Sort of depends on what you're looking for. To me, the best value of a meetup or conference is meeting individuals and having one-on-one or small group convers

Sort of depends on what you're looking for. To me, the best value of a meetup or conference is meeting individuals and having one-on-one or small group conversations, as well as being able to hang out with people after an event. When I've hosted meetups, I usually get together a group of people to hang out at a pub down the street after the event. It's both fun and good for networking. Fake "meetups" will never ever fulfill that. Can a fake "meetup" work for honest discussion? Yeah, I've even hosted ones like that. It doesn't mean I think they're optimal that way. A fake "meetup" still necessitates that everyone participates in a single conversation and that not everyone gets enough of a word in. I really don't have anything against virtual meetups. I'm really more against the idea that they are equivalent or superior.