BloggerCon: The $1000 Question

I'm back and bleary-eyed from BloggerCon, and despite how tired I am, my brain is still buzzing with new ideas. My thanks to the participants for making it such a worthwhile conference.

One of the questions I was asked - a lot - was how I felt about BloggerCon's rule against vendor's pitching their products, and the fact that at times the conference had an almost anti-vendor tone. Although I joked with a few of the vendors afterwards about it, I have to say, I'm completely in favor of this rule. So many conferences I've been to have been nothing more than extended infomercials, so it was nice to have the vendors (including myself) shut up for a change and just listen to what people (our customers!) have to say. As is the case with politics, copyright law and far too many other areas these days, the people who supposedly benefit from technology haven't been given a large enough role in defining it, so having the tables turned was actually a welcome change. Rather than complain about it, I simply kept quiet and took reams of notes from the discussion (as did Feedster's Scott Johnson, whose pockets are so full of little scraps of paper that he resembles a recycling bin).

I was also asked whether I believed my $1000 donation to BloggerCon was money well spent, and I can only say hell yes. If I don't earn an extra $1000 from ideas gained at the conference, then I deserve to be fined.

My only disappointments were that I missed the first night's dinner, and that I didn't get a chance to meet several of the people I hoped to talk with (Larry Lessig in particular).

Comments

[Yvonne Adams]

I'm glad you've taken this position. One thing that's always been obvious it that you listen to your customers (which is why we're loyal).

I'm still bummed out that I had to cancel out on BloggerCon - it would have been nice to have last week end on a positive note!

[Morgan Pugh]

I only wish there was a similar event here in the UK as I would love to attend.

I like the idea of not allowing any advertising, etc. of products.

I also think your $1000 donation won't be wasted. You make great products and listen to your customers.

[Cameron W]

Its a good idea, the no advertising rule - but how would you avoid advertising when ur name alone can be considered almost advertising.

You haven't wasted money.
I agree, you make great products, and you listen to your customers.
Aside from the fact that your products are usually highly popular & tend to change entire markets and internet/webdev cultures.

[Joe]

He's all about customer service. =)