BarCampRDU

Blog has moved to Wordpress.com

2009-06-07T22:19:00.003-04:00

Update your links! In case you haven't already noticed, this blog has moved over to Wordpress.com. You can find us at the links below:

Here's the blog:
http://barcamprdu.wordpress.com

And here's the feed:
http://barcamprdu.wordpress.com/feed

BarCampRDU is on for August 8, 2008

2009-04-28T20:28:00.002-04:00

We announced on the mailing list and on Twitter this morning that BarCampRDU 2009 is on for August 8, 2009 at Red Hat headquarters. You can now register for the event at Eventbrite via the link below:

http://barcamprdu2009.eventbrite.com

At the time of this writing 137 of our 200 seats are filled so get a move on and don't forget we need your help. We need sponsors, volunteers and session ideas and session leaders. Stop by the BarCampRDU wiki to see these and other ways you can pitch in.

Big thanks to all for BarCamp RDU 2008!

2008-08-04T22:53:00.001-04:00

To the campers, volunteers and sponsors of BarCamp RDU 2008,

Thanks for making BarCamp RDU 2008 a wonderfully successful event! We brought together around 150 of the best and brightest developers, web technologists, designers, scientists, entrepreneurs, social media experts and open source advocates in the Triangle area and surrounding regions. Anybody who wanted could pitch a session and we ended up with 41 sessions on topics of software development, business, social media, science, education and even cross step waltz. We learned a heck of a lot from each other and had a lot of fun in the process. Below is the session grid that the attendees put together.

You can find a list of the sessions, broken down by category and room size here:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pxWBlx3_nQhOhwUH1jWnfMw

Thanks to our generous host Red Hat, we were able to provide excellent facilities with a variety of rooms, white boards, projectors, a public address system. Thanks to our financial sponsors, we enjoyed a pre-party at Tyler's Tap Room in Durham, NC on the Friday evening before camp. And we enjoyed a breakfast of bagels, fruit and coffee. We had lunch from NeoMonde restaurant and provide plenty of sodas and water throughout the day. Clearwire provided additional wifi for attendees.

We took time to thank our sponsors at the event, on the event page, in our blog post about the event, on the back of the t-shirts and on signs placed prominently around the venue. Below is an example.

Let's thank them one more time! Big thanks to BlueStripe Software, Canonical, Carborro Creative Coworking, Design Hammer, Edge Office, IBM developerWorks, iContact, Lulu.com, Montie Design, OpenNMS.org, Red Hat, rPath and Viget Labs.

In past years, BarCamp RDU was organized by Fred Stutzman. This year it was organized by:

Dave Johnson (coordination and sponsors)
Wayne Sutton (t-shirts and technology)
Andi Johnson (budget and vendors)
Kipp Bodnar (voluneer coordinator)
Matt Frye (Coffee and sound)
Scott Morningstar (Badges)
Fred Stutzman and others monitored our mailing list to make sure we didn't panic

There were a couple of hiccups and things to be improved next year, but overall we think this was the best BarCamp RDU yet and Fred agrees. We're looking forward do doing it again so, it won't be too long before you are hearing from us about the next BarCamp RDU. Thanks again for your support.

Thanks again for your support!

PS. here are some more links about BarCamp RDU 2008

Pictures at Flickr.com:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fstutzman/tags/barcamprdu2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snoopdave/tags/barcamprdu2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waynesutton/tags/barcamprdu2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/photo_td/tags/barcamprdu2008

Blog posts and articles tagged with barcamprdu2008

http://delicious.com/tag/barcamprdu2008

And a lot of folks were Twittering about BarCamp RDU too:

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=barcamprdu

BarCampers: come celebrate BarCamp eve with us!

2008-07-30T22:19:00.002-04:00

If you are one of the 250 lucky folks registered for BarCamp RDU 2008, then you are invited to a party! BarCamp RDU attendees, please join us at Tyler's Tap Room (map) in Durham's American Tobacco Historic District this Friday night to meet, greet and celebrate BarCamp eve with us. We'll be providing beverages (beer, wine, sodas, etc.) and light snacks (chips and salsa). See you there!

BarCamp RDU Pre-party
Friday August 1, 2008 from 7:30 - 9:00PM
Tyler's Tap Room
324 Blackwell St
Durham, NC 27701

And of course, the party would not be possible without the generous support of our most excellent sponsors: BlueStripe Software, Canonical, Carborro Creative Coworking, Design Hammer, Edge Office, IBM developerWorks, iContact, Lulu.com, Montie Design, OpenNMS.org, Red Hat, rPath and Viget Labs.

4 days 'til BarCampRDU

2008-07-28T09:09:00.002-04:00

BarCamp RDU 2008 is one week from today and it's shaping up the be the biggest and I hope the best BarCamp RDU so far.

Here are a couple of notes for attendees:

Check the attendee list! On July 21, we decided we had budget and space to register everybody on the waiting list. If you were on the waiting list you are now registered to attend.

Remove yourself if you can't attend. If you registered but cannot make it, please remove your name from the list. For planning purposes, we need to have as accurate a count as is possible.

Propose sessions in advance. If you are interested in initiating or attending a session on a specific topic, then go right ahead and add your topic to the Proposed Sessions list.

