SXSW 2006 - Weekend Update

This is a really cool conference. I signed up for the Gold pass which is for Film and Interactive.That was a bit of a mistake since there is so much to do on the Interactive side and many films are playing throughout the week which I will miss since I am leaving Tuesday.

SXSW is a group of very smart, very cool people. I have seen many friends I don?t get to see because we are all over the country. I have met famous and semi-famous people who are just as normal as your next door neighbor and they like that we don’t really acknowledge that fact. They like that they can hang out with creative people who love the web and/or film as much as they do. It is a bit of an “un-conference” and the parties are better than the other conferences and the city of Austin is a lot fun.

Yes, Austin. It is about 75-80 degrees here so it is a bit of a temperature shock and all us pasty white guys where definitely feeling it.

The bars are fun and this a big little party town. Reminds me of Baltimore with lots of Ribs instead of Steamed Crabs. And the ribs are yummy. So if you are a member of the “other PETA (People for the Eating of Tasty Animals)” you should come on down here. If you don’t like meat, you are going to have to search for a place to eat.

The sessions for the most part have been interesting. The Podcasting 2.0 with Chris Pirillo was great. He started it with questions and it rocked. No crappy powerpoint. Every session that relied on presentations and switched between people and left 10 minutes for questions just sucked. But wait a minute, when did we get to Podcasting 2.0? I thought 1.0 was still getting out to the masses. We gotta stop with all this 2.0 crap. It is getting old.

I have learned alot about design, AJAX, and creating passionate users that I wouldn’t have in the normal tech tradeshow circuit. Many sessions are for people looking to breakout and start their own businesses. This is a time when I realize how much I have learned and take for granted.

Also, just attended the Keynote given by Henry Rollins. Yes, that Henry Rollins. I love a conference where Henry Rollins and Neil Young are some of the keynote speakers. Henry Rollins rules.

Should be able to get some posts in tomorrow before my flight home on Tuesday.