1/ Every day, there’s a free breakfast and free lunch provided by the conference. You can probably get better food outside in a Vegas joint, but don’t, go to the conference meal. Then…
2/ Pick a table using an algorithm that tries to maximize Number of People and Just Getting Started. Then pick people at random and say “Hi! Where are in from?” and find out what they’re working on.
3/ You will stand in lines. While standing in line, do not read email. Look at the people in front of you and behind you and say “Hi! Where you in from?…”
4/ You will sit in rooms waiting for sessions to start. Do not read email. Look around you, pick someone and say “Hi! Where are you in from?…”
5/ Yeah, you’re a shy geek introvert. Summon up your courage and do it anyhow. You will definitely learn something. You might recruit someone. You might get a job. You might move across the world. You might get married.
6/6 Because the sessions are pretty good and the workshops are pretty good, and the parties are pretty good, but for my money the #1 upside of going is meeting people who are facing the EXACT SAME problems and opportunities you are. I guarantee they’re there.