Oh, and if you are interested in helping out with preparations or on the day of the event, then please let us know (dave.johnson at rollerweblogger.org, wayne at wayne-sutton.com or Kipp Bodnar http://twitter.com/kbodnar32 )

And one final note. BarCamp RDU would not be possible without the very generous financial support of our sponsors and our host. So...

Thanks to the BarCamp RDU 2008 sponsors!

BlueStripe Software

Canonical

Carborro Creative
Coworking

Design Hammer

Edge Office

IBM developerWorks

iContact

Lulu.com

Montie Design

OpenNMS.org

Red Hat (BarCamp RDU 2006,
2007 and 2008 host)

rPath

Viget Labs

See you next Saturday at BarCamp RDU 2008!

BarCamp2008, Introducing Wayne Sutton

2008-04-11T16:43:00.003-04:00

As the weather heats up, our thoughts turn to that wonderful summer ritual - BarCampRDU! Following on the success of the 2006 and 2007 BarCamps, this summer's BarCamp stands to be the best yet. After two years at the helm of BarCampRDU, I'm proud to pass along my leadership position to Wayne Sutton. Many of you know Wayne: he was a strategic volunteer in 2006, and was my right-hand aide in 2007. He's agreed to organize BarCampRDU 2008, and I know our summer geekfest is in great hands.

If you'd like to find out more about Wayne, you can check out his webpage, or follow his Twitter. Wayne is also responsible for the incredible community resource SocialCarolina.org, a great repository of meetups and tech events in the Carolinas. Of course, BarCampRDU would never work without the many volunteers and members of the organizing committee that assist in planning and execution, it is truly a group effort. If you're interested in helping out, watch this blog as I know Wayne will be looking for volunteers, organizers and sponsors.

Thanks to everyone who has made BarCampRDU such an awesome event. I'm really looking forward to BarCamp this summer - so watch this space for more info!

BarCampRDU Video

2007-09-20T15:29:00.000-04:00

Matt Frye has made a great retrospective video from BarCampRDU 2007. Thanks to Matt, great job!

BarCampRDU Wrapup

2007-08-06T12:44:00.000-04:00

BarCampRDU 2007 was awesome!

Thank you to the volunteers, organizers, sponsors and donors who made this event possible. A special note of thanks to Red Hat for allowing us to use their facilities again this year.

I was blown away by the quality of the sessions, there were so many interesting topics covered during the day. I was also impressed by the number of new and returning BarCampers - our community has expanded substantially. This year, over 200 people stopped by for all or part of the day, making it the largest BarCampRDU to date. :)

Thanks again for everyone who worked hard to make this event possible! BarCampRDU rocked.

And now a hat tip to BarCampRDU's sponsors and donors

2007-08-01T13:48:00.000-04:00

As BarCampRDU 2007 approaches, I'd like to take a minute to thank the sponsors and donors who have made this event possible. First, a big thanks to RedHat for the generous donation of their facilities. Without RedHat, BarCampRDU 2007 would not be possible.

Next, I'd like to thank our sponsors. Our sponsors make the pre-party, breakfast and lunch, the awesome BarCampRDU T-shirts and banner, snacks and supplies possible. Without them BarCamp wouldn't be as awesome as it is. Our sponsors:

Next, a thanks to the donors who make various parts of BarCampRDU so much better. First, a big thank you to DisruptorMonkey and The Sinclair Institute, who are making espresso catering possible. That's right, these two wonderful companies have banded together to provide free espresso, lattes and a whole lot more all day long. I have a feeling this is going to be a huge hit!

Finally, a thanks to perennial donors Ibiblio and the Pragmatic Programmers. Ibiblio provides mailing lists and technical support, while the Pragmatic Programmers will be donating their wonderful books to be raffled off.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the work of the many organizers, volunteers and designer extraordinarie Kelly Marks, the creator of the shirts and banners. Thank you to all involved. And I look forward to seeing you at BarCampRDU 2007!

T-Minus 4 Days to BarCampRDU

2007-08-01T07:59:00.001-04:00

Here are some quick notes about BarCamp, the pre-party, and what we need.
If you have any questions, check the wiki: http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU

1) The pre-party will be Friday evening at Tylers Taproom in Durham. It
will start at 7:30 and end around 9:30. Come out and enjoy free food and
drinks and mingle with fellow BarCampers!

2) Doors for BarCampRDU will open at 8AM on Saturday - so get here early to
get a T-shirt and a wonderful breakfast. Parking will be in the deck
directly adjacent to RedHat HQ in Centennial Campus. Of course all
directions and logistic information are on the wiki.
http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU

3) We still need a few people to bring projectors, and we still need a few
people to volunteer. And we need lots of people to bring power strips,
extension cords, so we have tons of power to go around. Make sure
everything you bring is *clearly labeled* with your name and email address.

4) Just like last year, we'll have a resume swap at BarCampRDU. We'll set
up a table in the main room for this. Folks on the job market, bring a few
copies of your resume. Employers, feel free to peruse the resumes or bring
your own job announcements.

