From: dblack@...
Date: 2006-08-10T09:06:52+09:00
Subject: Re: RubyConf in Second Life?

Hi --

On Wed, 9 Aug 2006, John Lam wrote:

> Since RubyConf this year has sold out so rapidly, I was wondering if
> there would be interest in setting up a mixed-reality event in Second
> Life.
>
> I think it would be really cool if we could be the first developer
> conference to be simulcast in Second Life. It would also help with the
> problem of folks who wanted to go but can't.
>
> I spent some time hanging out with some Linden Lab folks at the
> Lang.Net conference last week, and there's interest on Linden's part
> in helping to set this up.
>
> I don't really know my way around Second Life all that well, and I
> know that there are some Ruby folk who are already hanging out there -
> perhaps we could marshal our forces to make this happen?
>
> Thoughts would be welcome,

I tend to agree with Jim W. that I'm not clear what the advantages
are.  I should probably state a couple of things, from the organizers'
perspective -- which I hope will help, though please keep in mind that
I don't really know what Second Life is.  (I've tried to learn a little
since getting your email [which is why I hadn't responded to you] but
I'll go ahead and answer in ignorance :-)  So I'm reacting to the kind
of thing I *think* it is, and the issues I *think* it would raise.  If
I'm wrong, please fill me in.

We're almost certainly not going to want AV feeds, other than the
official conference ones, set up during the conference.  It's
logistically difficult, and would also raise the issue of allowing
another feed for another purpose, and another, and so forth.  We're
not in a position to go down that path, I'm afraid.

The bandwidth issues that Jim W. raised are also a concern.  Getting
connected at conferences is always a challenge... and the lower the
ratio of bandwidth to constituency served (e.g., with IRC), the
better.

In general, we want the in-person conference experience to be the full
in-person conference experience.  Again, I'm saying this based on what
I think SL might be, rather than what it actually is or isn't... but
my concern is that the expectation would be raised that whether you're
at the conference or not, you're fully participant in the Q&A sessions
and so forth.  We don't want to raise that expectation.  We may handle
Q&A by having people queue up for a microphone, or by raised hands, or
questions submitted in advance by attendees, or whatever -- and those
logistics are going to be handled based on the in-person event and the
people who are there.

That's my current take on it -- with the important disclaimer about my
ignorance included :-)


David

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