Yeah, I don't get that mentality. Actual meetups come with a huge advantage of being able to have one-on-one conversations with people who may be able to hire

Yeah, I don't get that mentality. Actual meetups come with a huge advantage of being able to have one-on-one conversations with people who may be able to hire you. I've gotten a few jobs and contract work because people knew me from meetups and conventions. I don't buy it when people say fake "meetups" are just as good. When I hear someone tout fake "meetups", I'm hearing a person who hasn't networked.