Finally, a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors:

* Red Hat - Venue Sponsor.
* The Aurora Funds
* Lulu.com
* iContact
* rPath
* 6th Sense Analytics
* Alterthought
* Raleighlist.org
* Council for Entrepreneurial Development
* Carrboro Coworking

Without them, BarCampRDU wouldn't be possible!

Help with BarCampRDU

2007-07-23T07:39:00.000-04:00

Just under two weeks to go till BarCampRDU, and we're very busy with preparations. We need your help with a few things:

1) Wireless routers: We need people to bring wireless routers to BarCampRDU. Without them, we won't have internet. If you can bring your wireless router, please add your name to the wiki (we need about 10 more people to do this).

2) Projectors: We have two people bringing projectors (thank you), but we need a few more (3-4) of you to bring your projectors. If you can bring a projector, please add your name to the wiki.

3) Volunteers: We need 10 people to be BarCampRDU volunteers. Volunteers will help during registration, aid in setup, etc. If you'd like to volunteer, please add your name to the wiki.

4) PA System: If someone has a PA system they can bring, that would be great. Please contact me directly if you can help me out with this.

Finally, announcements. The BarCampRDU pre-party will be held August 3 at Tyler's Taproom in Durham. The party will go from 7:30-9:30, and will feature free food, drinks and pool. Come out to mingle and enjoy.

Thank you to everyone who has signed up, to everyone who has helped out, and most importantly, our sponsors who make the day possible.

Sign up for BarCampRDU 2007

2007-07-05T08:27:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to announce that signups for BarCampRDU 2007 are now open. To sign up, simply go over to the BarCampRDU wiki (http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU) and add your name and information under the Campers section (http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU#Campers).

BarCampRDU 2007 will take place August 4, 2007 at Red Hat Headquarters in Raleigh, NC - just like last year. We're fully sponsored (thanks!) and looking forward to a great event.

At this point, I'd like all people who'd like to help with organization of the event to email me - I *really* need help this year, I'm looking for 6-8 fellow organizers to spread the work around.

As a final note, please note that the Wiki may be locked when you attempt to edit it. We ran into this problem last year - if you come back a little later, it will probably be unlocked. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to seeing you at BarCampRDU 2007.

BarCampRDU 2007 Updates: Date change, Sponsorships, and Call for Organizers

2007-06-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hope you're having a wonderful June so far. Here are a few updates regarding BarCampRDU 2007.

1) Most important, the date of BarCampRDU has been changed to August 4, 2007. Originally the date of BarCampRDU coincided with with the Ruby Hoedown (http://www.rubyhoedown.com/), which looks like an excellent conference for Ruby programmers.

2) A number of sponsors have stepped up to support BarCampRDU. They are:

The Aurora Funds (2nd year)
iContact
rPath (2nd year)
6th Sense Analytics (2nd year)
CED (2nd year)
Carrboro Coworking

Thank you so much to all of our sponsors. We still have $1800 outstanding in our sponsorship budget, so if you or your company would like to sponsor BarCampRDU, please contact me directly.

3) Organizers. If you would like to be on the organizing committee of BarCampRDU, please contact me directly. Organizers will be responsible for pulling BarCampRDU off - last year about 7 of us made BarCampRDU happen. Please contact me directly to be an organizers.

Additionally, I am looking for a main organizer. This person will be responsible for coordinating all of the organizers. Due to some travel, I am unable to take this role this year. Experience with unconference or conference management is a big plus for the organizer role. Again, please contact me directly to schedule an interview.

As you can see, a lot of progress has been made toward BarCampRDU. In July, we will open the signups up, but don't worry you'll have plenty of warning!

BarCampRDU 2007

2007-05-03T16:48:00.000-04:00

I'm pleased to announce BarCampRDU 2007. ~~This one-day unconference will be held August 11, 2007 at the Red Hat headquarters in Raleigh, NC.~~ There is a conflict at RedHat. Working on a new date. The purpose of this message is to act as a "save the date" and solicitation for those interested in sponsoring BarCamp.

About sponsorships:
In just one week, BarCampRDU has fulfilled almost 50% of its sponsorship goals. However, we still have $2600 outstanding that we need pledged. If your company would like to sponsor BarCampRDU, please contact Fred Stutzman at fred@metalab.unc.edu. The minimum sponsorship is $300.

About registration:
Registration for BarCampRDU will be announced far in advance this summer. It will occur on the wiki, just like last year, and it will be first-come-first-served. We'll have a waitlist and we anticipate allowing 150-175 attendees.

Organizers committee:
If you'd like to join the organizing committee of BarCampRDU, please contact Fred Stutzman at fred@metalab.unc.edu. The organizing committee meets periodically and ensures that tasks are completed for BarCamp. Please note, being on the organizing committee is not a nominal position - it requires significant work, so please only volunteer if you can commit to this effort.

I'm very excited to announce this event. With a location and sponsors, we're well on our way to another very successful BarCamp. With the support of the community, organizers, volunteers and sponsors, I'm positive we're going to have a great event.

BarCampRDU in Redhat Magazine

2006-08-17T08:38:00.000-04:00

Redhat's Bascha Harris has just posted an excellent article on BarCampRDU to Redhat Magazine.

