SpareParts

They think its all over...

"I pass the test. I will diminish, and go into the west, and remain a geek.

Ok so I did my talk, people listened, didn't throw up, didn't leave, clapped and asked a question or two. So I think it went ok. Then the session chair, and co-founder of the Apache Foundation, Lars Eilebrecht said it was a good presentation, so now I'm 'proper made up' :-)
Glad its over though. I just ploughed though it at made it with 5 mins to spare. I'll have to see if I can get the video... hopefully without paying the 500 quid it costs for all the videos.

Keynote

Wil Wheaton doing the opening keynote speech. Talked about blogging, how he loves it and how it allowed him to not be an actor but start as a writer. How it allows freedom of thought and speech without influence of corporates. About how he started on yahoo geocities or something then moved to blogger. Wasn't too inspiring *shrug*

Issues with hotel

Quite a few unfortunately, I'm hoping its not going to detract too much from being here at ApacheCon, I'm sure it wont. Its only the tutorial days to start with but already I'm happy with the way the conference is panning out.

So, I get here and the place is a building site, as talked about the apachCon grande chief thing whatsit ken coar on his blog.

Well to start with they put me in a room right at the back of the complex (literaly, like the last corner room of the area), but they were nice enough to move me to somewhere closer to the front of the hotel, but its a smoking room (which does smell of smoke), smaller room, with a smaller bed, and a shower not a bath.

Breakfast, which is advertised as a buffet is now restricted to an 'a la carte' items menu as blogged by Rich Bowen. which would have been much more expensive if I'd eaten as much as I'd wanted to first morning, but then I wouldn't have been able to expense that.

Seems that the DNS here at the hotel is pretty flakey. Randomly. you're just surfing about, and then it starts telling you that the document contains no data, then that httpd.apache.org is not available... pfft oh well...

In converation with some of the Apache-rati I was told that the reason they use this place is because it has no gambling on site, meaning something about minors being allowed in. Although also it was suggested that if they had known this rennovation was going on they would not have come here. Maybe next year ehh...

Yay, freebies...

Looks like there is a good package of goodies and freebies in the ApacheCon attendees pack - blogged in Ted Leung on the air : Hackathon or Packathon

I'll be detailing the pack once I get one, but it looks from the above like you get a nice bag with it, which is good, cos all I have just now is a Siemens bag, which has political implications as part of the BBC (bbc technology) was just sold off to them. I really hope its an apache bag, something I can carry with open-source pride, rather than just some other 3rd party commercial

Arrived in Vegas

I'm all here and checked in and unpacked.
Found Andre as soon as I walked into reception, then I got put in this room at the back of the complex.

Went out to New York New York, one of the big casinos, Andre wanted to go to see Zumanity - so we went to see if we could get tickets, but there weren't any so we stood around for any cancellations. Then they called out that they had one ticket, and after a while when it looked like we weren't going to get two tickets I said Andre should go get the ticket and see the show. So I went to go loose some money on the slots, then got a cab back to the hotel.
So I got them to change my room, its a smaller one with a smaller bed and its got a shower not a bath, but its near the conference rooms and the front of the hotel. Then I got the, obviously necessary, network enabled and then went to the bar for a nightcap.

exciting ehh...

Going to ApacheCon

As mentioned before I'm going to talk at ApacheCon US 2004. So I'm just finishing packing, ready to leave at 5:45am. I think I have everything. So I thought I'd blog the lot. Nice document repository to start with on here, makes me keep what I've worked on at least.

So I borrowed the team webcam from work, not to worry, it was only looking at paul the spikey plant and this is work I'm using it for. Had a play with it before leaving work, getting a bit frustrated at it not playing ball




But its all good, I'm ready. I'm nervous about standing infront of all those techies; but as a few people said, you know your stuff, you're a personable presenter and therefore it should all be fine. And if i pass out then Andre is there to pick up; the engineer that did all the migration on the back end and knows all the techie bits and should manage the softer bits fine, as he was ther for my internal dry run of the talk.

oh well

Wish me luck

:-)

I'd better finish swapping stuff around between hand luggage and suitcase and go get some sleep.

apachecon talk

So after about the 5th attempt, and 4th complete redraft, I finally submitted my talk to the planners of ApacheCon TU17 - Migrating the BBC website to Apache 2, and have a speaker logo on the cight.com homepage for now anyways.

The Logo:

So I've had a practice session or two and I've got a month left for some more of the same. People wanted me to change a few bits, but nothing much... So I'm pretty happy with how it looks now. The big issue is not knowing the audience that is going to turn up. Last year when I went I was surprised by some of the basic questions that were asked, as in they were very basic. But with is being the only migration talk, I think, I reckon some of the apache authors may turn up to see what is said about their baby, so I'd better be careful where I tread.

Talk at ApacheCon

I'm talking at apacheCon this year, did I say that already ?? oh well :-) I got my picture done by my friend Will, turned out not bad, except my forehead looks a bit klingon, ApacheCon US 2004: Speaker List
the pic