Ask What You Will Of Some Slashfolks, In Person

So, ever had a question you wanted to ask the various folks behind Slash and/or Slashdot? A healthy assortment of Slashdot coders and authors (like krow, cliff, roblimo, jellicle and timothy) will be on hand for a BOF session at the Linux World Expo on Wednesday, January 31, 2001, Room 1E11, 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. So, if you happen to be around, feel free to join us and have your questions answered. And of course, the Slash and Slashdot folks will also be at random times in the OSDN booth on the show floor, so please stop by. Hope to see you there!Update: 01/15 12:55 PM by H : Rob and I won't be able to make itto the BOF -- outstanding plans -- but you can catch us on February 15th at the O'Reilly P2P conference in San Fransico. We speak at something like 11:30 AM or so, on a panel - but we'll be at LWCE as well.

Too Bad..

[NoWhere Man]

We'll miss you guys there. Last year we had a blast as the Slashdot booth, and especially the Slashdot party [crosswinds.net] at the China Club [crosswinds.net]. Hope to see tons of the Slashdot community at Linux World! You'll know me, I'll be the only one wearing sun glasses in doors and my associate will prolly be wearing his (tinted yellow) aswell.

Depends...

[NetJunkie]

Check http://www.linuxworldexpo.com

But...the exhibit hall is $25 or free now, depending on if you can get a pass. I know Ximian was giving some out. If you go to the half-day tutorials and/or the other conference sessions it will go way up...usually to $800.

We did the sessions last time in San Jose and they were nice, but not worth going to unless your company pays. My wife and I will be driving up this time to do the exhibit hall, and to help promote a new book we're finishing up for IDG.

Why not a backgounder/Bio page on Slashdot folks?

[starvo]

Really, I'd like to see some background/bio page on slashdot folks. Who they are, where they came from, why they write for Slashdot.. their favorite online games. Cover everyone, from Taco to Katz...

Re:/. Interview?

[Roblimo]

There will probably never be an interview with me on Slashdot. I'm not a celeb, just humble backroom toiler.

But there's an interview with me here [olinux.com.br] -- on a Brazilian site.

- Robin

BOFH session?!

[Japhy]

Will the PFY be in attendance as well?

Re:Depends...

[cheezus]

if you can provide a photocopy of student id, you can register for the tutorial and conference sessions at half price. that's how i can afford to go

---

Cool parties at LWE?

[cheezus]

What sort of extra cirricular activies will be going on in New York? I plan on attending the ufie gathering on tuesday, but I've heard stores of things like free beer. If anyone knows of any cool stuff going on during the week, would you please let us know? I'm not 21 for a few more months :( is that going to be a big problem? I think it would kick ass for a bunch of slashdotters to go down to times square and get on total request live. I don't think carson and his trendy mtv people could handle a bunch of geeks.

---

Re:Other editors

[Hemos]

We've actually taken on people - but they've all washed out, in terms of actually putting the time in. To actually recognize duplicate stories means watching almost constantly - and that isn't as easy to do as it sounds.

San Fransico

[IanA]

Rik-I-Ronei - The San Fransico treat!

Re:/. Interview?

[Hemos]

We'll actually prolly do another IRC interview/Slash interview again soon.

Vergil's Question to Slashdot Editors:

[vergil]

What priorities do you have in terms of content?

What types of news would you like to emphasize in the future -- i.e. strictly tech news (hardware/OS developments), culture (anime/book and movie reviews), or politics and law (intellectual property, legal challenges to free software, etc)? Or do you envision Slashdot as an all-encompassing forum for all things tech-related?

P.S.

Oh, in response to Serge's question about RobLimo's tropical shirts -- "gonzo" journalist Hunter S. Thompson wore Hawaiian (sp?) shirts, and so did my newswriting professor at UMBC [umbc.edu] -- must be the unofficial uniform of the 4th Estate.

Sincerely,
Vergil
Vergil Bushnell

Krow and jellicle?

[Anonymous Coward]

"I never even saw these assholes before!" -Ash

Re:Roblimo, why do you wear Hawian shirts?

[RyanGWU82]

A "BOF" is a "Birds of a Feather" session. It's an informal discussion where people who have a similar interest can talk for a while. It's used when the topic is not important enough to warrant a normal panel or seminar or whatever.

