gnomedex08

I’ve spent the last 15 hours in the company of geeks. Not just any geeks. Rather, these are the friends and followers of Chris Pirillo and his beautiful appendage Ponzi Pirillo. Once a year I trek to Seattle to tap into the zeitgeist of blogs, podcasts, social networks, edgy stuff you don’t find elsewhere, amazing conversations in the hallways, widgets and gadgets, and other by-products of the limitless exuberance of Chris Pirillo

Chris Pirillo

Ponzi and Chris

This is my fourth Gnomedex. Every year is different. The web establishment is not here to bitch and moan. Past years have witnessed Dave Winer attacking John Lilly for keeping secrets (Lilly hadn’t responded to Dave’s email), Dave attacking Jason Calacanis (for having a “hidden agenda”), and Dave attacking Adam Curry (for not crediting Dave’s contributions to podcasting). Dave’s in Colorado at the moment; cooler heads prevail.

Gnomedex inevitably begins with great food, convivial conversation, and varsity-level networking.

You can find plenty of information about what went on by nosing around the web. It’s all on video. I’ll provide a little color comentary.

I attend Gnomedex for professional development. Innovation comes from mash-ups of ideas from parallel universes. I learn things at Gnomedex, reflect on them, and try them on for size in the world of corporate learning and development. I have just started here but already have half a dozen experiments I’d like to run behind corporate firewalls.

Chris, opening the event: “We’re a little late. We’re geeks. We can live with it.” My notes are going to be spotty. You can see my photos here.

Kris Krug, photographer extraordinaire, suggested how to take pictures at conferences. Mind improved immediately. If you like my photos, blame Kris. He opened my eyes to a number of things.

• light: take a quick inventory of the light when you enter the room
• be a lighting designer
• low light: higher ISO, increase your aperture (lowest number)
• look for reflections
• pick a theme
• learn your camera: shoot everyday, get feedback
• fill the frame
• rule of thirds: horizon at 1/2 or 2/3
• shoot from above: people look better, younger, skinner
• stand things, lay down, get the angle, change your perspective

Larry Halff, backed up by Tara Hunt, gave a deep, meaningful presentation on the Open Internets and how Ma.gnolia is evolving. This was awesome, but too large a drink from the firehose, particularly as a conference opener, and many in the room got lost in the message. I’ll be revisting this, for it taps the pulse of the social web.

Ben Huh delivered a hilarous presentation on the growth of icanwantcheesburger. Serious business behind frivolous concept.

Being at a geek event is like attending a three-ring circus. In addition to the happenings on-stage, there are several back-channels throbbing. Also, there’s an active community site where people are hooking up with one another; it’s by Pathable.

Beth Kanter won my heart — and the audience’s — in her talk about Using Social Media for Good Causes. She has raised >$200k for Cambodian children. She challenged the room — about 175 of us to help give a girl in Cambodia a second year in college, and we were moved to fill the hat to overflowing.

This evening we repaired to the Showbox, a dreary rock venue a couple of blocks from the famous Pike Place Market. What were Chris and Ponzi thinking? Picture an awful spot for social networking. Let’s see: loud music, mediocre food, semi-darkness, poor traffic flow: we had it all. My expectations were for something much better. Bummer. But then, it facilitated my stopping by the Palace Grill for a great late-night snack.

Ponzi at the Showbox

Social networking?

Time to head to bed. I thnk aliens from another planet are waiting outside to abduct me. No reason to put off the inevitable.