4 ms·

Google cancels physical I/O 2020 conference

92 points by Aissen 7y ago

Aissen 7y ago
It shouldn't be a surprise, after the Facebook F8 cancellation, Google Cloud Next, Microsoft MVP Summit, dotPy, dotGo, the MWC, etc.
bilal4hmed 7y ago
Microsoft BUILD has to be next, its scheduled for a week after IO
sequoia 7y ago
Kudos to Google for taking this responsible step. There's no way to categorize these sorts of conferences as anything other than "extremely non-essential, optional gathering." Postponing such gatherings is an obvious first step in reducing the spread of an epidemic that we cannot prevent, but can mitigate.
- mgleason_3 7y ago
  It’s interesting on so many levels. On the one hand, it seems like the right thing to do. Air-travel and gatherings are like Petri dishes. On the other, all these adjustments are going to have an economic impact. There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to say that Corona virus was no worse that the flu. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-people-higher-risk-2020-2 https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-... This businessinsider article says that 15% of people 80yrs+ die. https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-season/ https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-season/ But Time say 61,200 died a year ago from the flu. Course then I wonder when the US will get serious about doing some basic things to limit the spread of disease like: - require airlines to allow passengers to change their flight plans without penalty so sick passengers don’t have to fly - educate people to cough into their shirts instead of their hands - require public bathrooms provide paper towels instead of those damn hearing-wrecking air blowers. - step up vaccination efforts - for those of us forced to travel: don’t tell us what doesn’t work, tell us what does. If masks don’t work, should I wear a full hazmat suit? I’m willing to avoid getting another flu like I had last year...
  - d1zzy 7y ago
    > There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to say that Corona virus was no worse that the flu. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-.. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-.... This businessinsider article says that 15% of people 80yrs+ die. I was thinking like that but I don't think so anymore. There is one important difference between COVID-19 and the regular flu: COVID-19 seems to infect a lot more people than the flu. Even if COVID-19 has an overall fatality rate that is much lower than regular flu, the fact that it spreads fast means it can overwhelm health services so that those few severe cases can't get the health they need, when with regular flu they would get that help. That can make it much more dangerous in practice even if, in theory, it's not. Now with containment having failed the only course of action is to do everything we can to slow its progression to avoid overwhelming services.
haunter 7y ago
I wonder about the professional sport leagues, NBA and NHL for example currently. 10-20k people every night in closed stadiums. In multiple major US cities. They gotta do something. MLS also started this week and the new MLB season also upon us
- ojame 7y ago
  The NHL (I don't follow the NBA) are paying close attention to it. They're not acting yet, but likely the pre-season games in China (like they've played for the last 2 out of 3 years) won't go ahead. They've got several plans in case it impacts the tail-end of the season or the playoffs (including playing in empty arenas). The IIHF just cancelled a few international tournaments, and while not actually linked to the NHL, would have undoubtably had an impact on how the NHL is assessing its situation.
- toyg 7y ago
  In Italy they suspended the football season last week, as it was legally impossible to host games in the most-affected Northern areas. Sure enough, they are already talking about resuming next Monday, less than a day after the current ban on gatherings will expire. It's screwed up, and hugely unpopular, but I think we should just give up all these large events until April-May and then reassess. Zero chances it will happen though, too much money rides on sports these days. So people will die so that someone else can watch 22 overpaid athletes kick a ball.
- Laremere 7y ago
  Overwatch League (esports, but still crowded stadiums) canceled all China matches on Jan 29th. Then they canceled Korean matches on Feb 23rd. US, Canadian, and European matches are not yet canceled.
technics256 7y ago
And yet, HIMSS is going forward while pretending nothing is wrong...
- jshevek 7y ago
  For anyone previously unfamiliar, as I was: HIMSS = Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
blahneverdies 7y ago
Don't forget to cancel the supermarket, post office, Chipotle, gym, planes/trains/buses, movies/theater/sporting events, the sidewalk, etc.
- kohtatsu 7y ago
