I had written more here, but even after cutting down this post is still to long. Basically the evolution of DC is in large part a response to its own success.

I had written more here, but even after cutting down this post is still to long. Basically the evolution of DC is in large part a response to its own success. 13k attendees (IIRC) is going to change things, and any difference makes it easy to get disenchanted and/or nay-say. I don't think the attitude and execution have gotten worse overall, just different. the reason for that impression is that there is no declaration of a policy in his message Defcon knows they can't dictate everything that happens, only influence it. Feds are going to be there one way or another, thats why DT had an "invite the feds" attitude from the beginning. To hear some goons tell it, the "spot the fed" game was created as a social device to reduce animosity between attendees and law enforcement while also reminding everyone that strangers at the convention aren't your friends. Even with enforcing hard and fast ideas (like the journalism boundary) they start off with a light touch. They gave the reporter many chances to stop snooping about and get a press badge. Before letting us into the convention center on day one red shirts were giving out warnings. That was days before she was publicly called out in one of the panels and marched out of the Riv. As you say, we're not in third grade. But defcon does know it, and understand they can't keep people out a no-names cash-transaction event based on attendee employer. The most they can hope to do is say "Hey, maybe not so much this year?" Time will tell how it plays out, but the last thing I would call it is an attempt to save face or change the image of the event. I thought it was 100% DT playing a joke at first, and I still think its a joke now, just one with a message.