For example, at a programmer's conference, they may deem Java and C++ worthy of seminars. But since some people there will want to talk about C#, if they can't allocate enough resources for a full seminar, they may schedule a "BOF" to let those people get together and talk about it.

Ryan

which was it?

[warGod3]

in person or prison? sorry. its late, i'm tired and the booze is getting to me.....

Re:Roblimo, why do you wear Hawian shirts?

[Sakke]

"BTW, what the hell is BOF supposed to stand for??"

It stands for Bank of Finland [www.bof.fi].

Re:Other editors

[Howie]

But Hemos, as you'd notice if you read the comments to a lot of the stories, plenty of the readers notice - I would guess I see perhaps 90% of the stories posted on slashdot, even if I don't read the discussion on all of them (I don't care about what anime is on a US cable network).

Side question: how much do you guys read slashdot comments? I've always got the impression that apart from Jon Katz, it's pretty rarely. Certainly the number of responses from the posting editor suggests that. Are you all just lurkers, or don't bother at all?

the suite

[Death_Ray]

I am assuming this will be a "hospitality" suite?

I got a picture of Mr. Taco too!

[Death_Ray]

Eom http://www.iamdrunk.com/loadies/drunkomonth/archiv e/domoct.htm

Re:/. Interview?

[SEWilco]

• How would /. questions in a live forum work?
• Robot avatars of the top 10 questions joining the line for the microphone?
• Asking all questions in text form, and providing dozens of web terminals for live audience members to ask questions and moderate all the submitted questions?
• Rate all questions ahead of time, then have all approved questions spoken aloud simultaneously?
• Have Babelfish translations of all answers fed into all Slashboxes, so everyone can read something of their interests into every answer?

Re:Hey Robin...

[cxreg]

The overrated tag

Re:/. Interview?

[MustardMan]

I tend to disagree somewhat, the fact that /. readers know less about you might make it more interesting to see what kind of stuff you get your hands into...

as editor-in-chief for Andover you are the most visible member of what alot of the slashdot readers would call the "other guys."

People were incredibly worried when slashdot was bought by Andover, I think an interview could give a good forum to talk about improvements/changes/bad things that have happened since the purchase of /.

Plus, think of how much an interview with the Editor could give a golden opportunity for all the spelling nazi trolls to really shine :)

empty linuxworld

[joshua_doesnt_know]

Last year was fun... but this year now that I have a booth in the .org section all the people that I wanted to possibly hang out with aren't even going including most of the loki (or former loki) staff. You guys just dont like new york?

_joshua_

Krow...

[VultureMN]

When you gonna have another hottub get together? (hey, everyone, Krow's pretty sexy, and he serves booze. Oh yeah.)

Roblimo, why do you wear Hawian shirts?

[SWroclawski]

Robilmo,

You're an intelligent, insightful man. You have a lot of thoughtful ideas and have a good grasp on technology and where things are moving.

So why, if you're so damn smart, do you wear Hawian shirts like a tourist from the 80s?

- Serge Wroclawski

Re:Roblimo, why do you wear Hawian shirts?

[billh]

Maybe he digs shirts like that.

Don't worry, Rob, people give me shit, too, usually about my Tesla hat.

BTW, what the hell is BOF supposed to stand for??

oreilly open source conf

[hyperstation]

will anyone important be at the o'reilly open source conference (san diego) in late july?

or do i expect to much by thinking that people plan that far ahead :)

--

Re:My first time

[donglekey]

Yeah, stock up on Linux and BSD CD's. Get the current versions of everything.

Re:/. Interview?

[Calle Ballz]

Does the first person in the room get First Post credit? Does he have to write his claim on the wall? What about a camera system to monitor the people walking in the room, so that when 5 people walk in at once all writing "first post" on the wall at the same time, it will number them so we know which one gets the real credit.

also, are you going to be handing out paperbags with eye holes labeled "coward" so that the first posters/trollers/flaimbaiters/paranoids can ask questions too?

Re:Other editors

[not_cub]

Hemos said: We've actually taken on people - but they've all washed out, in terms of actually putting the time in. To actually recognize duplicate stories means watching almost constantly - and that isn't as easy to do as it sounds.