160 geeks descended on Red Hat headquarters this July for an educational experience--but they entered the event without a schedule, a list of sessions, or an admission fee. Red Hat provided the space. Organizers and participants came bearing routers and other donated items. This was BarCamp, and they were counting on their companions to bring the expertise that would turn this gathering into a conference. Or unconference, as they say.
Grassroots organization isn't just for politics anymore.

The rest can be read here - check it out!

More great BarCampRDU coverage

2006-07-25T22:55:00.000-04:00

Jon Hill has produced what I consider a most excellent wrap-up of BarCampRDU for WCHL 1360. You can take a listen here (direct mp3 link). This also nicely follows Rick Smith's wrapup coverage of BarCampRDU on the Tech Wire. I've had a great time reading the coverage of the event; interestingly, BarCampRDU was such a blogosphere phenomenon we actually hit TechMeme this morning. Woot!

BarCampRDU Wrap-Up

2006-07-24T15:21:00.000-04:00

(Cross posted from Fred's blog)

This weekend, over 150 geeks of all flavor gathered at Red Hat HQ on NC State's Centennial Campus to have a BarCamp. I'm still recovering, but I think it is safe to say the event was a success, and a great model for future BarCamps in the area. It was just a fantastic, positive experience to bring all sorts of different folks together, from all walks, and to spend the day sharing, collaborating and learning. With help from Paul Jones, here's a roundup of the BarCampRDU coverage.

Media:

News and Observer: Techies Flock to Red Hat
WRAL Local Tech Wire: BarCamp, The "Unconference" For Lovers Of Technology, Comes To Triangle
WRAL Tech Talk: Triangle Techies Heading for a BarCamp
ZDNet: Live from BarCampRDU
Fiona Morgan, award-winning reporter from the Independent was also present.

Blogs

Paul Jones: BarCampRDU is great success
Robbie Allen: BarCampRDU was a success!
Michael Habib: Notes from BarCampRDU..
Adam Constabaris: BarCampRDU Wrapup
Many more at del.icio.us and Technorati

Pics

Flickr photos tagged with 'barcamprdu'

Of course, BarCampRDU wouldn't have happened without its host, sponsors, committee, volunteers and donors. Here's a list of those who helped so generously.

Venue

Red Hat, and Greg DeKoenigsberg

3 days out!

2006-07-19T16:25:00.000-04:00

BarCampRDU is only three days away - here's a couple updates on things.

1) I've been gardening the wiki to prepare it for BarCampRDU. Check it out at http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU.

2) We still need people to bring Wireless routers. If you can bring yours, add your name to the list here: http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU#ImportantInformation

3) We've got plenty of space left for the party Friday night at Tylers. So come out, mingle, get your badge, and enjoy free food and drinks. Come hungry and thirsty! The event is from 7 to 9PM at Tyler's in Durham (American Tobacco Campus, near the Durham Bulls stadium).

4) The doors for BarCampRDU will open at the ridiculously early time of 8AM. You can come early and avoid lines and make sure we're got your t-shirt size in stock. We'll have breakfast and coffee ready for you, as well.

5) The lunch for BarCampRDU will be from Neomonde Deli. Neomonde is excellent Mediterranean food, so there will be plenty of vegetarian options.

6) Resume Swap is still on. If you're in the market for a job, bring a couple paper copies of your resume. I know a few companies will be looking to talk with candidates at BarCampRDU!

Finally, we've cleared the waiting lists and opened BarCampRDU up to everyone who wanted to attend. We're so happy that you all could make it. Weather looks hot for Saturday but now *as hot* as its been lately. Sunday's high is 81, holy cow!

BarCampRDU Info

2006-07-18T03:24:00.000-04:00

Only a few more days till BarCamp! Here's some stuff you need to know.

BarCampRDU doors will open at 8AM on Saturday. Get here early to avoid the rush.
We need people to bring WAPs. Can you bring yours? If so, configure i to broadcast "BarCampRDU" as the SSID. You'll just plug it in the wall on the day of. Label your WAP.
We need people to bring power strips AND extension cords. Bring one and share alike. Label your cords and power strips.
BarCamp confirmed attendance is at almost 120, and we've got a few spots left for the pre-event. If you haven't confirmed, do it now as you'll lose your spot on Thursday!
BarCamp will end around 6, rather than 5:30. This is so we can accomodate 4 afternoon time slots.

Tackle Design Donates Coffee Equipment

2006-07-18T02:43:00.000-04:00

I wanted to take a second and send a big thanks to Chuck Messer and the team from Tackle Design for providing the BarCampRDU coffee equipment. Chuck actually deserves dual kudos, because he secured our worth-its-weight-in-gold beans donation by Larry's Beans!

A BarCamp without coffee is a particularly frightening thought. Besides the general chaos and revolt that would take place, we wouldn't get anything done. Chuck and his team have kindly solved this problem for us!

T-Shirts are here!

2006-07-14T15:28:00.000-04:00

Closing in on a week!

2006-07-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

In a little over a week we'll be meeting at BarCampRDU! I'm quite excited and I hope you are too. Over the course of the next week you'll get a few more informational emails that will prove useful if you're attending BarCampRDU.

