What do you like and/or hate most about distributed conferences? Answer for the chance to be featured on our podcast!

The DevDiscuss Podcast begins with an interview and ends with commentary from listeners — and we like to feature the actual voices from our community!

This week's prompt: “What do you like and/or hate most about distributed conferences?”

For your chance to appear on an upcoming episode, answer the question above by:

• Calling our Google Voice at [phone] and leave a message 📞

• Sending a voice memo to [e-mail] 🎙

• OR, leaving a comment here (we'll read your response aloud for you) 🗣

Please send in your recordings by Wednesday, December 9th at Midnight, ET (9 PM PT, 5 AM UTC)

Voice recordings will be given priority placement 😉

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Don't forget to check out the latest episode here

Comments

[Jonathan Yeong]

I miss seeing people's faces :(. And there's also this energy at conferences that you don't feel when you're at home.

Although, I love being able to constantly snack when watching a conference at home.

[Mitch Pomery (he/him)]

You can take snacks to conferences in person. But if you do it enough you might become known as the snack person, so you need to start bringing some to share too.

[Gracie Gregory (she/her)]

Feel free to submit this as a voice recording too, Jonathan! We loved having you at CodeLand and would love to feature your voice on the podcast 😊 Instructions above.

Hard second on the snacking benefit of at-home conference attendance.

[Jonathan Yeong]

Just sent one! Thanks for the words of encouragement!

[Gracie Gregory (she/her)]

❤️

[Mitch Pomery (he/him)]

I like that they are more accessible. I can attend a conference from home without needing to organize time off of work and travel to get to it.

I miss seeing people! Conferences and conventions were how I would see and catch up with friends who don't live in the same city as me. Meeting up with them in a city neither of us live in is always fun!

[Shannon Crabill]

I LOVE that they are more accessible. I've attended more conferences this year (some of which I had not heard of before 2020) than all previous years. It's probably not sustainable from a funding perspective.

[Mitch Pomery (he/him)]

I've been able to attend conferences virtually for free that would have cost me in excess of $5000AUD to go to in person. Now that I've gotten to see what they are like, planning to go to them in person in the future is a less risky investment.

[Andrew May]

• + The restrooms are less crowded at home
• - Harder to focus on the conference (too many distractions at home)
• - Meeting other attendees is often the best part of a conference
• - When presenting I'd rather be in front of a crowd of people than a webcam (I'm not entirely sure why!)

[Margo McCabe]

Echoing a couple other responses, I love that distributed conferences are more accessible, from a location, cost, and time perspective. It's so nice that I can go back and watch recorded sessions if I'm unable to attend live, and awesome that people across the globe can attend with one simple click. This provides a new sense of connectivity.

The main thing I miss is human interaction, but there are solutions to that as well. Some conferences, like the WWC Connect Forward, provide the option to have randomized one-on-one video meetings with other attendees. So cool!

[Shannon Crabill]

What I've liked about most distributed conferences I've attended this year is the pre-recorded format. It's really cool watching a talk "live" but the speaker is also live in the chat to engage with attendees.

Distributed conferences also feel like they have less of an environmental impact from a swag perspective. Don't get be wrong, I like good swag, but I also don't need more swag. If I remember correctly, Codeland gave attendees an option for which swag they wanted (t-shirt, tote, etc) which is a good compromise of swag and being mindful of waste.

The downside of distributed conferences is attending while also working a 9-5.

[Margo McCabe]

Really great point on the benefit from an environmentally friendly perspective... think about all those printed out pamphlets, business cards, and other docs at in-person conferences!

[Barry]

I liked that I continued to get some free swag. However, I miss all the people and the environmental shift. When you attend a conference in person and not from your home office almost my entire focus is on the conference and attendees.

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[Amin Arria]

I love been able to attend any conference just by opening a link, no travel involved (although I miss it).