Regarding RailsConf 2008

04 June 2008 · 5 Comments · conference, railsconf, speaking

I had a great time at RailsConf this year. While I thought the talks were high quality, the highlight for me is getting to spend time meeting and talking to “Internet” friends I might only get to see once a year.

I thought the focus of DHH’s keynote was great. I’m pleased to see him taking just this kind of approach for his talks. For lack of a better (and less corporate) title, I tend to think of David as the “CEO of Rails,” and I think elevating his talk to this level really works. It’s what we, as a community, should be hearing from him.

Entrepreneurs on Rails

I was privileged to be able to offer a talk again this year, and I was astounded by the number of people who came to hear it. Thanks to all of you! I’m grateful to the conference organizers, Chad, Shirley, and everybody else for accepting my talk, something that fell a bit outside of the normal range of topics for a technology conference.

I hope that it was entertaining and informative to all of those who attended, and I’m really sorry that I wasn’t able to give the talk again on Sunday for the hundreds (!) of you who were kicked out by the Fire Marshall, or who missed it entirely because of the lack of space.

You can download the slides for the talk in PDF format here.

Pictures and Coffee

I’d also like to say thanks to my good friend James Duncan Davidson for taking such cool photos of the conference, and for kidnapping me to Stumptown for coffee and Saint Cupcake for a unique Portland dessert.

Speaking of Portland

I like Portland. It’s a cool city with a climate I enjoy, great food, and the best Zen garden outside of Japan. Unfortunately for me, getting there and back is a brutal business: 12+ hours of tedious, time consuming, and punishing travel. This means I get to spend less time than I’d like, because I have to spend so much time getting there and back. Portland is just about the furthest I can travel from home and still be in the continental United States. Getting to Europe is easier. Don’t get me wrong – it’s worth it, but it takes its toll on this kid from the southeast.

I’m psyched that next year a new venue (Las Vegas?) is being considered. Although I’ve never been there before, don’t gamble, and don’t eat most of the food Vegas is known for, anything a bit more central is a boon for the rest of us.

Next Up

After my talk, many people asked me if I would provide some examples of contracts, NDAs, Product Outlines, and the other documents I mentioned. I do plan on doing this soon, and I’ve got some pretty cool things along these lines planned for for the very near future.

Thanks again, please stay tuned.