Here's one approach I've never seen. Assume that a good quantity of the guys at such a conference enjoy the company of women. They would prefer to have an eve

Here's one approach I've never seen. Assume that a good quantity of the guys at such a conference enjoy the company of women. They would prefer to have an event with at least some of us around, as opposed to the total sausage fest it would otherwise be. (Obviously, some guys enjoy the 'fest, and that's cool too. But I'm not talking about them.) Anyway, it seems like a simple cost-benefit analysis. If you stop being annoying, and stop other people from being annoying, whether by shunning the bad ones, or by whatever means you use to thin out the herd, you create a more welcoming environment. Once you have a more welcoming environment, there may be more of us around. That's more opportunities to hang out with folks who you find pleasing. So, if you want ANY chance to have a nice friendly chat which MIGHT go somewhere some day, you have to start with having established the basics of human decency, dignity, and respect. Otherwise, you're doomed from the get-go. I write this speaking from a little experience. I've stopped going to certain events here in the Valley where all I wanted was to nerd out for a little while with other technical folks and it turned into a "how quickly can I hit on you" thing.