  It's primarily about delaying spread in order to prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.
- whatshisface 7y ago
  What you're describing is a quarantine, which may happen.
- T3OU-736 7y ago
  I disagree with your analogy. Conferences, by their very nature, and ones with large well-known companies sponsoring them strongly implies international guests, and that translates to higher risks.
- cameronbrown 7y ago
  Serious difference between an international conference and your local shops.
- mcphage 7y ago
  China did that in Wuhan, and the number of new infections is dropping, after only a few thousand deaths.
wombatpm 7y ago
So do we think the NCAA March Madness is still a good idea?
ulfw 7y ago
And people laughed at me a few weeks ago when I suggested WWDC and i/o might not happen this year (when MWC got cancelled). So... is Apple's WWDC next?
- LeoNatan25 7y ago
  It’s the responsible thing to do. We are nowhere near taking control of this virus.
eptgrant 7y ago
I wonder when ngConf will be cancelled
rmason 7y ago
As someone headed to SF later this spring, is there a single case of coronavirus in the Valley at this exact moment? With all the companies announcing conferences and employee travel cancelled you'd think that Silicon Valley was the epicenter.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- jborichevskiy 7y ago
  Yes, there is https://www.ktvu.com/news/coronavirus-5-new-bay-area-cases-alameda-county-declares-health-emergency https://www.ktvu.com/news/coronavirus-5-new-bay-area-cases-a...
- beefalo 7y ago
  Yes, 9 cases in Santa Clara county have been confirmed
  - Pfhreak 7y ago
    And keep in mind that they aren't testing everyone who presents with symptoms, typically only the most severe symptoms. So those 9 cases are likely representative of many more people who haven't been tested.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- jpindar 7y ago
  This site seems to stay up to date, and it says there are currently 8 in Santa Clara and 2 in San Mateo. https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.h...
- vatueil 7y ago
  There have been several confirmed cases, and more are expected as testing ramps up: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-counts-rise-as-testing-expands/amp/ https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-coun... Not too many yet, but the writing is on the wall.
spectramax 7y ago
In addition to "safety of the people", there is a business reason for cancelling these massive events at a huge loss - they're avoiding a PR shitstorm that would explode if 8,000 people caught Coronavirus at their conference. After working in many fortune 500 companies (manufacturing), I've become so intensely jaded and cynical of any "safety" things most of these companies do. If you peel the layers, its a glorified CYA. For e.g., no company really gives a shit if you develop a carpel tunnel syndrome. They are covering their ass to make sure there is enough documentation that employees were properly trained in the event of a lawsuit. That Ergonomics training you did or any safety web-training was forced upon you - sure it improves safety but that's a side benefit.
- orblivion 7y ago
  I think "do the right thing" and "make it look like you're doing the right thing" will always go hand in hand. I'll take it.
orblivion 7y ago
FWIW I'm wondering about LibrePlanet in a couple weeks. I likely won't go regardless at this point.
- orblivion 7y ago
  They just posted about it: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-covid-19-and-libreplanet-2020 https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-covid-19-and-l...
  - orblivion 7y ago
    And now all in-person events are canceled: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-person-component-canceled-but-well-see-you-online https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-pers...
khrekwr 7y ago
Meanwhile Miami Ultra Music Festival is still on: > Amid growing concerns of the virus and large crowds, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said Monday the upcoming Ultra Music Festival and Calle Ocho Festival will go on as scheduled. > More than 100,000 electronic music fans from more than 100 countries will descend on Miami in two weeks for the festival, March 20-22 at Bayfront Park. Just look at this picture: https://weraveyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music-Festival-2019.jpg https://weraveyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music... Well, that's one way to test the virus transmission/warm weather theory.
- chanmad29 7y ago
  Or it could put to test Bill Burr's population control theory /s
BillinghamJ 7y ago
It'd be nice if this ended up turning into it being more common for tech conferences to be attended remotely, would be a good step for environmental friendliness to reduce all the flying around the world for tech events
purplezooey 7y ago
It was at Shoreline? that place is a dump...