Today, the barcamp.org site went down for most of the day, so we'll extend the signup deadline by a day. As right now, we're at 88 confirmed attendees. We expected some attrition, but - if you know someone who has signed up that hasn't confirmed, please ping him or her.

Some other things to plan for - we'll need people to bring the following things to BarCampRDU:

Power strips - If you're coming to BarCampRDU, bring a power strip! We're going to need lots of power at the event.
Wireless Access Points - Yes, BarCampRDU needs connectivity. Bring your WAP from home, and you can just plug it into the wall at RedHat. We're really going to need people to bring these - a conference like BarCamp uses tons of bandwidth, so the more WAP's, the better. I'll send more info on this as we get close to the event.
Projectors - We will need a few people to bring projectors. We can wrangle a few up from RedHat, but we need a few people to volunteer.

Today, we picked up the BarCampRDU T-shirts and they are awesome!!!! Thanks to Kelly Marks for donating her time and patience!

Important: Two-Week Confirmation, Pre-Event Signup

2006-07-05T11:41:00.000-04:00

Hello BarCampers!

In just a few days, it will be two weeks until BarCampRDU! Very exciting.

We've got a very long waiting list for BarCamp, and I'd like to accommodate as many of these folks as possible. To do this, I've got to have a good count on how many people are coming to BarCamp.

The task is simple - if you are a registered BarCamper, I will need you to add your name to a list of "confirmed attendees". This has been a requirement since we started taking names on the wiki, so no groaning.

There are a few rules:

If you are in the list of 150, you need to add your name to the confirmed list. Please don't remove your name from the list of 150 on the front page, you just need to add it to the confirmed list. If you are not in the 150, you may not add your name to the confirmed list.
You have until 5PM on Tuesday, July 18th to do this. If your name isn't on the confirmed list at this time, you will lose your spot and someone from the waiting list will get it.
When you add your name to the confirmed list, we will use your spelling and formatting on the badges. You may also include your company affiliation if you would like this printed on the badges.
Work together. If your friend is signed up for BarCamp and hasn't put their name on the list, send them an email and remind them. We don't want people to lose their spots just because they didn't read this post.

And finally, to make the deal a little sweeter, this officially marks the beginning of signup for the BarCampRDU pre-event. The pre-event will be held at Tyler's Taproom in Durham on Friday, July 21 from 7-9PM. It will feature free food and drinks for all attendees. The pre-event is only for confirmed BarCampRDU attendees, and the event is capped to the first 75 attendees.

Here are the all-important links:
Confirmed Attendees List: http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDUConfirmedAttendees
Pre-Event Signup: http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDUPreEventSignup

So, BarCampers - we're in the final stretch. Just add your name to the confirmed attendee list, and you're all good. I've tried to keep this as simple as possible, so I hope you'll understand. Let me know if you have any questions!

BarCampRDU Chicklet

2006-06-27T13:43:00.000-04:00

If you're coming to BarCampRDU (or are just a supporter), and you'd like to show it on your Blog or Website, we've got a chicklet for you! Thanks to Kurt Schlatzer of 6th Sense Analytics for the contribution.

Here's the ckicklet:

You can either upload a copy of this image to your blog (probably recommended), or link through with this code snippet (I had to break the URL into two lines to make it fit on the page, so make sure you fix that when you place on your website).
<a href="http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU"> <img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/ 3711/177/1600/barcampRDU-chicklet.gif" border="0"></a>
If you create a chicklet, just sent it to me at fred @ metalab.unc.edu and I'll add it to this page!

Donations Make the World Go Round

2006-06-26T11:35:00.000-04:00

Even though we're all sponsored up at BarCampRDU, that doesn't mean we can't have some great companies come in and help make BarCamp a better event. One of the things I've been pacing back and forth trying to figure out is the BarCamp coffee situation. Listen, I know you've been to those conferences where the coffee is out of the Folger's canister, all watery - and c'mon, nobody likes that.

This morning, Larry's beans of Raleigh stepped up and volunteered to donate all the beans we need for BarCampRDU! Larry's is a great roaster that is absolutely dedicated to Fair Trade - jiving very well with the BarCamp mentality. Larry's has got lots of great beans to choose from, and you can find their coffee all over the states. We're really excited to be drinking their Java at BarCamp (hey, and if they want to lead a BarCamp session on roasting beans, I'm sure that more than just a few geeks would turn out for it). Oh yeah, check out the Veggie Bus while you are at it.

Next, I'm really happy to announce that two publishers that really need no introduction, Manning Publications and The Pragmatic Programmers, will be donating a bunch of books to be given away at BarCampRDU. Talk about two top-notch publishers. I'm not sure if we'll just give the books away or make them door prizes of sorts, we'll have to figure that out. As I envision people will be stampeding to get free books by these excellent publishers, maybe I'll figure out some trivia or something.

Thanks to these three excellent companies for their wonderful donations to BarCamp.

Lulu.com to Sponsor BarCampRDU

2006-06-23T01:40:00.000-04:00

Lulu, the pioneering RTP-based on-demand self-publisher has generously stepped forward to sponsor BarCampRDU. This is an exciting moment because it means we've actually hit all of our sponsorship goals! Thank you to Lulu for helping to make BarCampRDU a great experience. Our thanks to Lulu goes above and beyond its sponsorship - as many Lulu employees have stepped up to help organize and volunteer at BarCampRDU.

