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I do agree that face to face can never be replaced. But while I'm at my desk, gratefully working for a non-profit, this format is both cost efficent and innovative.
Thanks for the counterpoints on your post. Good stuff to discuss.
I did a pixelated Podcamp to try to give people a flavor of what a podcamp is about- but nothing will ever replace attending one. (Or for that matter, what you can learn by putting one on.)
This is why when people ask why we don't put all of the content from podcamps online, or stream all the sessions, is not so much that we couldn't, if we chose to put the resources in that bucket, but because I think it kind of encourages a view from afar approach, when if there's anything unconferences are about, it's participation, mixing it up, and making new friends and contacts.
It's more than the difference between Cliff Notes and the real Book- any online version of any conference, or concert for that matter, will never be the same experience as being there. But maybe from time to time, those virtual experiences will be enough to get people to engage in the real thing.
I just hate traditional conferences and since you are part of podCamp if think we agree on that but would really love to see your take on that as I am sure it could add a lot!
Julius
While it's not a "traditional" conference, I do think it has the potential to achieve many of the same things. This basically gives us a conference without the interaction. Certainly loses some of the benefit of a normal conference/unconference but it also gives us a lot of content we may not otherwise get to see.
When you say, "Conferences are about interaction, collaboration, and meeting people," I agree with you that this is a nice benefit, but that definition could apply to a bar as well. I don't think that most people pay thousands of dollars to go somewhere and meet people. That may rank a high second on their list, but I think the content is what draws them there. I don't think I could put up a website that says, "There's no speakers or anything, we're just getting together to interact and meet people," and have people pay thousands to come. (As an aside, if people WOULD, let me know!)
I think what makes a conference a conference is people gathering, interacting, etc around common interests...and this is driven by the speakers and content at the conference.
I think the real question is, if these Pixelated "events" aren't conferences due to the lack of collaboration/interaction, what can we do to MAKE them into a conference - or as close as possible to one? How can we build that interaction into them so that people who may not normally attend such an event (due to location, cost, etc) can get the same (or similar) benefit from these events?
I think if we can find a good way to do it, the interaction and collaboration from such an event could be far more beneficial than a traditional conference.
Kevin
I don't disagree. I don't think Pixelated replaces a conference, it's just something else. I like saying it's more of "mixed tape" of great speakers. Clearly, you know I believe in the power of real-life events.
It's not to replace that. If anything, Pixelated adds by bringing together the same great speakers in one great place :)
If I see a video of Chris Brogan, for instance, on your Pixelated conference, Mitch, how about adding a link to his email address and maybe his Twitter feed, too? Whether or not I click those links is up to me, but at least I don't have to browse the web to figure out who this Brogan character is and how I can follow-up with him on something he said 15:03 minutes into the seminar.
At least that makes it "somewhat" more collaborative.
BUT... hey, nice content. ; )