92 points by Aissen 7y ago

It shouldn't be a surprise, after the Facebook F8 cancellation, Google Cloud Next, Microsoft MVP Summit, dotPy, dotGo, the MWC, etc.

bilal4hmed 7y ago

Microsoft BUILD has to be next, its scheduled for a week after IO

sequoia 7y ago

Kudos to Google for taking this responsible step. There's no way to categorize these sorts of conferences as anything other than "extremely non-essential, optional gathering." Postponing such gatherings is an obvious first step in reducing the spread of an epidemic that we cannot prevent, but can mitigate.

mgleason_3 7y ago
It’s interesting on so many levels. On the one hand, it seems like the right thing to do. Air-travel and gatherings are like Petri dishes. On the other, all these adjustments are going to have an economic impact. There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to say that Corona virus was no worse that the flu. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-people-higher-risk-2020-2 https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-... This businessinsider article says that 15% of people 80yrs+ die. https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-season/ https://time.com/5610878/2018-2019-flu-season/ But Time say 61,200 died a year ago from the flu. Course then I wonder when the US will get serious about doing some basic things to limit the spread of disease like: - require airlines to allow passengers to change their flight plans without penalty so sick passengers don’t have to fly - educate people to cough into their shirts instead of their hands - require public bathrooms provide paper towels instead of those damn hearing-wrecking air blowers. - step up vaccination efforts - for those of us forced to travel: don’t tell us what doesn’t work, tell us what does. If masks don’t work, should I wear a full hazmat suit? I’m willing to avoid getting another flu like I had last year...
- d1zzy 7y ago
  > There’s a part of me that wonders if this “crisis” has been created by news coverage. The flu kills thousands every year. The early articles seemed to say that Corona virus was no worse that the flu. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-.. https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-death-age-older-.... This businessinsider article says that 15% of people 80yrs+ die. I was thinking like that but I don't think so anymore. There is one important difference between COVID-19 and the regular flu: COVID-19 seems to infect a lot more people than the flu. Even if COVID-19 has an overall fatality rate that is much lower than regular flu, the fact that it spreads fast means it can overwhelm health services so that those few severe cases can't get the health they need, when with regular flu they would get that help. That can make it much more dangerous in practice even if, in theory, it's not. Now with containment having failed the only course of action is to do everything we can to slow its progression to avoid overwhelming services.

haunter 7y ago

I wonder about the professional sport leagues, NBA and NHL for example currently. 10-20k people every night in closed stadiums. In multiple major US cities. They gotta do something. MLS also started this week and the new MLB season also upon us

ojame 7y ago
The NHL (I don't follow the NBA) are paying close attention to it. They're not acting yet, but likely the pre-season games in China (like they've played for the last 2 out of 3 years) won't go ahead. They've got several plans in case it impacts the tail-end of the season or the playoffs (including playing in empty arenas). The IIHF just cancelled a few international tournaments, and while not actually linked to the NHL, would have undoubtably had an impact on how the NHL is assessing its situation.
toyg 7y ago
In Italy they suspended the football season last week, as it was legally impossible to host games in the most-affected Northern areas. Sure enough, they are already talking about resuming next Monday, less than a day after the current ban on gatherings will expire. It's screwed up, and hugely unpopular, but I think we should just give up all these large events until April-May and then reassess. Zero chances it will happen though, too much money rides on sports these days. So people will die so that someone else can watch 22 overpaid athletes kick a ball.
Laremere 7y ago
Overwatch League (esports, but still crowded stadiums) canceled all China matches on Jan 29th. Then they canceled Korean matches on Feb 23rd. US, Canadian, and European matches are not yet canceled.

technics256 7y ago

And yet, HIMSS is going forward while pretending nothing is wrong...

jshevek 7y ago
For anyone previously unfamiliar, as I was: HIMSS = Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society

blahneverdies 7y ago

Don't forget to cancel the supermarket, post office, Chipotle, gym, planes/trains/buses, movies/theater/sporting events, the sidewalk, etc.