According to their website, Lulu is "the web's premier independent publishing marketplace for digital do-it-yourselfers. It's the only place on the web where you can publish, sell and buy any and all things digital - books, music, comics, photographs, movies and well, you get the idea. We simply provide the tools that leave control of content in the hands of the people who created the content."

As a graduate student in UNC's SILS program, we often call Lulu "SILS East" because they keep hring our best grads. That, combined with the absolute top-notch products they create (you should see the quality of the graphic novels they create - stunning), makes Lulu one of my favorite local companies - and the type of innovator we think fits perfectly at BarCampRDU. Lulu's sponsorship completes fundraising for BarCampRDU - which means the pre-BarCampRDU social event on the night of July 21 is a go (more details about that shortly). Thanks to Lulu, and to all of our sponsors - BarCampRDU wouldn't be as awesome without you.

Blogads Joins as BarCampRDU Sponsor

2006-06-15T00:29:00.000-04:00

Blogads, the charming Carrboro-based blog advertising powerhouse, has signed on as a BarCampRDU sponsor! I'm a big fan of Blogads, so I'm really excited to see them on board. Blogads, led by Henry Copeland, will help fund our pre-BarCamp activities - it is looking like we're going to have a pretty fun event (location to be disclosed soon) on the Friday evening before BarCamp.

Here's a little bit about Blogads from their website: "Bloggers are the ultimate intellectual entrepreneurs and blogs are where opinions get made these days. Blogs are among the few intimate, authentic spaces left on the Internet and, as such, are a uniquely powerful place for advertisers to break through the Internet's gazillion page impression clutter. We think that by banding together, bloggers can articulate, define and get properly compensated for the unique value they deliver to advertisers."

I love their great blogads, and the blogads manifesto is a worthy read (any manifesto that cites Duncan Watts and indirectly cites Jon Kleinberg is right up my alley). I'd like to thanks Blogads - and use this as an invitation to invite other sponsors to come and support the pre-BarCampRDU festivities. We're looking forward to a weekend built around sharing and collaboration - what better way to kick that off than with a social hour?

Council for Entrepreneurial Development sponsors BarCampRDU

2006-06-13T14:55:00.000-04:00

More great news from BarCampRDU! The Council for Entrepreneurial Development, a leading RTP-based foundation of entrepreneurship will help sponsor some of our pre- and post- BarCamp social events. As you probably saw yesterday, we fulfilled our actual BarCampRDU sponsorship goals - so now we are branching out and including some social events to extend the conversation.

I know that a lot of us already know CED - but here's a little bit about them from their site: "The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED) is a private, non-profit organization formed in 1984 to identify, enable and promote high growth, high impact entrepreneurial companies and to accelerate the entrepreneurial culture of the Research Triangle and North Carolina. With more than 4,000 active members representing over 1,100 companies, CED is the largest entrepreneurial support organization in the nation." The CED blog is here.

I know a lot of folks coming out to BarCampRDU are entrepreneurs - Web 2.0 has inspired many of us to start forming world-changing ventures. Hopefully I can convince some of the CED folks to plan a session or two - I know many of us could benefit from their guidance.

Now, a note about pre- and post-BarCampRDU sessions. These sessions will be an excellent opportunity for companies who didn't get a chance to fund BarCampRDU to join as a sponsor. You'll be listed as an official sponsor, your logos will be on the T-shirts and signage, and you'll get all the good karma from bringing BarCampers together over great food and drinks. If you're interested, drop me a line at fred @ metalab.unc.edu, and I'll explain everything.

The Aurora Funds to Sponsor BarCampRDU

2006-06-12T17:11:00.000-04:00

The Aurora Funds has generously agreed to sponsor Breakfast, Snacks, Refreshments and Materials at BarCampRDU. I'm incredibly pleased that Aurora, the RTP-based venture fund behind well-known companies such as Accipiter, Blackboard and InPhonic (among many others), and the host of the RTP 2.0 Working Group, will be represented at BarCampRDU. The spirit of entrepreneurship is very much alive in the Triangle - Aurora's sponsorship reaffirms this.

A little about Aurora from their website: "The Aurora Funds is a venture capital firm that provides capital, connections and strategic guidance to entrepreneurs with early-stage healthcare and information technology companies. Founded in 1994, Aurora manages over $200 million in five venture funds. The firm's six investment professionals have over 100 years of combined venture capital investing and operational experience. The Aurora team has managed investments in over 60 companies, resulting in five IPOs and eight M&A transactions to date."

The BarCampRDU organizing committee will meet soon and we'll discuss what we'll be doing for breakfast, snacks and materials - you can watch our progress on the wiki. Thank you to Aurora for their generous sponsorship. Their sponsorship keep us fed, refreshed and ready to create and collaborate.

rPath to Sponsor BarCampRDU

2006-06-12T16:47:00.000-04:00

Great news! rPath, of Raleigh, has stepped up and sponsored our delicious BarCampRDU lunch session. I'm really excited that rPath is coming out; rPath is the brainchild of Erik Troan and Billy Marshall - you know these folks are doing really interesting things. Now, the organizing committee hasn't yet even begun to discuss who is going to cater our delicious lunch - but you can certainly start debating it on the BarCampRDU Wiki.

