4 ms·

I've never attended any conferences in my life (and I have been programming for 25 years (16 years professionally)). I can buy books, read online, watch videos

by nadam 14y ago

I've never attended any conferences in my life (and I have been programming for 25 years (16 years professionally)). I can buy books, read online, watch videos online on more programming topics than I have time/capacity for. My tolearn.txt is quite long all the time. For networking among programmers there are more than enough online communities. Business networking would be very useful (basically meeting people who need my knowledge/expertise and learning about business opportunities), but how can I do that among people who want to sell the same thing that I want to sell? I am not saying that conferences are not useful, just I did not find the motivation yet to attend one.

mgkimsal 14y ago
"Business networking would be very useful (basically meeting people who need my knowledge/expertise and learning about business opportunities), but how can I do that among people who want to sell the same thing that I want to sell?" Umm.... it's generally not about selling right there and then, but making connections which may turn in to relationships. I've been to conferences and have made a great network of people I wouldn't have met otherwise, and some of it has led to projects/work months or years after our initial meeting. Most of the conferences I go to now are almost always just for hallway networking and socializing. 20 years ago, I used to wonder "how does someone run a business? how can you compete? it's a closed network - just friends of friends, etc". That's not 100% true, but it's more true than many people would want to admit. However, it's not all that hard to 'break in to' some circles and become part of a network. It does take time and commitment.
diminish 14y ago
Maybe it is time for virtual conferences, no Google Hangout for example?
raganwald 14y ago
"We're not computers, Sebastian, we're physical.”—Roy Batty

by nadam 14y ago

mgkimsal 14y ago

"Business networking would be very useful (basically meeting people who need my knowledge/expertise and learning about business opportunities), but how can I do that among people who want to sell the same thing that I want to sell?" Umm.... it's generally not about selling right there and then, but making connections which may turn in to relationships. I've been to conferences and have made a great network of people I wouldn't have met otherwise, and some of it has led to projects/work months or years after our initial meeting. Most of the conferences I go to now are almost always just for hallway networking and socializing. 20 years ago, I used to wonder "how does someone run a business? how can you compete? it's a closed network - just friends of friends, etc". That's not 100% true, but it's more true than many people would want to admit. However, it's not all that hard to 'break in to' some circles and become part of a network. It does take time and commitment.

diminish 14y ago

Maybe it is time for virtual conferences, no Google Hangout for example?

raganwald 14y ago

"We're not computers, Sebastian, we're physical.”—Roy Batty