SXSW Debriefing

Submitted by chip on Tue, 11-Mar-2003 - 8:08 pm

Meeting Larry Lessig, the guy who just argued in front of the Supreme Court to have the Mickey Mouse Preservation Act overturned, was way cool.
Finding out that Larry had actually read an article I blogged was tremendously exciting.
Discovering that Larry was considering blogging a response had me so excited I nearly peed my pants.
I turned a lot of people on to what we were doing with the Austin Bloggers web site. Folks seemed to get it--and like it.
I did a ten minute presentation of the site during the Geek Out panel, and the response was gratifying. People asked some tremendous questions, such as who was our audience (A: the greater community, but it's also helping local bloggers find each other), how were we promoting it (A: I'm doing it now!), and has it affected blogging style (A: it has mine). Folks seemed to like what we were doing, and that was satisfying.
And during the entire presentation, sitting in the front row enjoying the session, were Ben and Mena Trott--the people who invented the trackback technology that underlies our web site. Mena even blogged us. Is that cool or what?
I got a few minutes with Austin City Councilmember (and Mayoral Candidate) Will Wynn. I briefed him about some of the initiatives I'm working on through the City Telecommunications Commission and EFF-Austin, and he sounded supportive. Most importantly, however, I had to chance to tell him that his campaign fucking spammed me with unsolicited email, and he ought to review how they're accumulating email addresses.
I'm glad I finally got to meet Jim Butler and thank him for scoring me the comp admission to the conference.
I feel privileged I got to witness David's first ever art exhibition. He did a nice piece.
Did I mention Larry Lessig read my blog?

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re: SXSW Debriefing

Submitted by Adina Levin on Tue, 11-Mar-2003 - 9:00 pm.

Sorry I missed the Austinbloggers preso at the Justin Hall Geekout!

re: SXSW Debriefing

Submitted by davidnunez on Tue, 11-Mar-2003 - 9:57 pm.

Chip - I'm glad to have shared some of the weekend with you. your insight and company was well appreciated throughout the various panels and nighttime events. Also, you were a driving voice of reason for our booth (and for the EFF/EFF-A table at the party), and I thank you for wanting everything to go so well.

It was my absolute pleasure to finally show you a taste of what I'm doing in my garage... Now that I've taken that first step and broke through the barrier of first-time trepidation, the rest should be easier?

Now, though, I'm about to pass out from exhaustion...