kohtatsu 7y ago
It's primarily about delaying spread in order to prevent healthcare systems from being overwhelmed.
whatshisface 7y ago
What you're describing is a quarantine, which may happen.
T3OU-736 7y ago
I disagree with your analogy. Conferences, by their very nature, and ones with large well-known companies sponsoring them strongly implies international guests, and that translates to higher risks.
cameronbrown 7y ago
Serious difference between an international conference and your local shops.
mcphage 7y ago
China did that in Wuhan, and the number of new infections is dropping, after only a few thousand deaths.

wombatpm 7y ago

So do we think the NCAA March Madness is still a good idea?

ulfw 7y ago

And people laughed at me a few weeks ago when I suggested WWDC and i/o might not happen this year (when MWC got cancelled). So... is Apple's WWDC next?

LeoNatan25 7y ago
It’s the responsible thing to do. We are nowhere near taking control of this virus.

eptgrant 7y ago

I wonder when ngConf will be cancelled

rmason 7y ago

As someone headed to SF later this spring, is there a single case of coronavirus in the Valley at this exact moment? With all the companies announcing conferences and employee travel cancelled you'd think that Silicon Valley was the epicenter.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
jborichevskiy 7y ago
Yes, there is https://www.ktvu.com/news/coronavirus-5-new-bay-area-cases-alameda-county-declares-health-emergency https://www.ktvu.com/news/coronavirus-5-new-bay-area-cases-a...
beefalo 7y ago
Yes, 9 cases in Santa Clara county have been confirmed
- Pfhreak 7y ago
  And keep in mind that they aren't testing everyone who presents with symptoms, typically only the most severe symptoms. So those 9 cases are likely representative of many more people who haven't been tested.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
jpindar 7y ago
This site seems to stay up to date, and it says there are currently 8 in Santa Clara and 2 in San Mateo. https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.h...
vatueil 7y ago
There have been several confirmed cases, and more are expected as testing ramps up: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-counts-rise-as-testing-expands/amp/ https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/02/coronavirus-case-coun... Not too many yet, but the writing is on the wall.

spectramax 7y ago

In addition to "safety of the people", there is a business reason for cancelling these massive events at a huge loss - they're avoiding a PR shitstorm that would explode if 8,000 people caught Coronavirus at their conference. After working in many fortune 500 companies (manufacturing), I've become so intensely jaded and cynical of any "safety" things most of these companies do. If you peel the layers, its a glorified CYA. For e.g., no company really gives a shit if you develop a carpel tunnel syndrome. They are covering their ass to make sure there is enough documentation that employees were properly trained in the event of a lawsuit. That Ergonomics training you did or any safety web-training was forced upon you - sure it improves safety but that's a side benefit.

orblivion 7y ago
I think "do the right thing" and "make it look like you're doing the right thing" will always go hand in hand. I'll take it.

orblivion 7y ago

FWIW I'm wondering about LibrePlanet in a couple weeks. I likely won't go regardless at this point.

orblivion 7y ago
They just posted about it: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-covid-19-and-libreplanet-2020 https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/update-on-covid-19-and-l...
- orblivion 7y ago
  And now all in-person events are canceled: https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-person-component-canceled-but-well-see-you-online https://www.fsf.org/blogs/community/libreplanet-2020-in-pers...

khrekwr 7y ago

Meanwhile Miami Ultra Music Festival is still on: > Amid growing concerns of the virus and large crowds, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said Monday the upcoming Ultra Music Festival and Calle Ocho Festival will go on as scheduled. > More than 100,000 electronic music fans from more than 100 countries will descend on Miami in two weeks for the festival, March 20-22 at Bayfront Park. Just look at this picture: https://weraveyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music-Festival-2019.jpg https://weraveyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Ultra-Music... Well, that's one way to test the virus transmission/warm weather theory.

chanmad29 7y ago
Or it could put to test Bill Burr's population control theory /s

BillinghamJ 7y ago

It'd be nice if this ended up turning into it being more common for tech conferences to be attended remotely, would be a good step for environmental friendliness to reduce all the flying around the world for tech events

purplezooey 7y ago

It was at Shoreline? that place is a dump...