I'm really excited that rPath has sponsored BarCampRDU. As a long-time linux guy, I'm pretty blown away by their product - here is their description: "rPath provides rBuilder and rPath Linux, the first platform for creating and maintaining software appliances. Software appliances bring the simplicity and value of Software as a Service (SaaS) to on-premise application deployments. Using rBuilder, application providers can migrate to a high-value, software subscription model while reducing their development and QA costs."

rPath will be well-represented at BarCampRDU, so we'll get a good chance to see rBuilder and talk to the brains behind it. I can't tell you how pleased I am that we've got such cool, generous sponsors. Their generosity will help make BarCampRDU the special event it is going to be, and we owe them sincere thanks.

Call for Organizers and Volunteers

2006-06-09T19:12:00.000-04:00

I'm amazed to report that BarCampRDU just added its 150th camper - which means we're full. Incredible - considering we only started this process on May 25th. Thanks to everyone who spread the word about BarCampRDU.

At this time, I'd like to formally issue the call for Organizers and Volunteers. Basically, I'm setting up two different levels of commitment, depending on how much time you have.

Organizers will be responsible for the actual logistics of BarCamp. Organizers will work with me setting up catering, getting refreshments, making nametags, herding our lovely sponsors, spec'ing out the site and thinking about and planning for every possible contingency. It won't be a huge time commitment, but it will take effort. You'll be expected to come to a few meetings, you'll brainstorm tasks, and you'll be expected to carry them out. If you think this is up your alley - let me know. *Please only volunteer to be an organizer if you have time.* I'll need 5 folks to step up to this role.

Volunteers will be our day-of folks. They will man the tables, help set up and tear down, help with the catering, help with computer trouble, guide lost BarCampers, moderate the product demo sessions, and generally be the people that make BarCamp run smoothly and effortlessly. This is less of a time commitment, but these positions are absolutely key. And don't worry - being a volunteer won't completely eat up your day - you'll definitely be able to enjoy a big part of BarCamp. I'll need 10 folks to be the BarCamp volunteers.

If you're interested in stepping up and being a BarCampRDU organizer or volunteer, just drop me a line at fred at metalab.unc.edu

BarCampRDU Almost Full!

2006-06-09T10:27:00.000-04:00

As I write this, we've got ten slots left at BarCampRDU. The power of the blogosphere never ceases to amaze - just a few days ago we had ten attendees.

As a result, I've added a waiting list to BarCampRDU. Once we hit 150 signups, folks who want to attend BarCampRDU should start adding their names to the waiting list. It is a simple fact that not everyone who has claimed the first 150 spots will be able to come - family, the beach, travel, or just the desire to sleep in on a Saturday will claim some attendees. So don't worry - just add your name to the waiting list and we'll sort it out. The one thing I request is you respect the order of the waitlist queue - I want to be fair to folks.

I should also note that our sponsors need not worry about being shut out of the event. We'll be reserving spaces for our sponsors to show our appreciation for their amazing generosity.

6th Sense Analytics to Sponsor BarCampRDU

2006-06-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

I'm very pleased to report that 6th Sense Analytics has signed on as the first official sponsor of BarCampRDU! 6th Sense, Located in the Research Triangle Park, has generously offered to sponsor our awesome BarCampRDU t-shirts. The BarCampRDU shirts, free for all attendees, which will feature a logo designed by Chris Messina, one of the creators of BarCamp.

Here's a little about 6th Sense: 6th Sense Analytics is the first and only on-demand solution to enable software development professionals to quantify their activities in real time. While every other aspect of business has the ability to quantify its activities, until now software development (and other engineering development areas) are devoid of any metrics to drive decision-making. 6th Sense’s unique solution integrates with leading development tools to observe and measure the activities being conducted and resulting artifacts.

A cool company with a cool product, I'm incredibly grateful to 6th Sense for stepping up with this generous sponsorship. If you'd like to find out more about 6th Sense, cruise over to their website. On behalf of all BarCampers, I'd like to personally thank 6th Sense for helping to make BarCamp awesome.

You're Invited to BarCampRDU

2006-06-05T15:30:00.000-04:00

This is the copy of an email I'll be sending out to a few lists, and to some top folks who I'd like to see attend BarCampRDU. Got someone you'd like to invite? Well do it! Just steal this copy and send it to 'em. No worries.

Dear Brilliant Geek/Author/Businessperson/Coder/Hacker/Artist/Musician/Guru,

You're invited to BarCampRDU!

A BarCamp (http://BarCamp.org) is an free, open-source unconference, where folks gather to learn, teach and geek out. What's an unconference? Unconferences are like a regular conference, except that anyone can lead a session. As a result, a wide range of interests and skill levels are represented - making for an fun and unconventional teaching and learning experience.

BarCampRDU will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2006 at the Raleigh, NC headquarters of Red Hat, located on the NC State Centennial Campus. BarCampRDU is free to attend, but we're limited to the first 150 folks who sign up. To sign up to attend, add your name to the BarCampRDU wiki, located at http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU. The conference is already almost 1/3 full of a lot of names you'll recognize!

