er, I don't see what is ethically wrong with it if the organizers are charging people to attend - like Scott says, the organizers can make $250k from tickets to

er, I don't see what is ethically wrong with it if the organizers are charging people to attend - like Scott says, the organizers can make $250k from tickets to see him speak. What is ethically 'troublesome' is when conference organizers like O'Reilly (but others do it, they just happen to be hosting the post) take pay-for-play speakers at their conferences but don't disclose. In other words, the speakers pay the conference organizers AND the attendees are paying too. I have no problem with speakers being paid, in fact it increases the chances of high-value speakers attending.