I’m a MySQL Conference and Expo advocate again
So far this year I’ve been totally silent about the MySQL Conference and Expo 2009. In the past I’ve been a vocal advocate of going to the conference and sending your employees to the conference. So my silence was conspicuous to me, if not to you. I’ve always considered myself a strong MySQL supporter and I still do.
Why wasn’t I telling people to go to this year’s conference? Simple: I can’t in good conscience tell people to attend an event from which I’ve been excluded (oh, the irony). So I stayed quiet while MySQL employees told people to read my article about how to get a session accepted to the MySQL conference. More irony. It is not my way to remain silent, but circumstances demanded it.
But now I’m back! My colleagues and I will be there, and now I’m advocating for your attendance there, as ever. You should come to the conference, and you should consider attending the Percona Performance Conference at the same time so you can learn about more than just MySQL (and see the “missing sessions” that weren’t accepted).
And for the record, I never pressured anyone to accept my sessions. I just stayed silent. That’s what polite people do when they’re not on the guest list: they just find another party.
Also, your event is FREE so folks at new start-ups or unemployed can still go!
Yippee!
erin
6 Feb 09 at 2:21 pm
“That’s what polite people do when they’re not on the guest list: they just find another party.”
Or they throw their own party at the same time and place and invite the same people.
You’re making me long for the days when you “just stayed silent.” ;)
Todd Farmer
6 Feb 09 at 2:26 pm
Todd, that’s not what we did. We planned another conference. Sun/MySQL invited us to the same place.
Xaprb
6 Feb 09 at 3:17 pm
“same place” “across the street” – I can see that this is an critical distinction.
Todd Farmer
6 Feb 09 at 3:52 pm
Todd, right; I didn’t communicate my point well. My point was that we chose to be “near, but not on top of” so we didn’t get in anyone’s face. We did this because we care about MySQL and the people surrounding it, and we want to make them prosperous. You’re a MySQL Support engineer. I see that there’s little chance I can convince you of our goodwill towards you, all of Support, and MySQL in general. Perhaps you would be interested in hearing it from someone else who commented on our announcement:
http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/2009/02/05/announcing-percona-performance-conference-2009-on-april-22-23/#comment-466397
We think this event will be nothing but good for the conference. We’ll continue to do what we believe is best, and listen to those who believe we’re wrong. Your feedback is very much appreciated and I invite you to keep sending it. My personal email is “encrypted” at the to right of this blog page and you can send me anything you want to keep private.
We had long and serious discussions about whether it was best to be at the same time and nearby, or elsewhere and at a different time. Of course we couldn’t involve the public. But same time, nearby, was a hands-down win for everyone on our pro/con list.
Xaprb
6 Feb 09 at 4:39 pm