As BarCamp is a free event, we'll need sponsors to cover the costs of feeding, hydrating and caffeinating the campers. If you or your company would like to sponsor BarCamp, contact Fred Stutzman at fred@metalab.unc.edu or leave your contact info on the wiki. Sponsors are absolutely crucial for making this event a success, so please consider sponsorship.

Thanks for thinking about attending BarCampRDU. It is going to be a great event, and we look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks,
Brilliant Geek/Author/Businessperson/Coder/Hacker/Artist/Musician/Guru

BarCampers, Claim your Sessions

2006-06-03T14:00:00.000-04:00

Now that we've got a date and a location, Bar Campers can start claiming sessions. Here's a direct link to the claimed session page on the wiki. I've claimed the first session as an example.

Now, you don't need to claim a session to present at BarCamp, but if you do, it will help you get the word out, and it will help you find collaborators if you want to co-lead a session. BarCamps are very fluid, so please welcome people who want to work with you on a topic.

Now, quickly, a note about topics. Present about whatever you know and love. You want to lead a session about advanced refactoring techniques? Fine. A session about blogging for beginners? Fine. A session about robotics, or electronic music, or volunteering? Fine. A healthy spread of topics covering a variety of skill levels makes for the best unconferences. You may have 1 or 100 people in your session, but as long as you're teaching, learning and enjoying yourself - you've doing absolutely the right thing.

In other news, we've already got 40 BarCampers signed up! That's fantastic - make sure you tell your friends to sign up early, because we're going to be space and resource-limited to about 150 folks. Robin Dunbar would be proud.

BarCampRDU Public Service Announcement

2006-06-02T14:35:00.000-04:00

In an effort to promote BarCamp, I've sent around the following public service announcement to WXYC (Chapel Hill, 89.3 FM) and WXDU (Durham, 88.7FM).

Bar Camp RDU will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2006 in Raleigh. A Bar Camp is a free, open meeting of people interested in teaching and learning about new technologies. Bar Camp is limited to 150 participants, so to find out more and to register, please visit the Bar Camp RDU website at http://barcamp.org/BarCampRDU, or simply Google "Bar Camp RDU".

The spacing is there on purpose - this is for radio DJ's to read on the air. If there are any radio stations I've missed, feel free to send this PSA over to them.

We Have a Date and Venue!

2006-06-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

I'm very pleased to report that we've secured a venue for BarCampRDU. The kind folks at Red Hat have offered us space at their Centennial Campus offices on Saturday, July 22, 2006. BarCampRDU will run from 8:30AM (registration and breakfast) to 5:30PM. Now that we've got a date, please go and add yourself as an attendee to the wiki!

Here's some other valuable information:

To stay up-to-date with BarCampRDU planning (low-to-medium volume), add yourself to our ibiblio-hosted mailing list.
To keep up-to-date with BarCampRDU announcements (low-volume), add this blog's feed to your newsreader.

Now that we've secured a date and a venue - we need sponsors. Sponsors will help cover the costs of feeding, caffeinating and t-shirting BarCampers. Sponsorship is absolutely crucial for BarCampRDU - so please consider. Think of all the geeks you'll be making happy.

Wanted: BarCampRDU Chicklet

2006-05-29T12:22:00.000-04:00

I'm wondering if someone would be kind enough to create a BarCampRDU chicklet, something we can all put on blogs, websites and the like? Thank you!

What's a BarCamp? Read this First!

2006-05-28T18:43:00.000-04:00

A BarCamp is an unconference where people interested in a wide range of technologies come together to teach and learn. Unfamiliar with unconference? Here's the idea in a nutshell. Rather than having scheduled speakers, everyone pitches sessions the morning of the BarCamp. Those sessions are put on a schedule, and lots of little groups form for intense group learning. Yeah, its different from a regular conference - but it works!

The idea of an unconference came together when people realized the best times they were having at conferences were the times between sessions - where people with like interests could meet ad hoc. The goal of BarCamp is to facilitate this type of interaction for an entire day. We supply the food, the space, the wireless, the projectors - you show up to teach and learn.

To make BarCamp successful, we need campers, space, and sponsors. We're working on the latter two - we just need you to sign up and come!

Week 1 Update

2006-05-27T13:38:00.000-04:00

BarCampRDU planning is now a few days old, here's an update:

We're still looking for a venue. A number of folks have feelers out to spaces around the triangle, so we'll hope to start shoring something up next week.
We're still looking for sponsors. I've contacted a few local companies, but if you know of any companies that might like to sponsor BarCamp, feel free to send them my way. The sooner we can shore up sponsors, the better.
The wiki has been updated with a newsfeed, which is fed from BarCampRDU.blogspot.com.
17 potential campers have signed up on the wiki. There's been some blogging coverage, and I've contacted the Independent. Once we get a date, we can really start pushing blogger coverage of the event. That's how we're going to get the word out.

In other news:

I'm looking at the Druham Bulls schedule to see if I can coordinate with a game before/after the event.

Thanks for all your help. There's lots of work to be done, but things are moving along nicely.

BarCampRDU

2006-05-26T15:32:00.000-04:00

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