Read constantly? I manage (and I managed when I had a day job ;) ). As do the kazillion people who post "we've seen this before" everytime there's a slip-up. If it offends so much, don't press read more.

not_cub

Re:How Much Linux Expo

[zykem]

$25

Re: BOF

[epcraig]

Birds Of a Feather

Re:/. Interview?

[TOTKChief]

See, Roblimo, you have CowboyNeal make it into a poll: "Which /. Personality Do You Want to See Us Interview Next?" Then CowboyNeal can *finally* win one of those polls...legitimately. =)
--

Re:/. Interview?

[SEWilco]

There's an idea. Every Slashdotter at the head of the room should be issued a taped-into-a-cylinder "First Post!" T-shirt to toss at the first few people in the room. Or else just leave them draped over the chairs near the doors with "Take One If You Care" notes on them.

And remember

[CobesTheGreat]

The building the expo is being held in has a gas fire supressent, so all flames are quite useless, but no one would go to NYC just to flame Taco, right?

--------------------------------------
I'm a karma whore, mod me up damn you!

/. Interview?

[tbo]

That's great for people who can make it, but why not do a Slashdot-style interview with CmdrTaco, Hemos, CowboyNeal, and the rest of the gang?

We all have questions and suggestions for the Slashdot crew, and, while we can always email you guys, an open-forum discussion would be a good thing.

How Much Linux Expo

[Anonymous Coward]

How much does it cost to go to this. I searched the web and found some outrageous price like 800 bucks to go!

Updated two weeks ago?

[Orig]

Update: 01/15 12:55 PM by H

Come on Hemos, set your clock right...

Pics from the last time /. was public.

[tomcrooze]

this is going to be great! i've always wanted to see the people of slashdot again. i got pics from the last time right here [myip.org].

Re:spelling

[AFCArchvile]

If you can't spell it, then just say, "San Fran."

"Cisco Systems. We're the cisco in San Francisco."

Re:/. Interview?

[AFCArchvile]

but why not do a Slashdot-style interview with CmdrTaco, Hemos, CowboyNeal,

Because Taco and CowboyNeal are in Holland, Michigan, and Hemos is in Boston. If Wentworth decided to ditch NT4 and install BSD or Linux on their web/file servers, then I'd have Hemos at the dedication ceremony.

MacWorld

[derf77]

Will any of you guys be at MacWorld New York?

Yes. Some suggestions.

[Anonymous Coward]

1) bring a bag. Last time there were not enough plastic bags. You will need a bag to put all your goodies in because carrying them around all day sucks.

2) GET AS MUCH FREE CRAP AS YOU CAN. At last LWE i got maybe 10 new Tshirts, 3 hats, and tux dolls, too. I love tux dolls. Also those $1 distro CDs rock.

3) Meet all the geek celebs. Be the envy of your friends when you show them the picture of you and Alan Cox.

4) Have fun!

Rob, Can you guys

[Anonymous Coward]

set up a curtained area, so that some of us can come there an anonymously hurl insults at you from the audience?

Is there a no-penis-bird policy?

Can I be the goatse man? Is there a signup sheet, or is it first-come, first-goatse?

My first time

[cp4]

This will be the first conference/expo type thing I will be attending. Any suggestions or warnings?

Other editors

[Fervent]

My question: why can't new people apply to be editors for Slashdot? Clearly, some people would be great to review article submissions, and those who frequent the site would recognize duplicate stories (*cough* Hemos *cough*).

I asked CmdrTaco to be part of the Slashdot crew through email and he didn't respond.

As it is, there seems to be a lot of editors lying around since the stone age of Slashdot evolution, back when they actually *did* review articles and contribute to stories.

Why can't new people apply.

Re:/. Interview?

[Roblimo]

We did a Taco/Hemos interview [slashdot.org] about a year ago.

I suppose we should make CowboyNeal an interview victim soon, eh? :)

- Robin

Re:/. Interview?

[Alien54]

How would /. questions in a live forum work?

Given the wide variety of rants and raves wew have seen over the years (!), I would imagine that a large numbers of participants would gladly bring their own pies (for throwing), as well as a large assortment of nerf weapons.

And then it would get worse, in a Monty Python sort of way.