod_perl Hacker
http://stason.org/     mod_perl Guide ---> http://perl.apache.org
mailto:stas@stason.org http://use.perl.org http://apacheweek.com
http://modperlbook.org http://apache.org   http://ticketmaster.com

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