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Against live-tweeting at conferences

jasonlefkowitz.net

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Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#21

Post by lnanek2 »

I don't know. I often note down key points on my phone anyway, just in my notes. The times I've live tweeted, I just decided to share the note instead. I like being able to look back at the end of the day and see the key points from that session. I think I remember it much better with that memory hook. A full day of conference sessions and meeting people in between can become a blur after.

I don't read tweets while in session, but it might be a good idea to check for DMs or something, to see if a coworker or peer wants me to ask something during the Q&A. All the Google IO sessions may be on YouTube nowadays, but you still have the best chance to get your question answered if you are there live or have a proxy.

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#22

Post by bithive123 »

People who pay lots of money (or their employer's money) to fly to a conference and then sit in the sessions tweeting or surfing the web as though it were a slow day at the office are ultimately just impoverishing their own mind (like the people who don't have the patience to read books or who hate movies that don't do all the thinking for them).

They are only dimly aware of what's going on around them and shut out stimuli which they judge to be "boring" or "irrelevant to me" in favor of their familiar, unchallenging stimuli. It should be embarrassing, but somehow it's socially acceptable to be the equivalent of the guy who shows up to conference without doing the reading because he was playing WoW all night.

I went to RailsConf with a coworker like this and although I like her personally, she spent one of the more interesting sessions reading web comics and remarked "Wow, that was boring" afterwards. Well, yeah, you tuned out in the first 3 minutes.

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#23

Post by personlurking »

nsmartt wrote: post #16

I have mixed feelings about this. I don't think it's necessarily rude since you aren't (necessarily) detracting from the experience of the people around you. It may be rude to the speaker, but it's become common to the point that I'm not even sure about that. Also, I noticed the use of "between you and I." I really hate this. It's incorrect, and I see it everywhere. Can we put a stop to this? I know this is a bit nit…

Might as well also mention this

"...and her message. And you’re hurting the presenter, since the message you’re sending to them."

'Her' then 'them'? I feel like whenever people put "her" when it's not defined, they are actually pausing or backtracking to purposefully place 'her' where they'd normally place 'his'. Much simpler would be 'the' or 'their', in this case.

Relevant http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/lexicon_valley/2012/0...

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#24

Post by bostonpete »

ddt wrote: post #15
derefr wrote: post #5

Well, yes, if you are there for your own sake, live-tweeting the goings-on is taking away from the experience. But if you are there for your followers' sakes--that is, if you are a journalist--then live-tweeting is the whole point of attending: you are serving as a proxy, telling them what's going on so they can experience the session "live", vicariously, through you. Journalists have never really paid much attention…

You seem like you know what you're talking about. Why do you think the average live-blogger uses something like Twitter over a video app like Color? It'd take just as long to sit through a live-blogged session as it would to just watch an audience video of the same event.

I'm guessing trying to just stream video of an event like that would (a) raise all sorts of rights issues and (b) not be adding much editorial value.

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#25

Post by kittxkat »

Aqua_Geek wrote: post #12
hpaavola wrote: post #6

People should concentrate more on experiencing and less on reporting. Live-tweeting during conferences, taking pictures at concerts, checking in to happenings etc. I feel that people do those just to show of how nice their life is, instead of actually living it.

I couldn't agree more. The last concert I went to, I felt like far too many people were viewing the concert through their 3.5" screen than looking at the 90' stage in front of them. I can't help but feel that these people will someday look back and have great pictures of these events but no memory of them.

I can't help but feel that these people will someday look back and have great pictures of these events but no memory of them.

Not necessarily. I am going to a lot of concerts (~3-4 per month), and I take pictures with my phone because of my horrible memory.

If stumble upon the photo a few months later, it triggers most of my memories and experiences, but without this sort of "evidence" I'd be totally lost on the details from that evening.

edit: And, after all, wasn't that kind of the original purpose for a photograph? To capture an awesome moment you want to memorize?

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#26

Post by PaulHoule »

i respectfully disagree

i was at the Times Open announcement years ago which was one of the first events to be live tweeted

the organizers were shocked at the time but they realized that this got them great publicity. my live tweeting, it turned out, made me some connections with people that have helped me greatly in my work since then

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#27

Post by ScottWhigham »

bithive123 wrote: post #22

People who pay lots of money (or their employer's money) to fly to a conference and then sit in the sessions tweeting or surfing the web as though it were a slow day at the office are ultimately just impoverishing their own mind (like the people who don't have the patience to read books or who hate movies that don't do all the thinking for them). They are only dimly aware of what's going on around them and shut out s…

I don't get why people are downvoting this - anyone care to chime in as to what he said that was downvote-worthy?

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#29

Post by Aqua_Geek »

kittxkat wrote: post #25
Aqua_Geek wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I couldn't agree more. The last concert I went to, I felt like far too many people were viewing the concert through their 3.5" screen than looking at the 90' stage in front of them. I can't help but feel that these people will someday look back and have great pictures of these events but no memory of them.

I can't help but feel that these people will someday look back and have great pictures of these events but no memory of them. Not necessarily. I am going to a lot of concerts (~3-4 per month), and I take pictures with my phone because of my horrible memory. If stumble upon the photo a few months later, it triggers most of my memories and experiences, but without this sort of "evidence" I'd be totally lost on the deta…

> And, after all, wasn't that kind of the original purpose for a photograph? To capture an awesome moment you want to memorize?

Good point, but it wasn't until somewhat recently that the camera taking those photographs had a virtually endless supply of film. I think there's a HUGE difference between taking a couple of pictures to remember the event and literally spending the entire evening watching through your phone's screen.

It reminds me of the scene in Ocean's 13 where they demolish the casino right behind Don Cheadle, but he's watching it on TV instead of turning around.

Re: Against live-tweeting at conferences

#30

Post by dfxm12 »

ScottWhigham wrote: post #27
bithive123 wrote: post #22

People who pay lots of money (or their employer's money) to fly to a conference and then sit in the sessions tweeting or surfing the web as though it were a slow day at the office are ultimately just impoverishing their own mind (like the people who don't have the patience to read books or who hate movies that don't do all the thinking for them). They are only dimly aware of what's going on around them and shut out s…

I don't get why people are downvoting this - anyone care to chime in as to what he said that was downvote-worthy?

I assume it is being down voted because it is off topic. ...tweeting or surfing the web as though it were a slow day at the office (what the parent is talking about) is a very different thing from live-tweeting an event (what the article is talking about).
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