3D Basecamp 2010!!!!!

watkins

Here is the blurb on the Basecamp (from here http://sites.google.com/site/3dbasecamp2010/)

3D Basecamp Home
2010 Google 3D Basecamp
September 1 – 3, 2010
Boulder, Colorado USA

Join us at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains for three days of SketchUp learning with the most experienced SketchUp designers in the world! Google 3D Basecamp 2010 features:

* Pre-defined and Unconference sessions covering advanced SketchUp topics
* Demonstrations by extreme modelers!
* “Shop talks” with fellow SketchUp designers!
* Plenty of free food and goodies!
* The 3D Basecamp lab!
* A 10th anniversary of SketchUp party!
* SketchUp-themed contests: Compete against the best for prizes and glory!
* Tours of Google’s Boulder office!
* Outdoor-themed activities, such as a walking tour of Boulder or an early morning hike in the Rockies!

Hope to see you in Boulder,
The SketchUp Team

Still looks like an office party to me. What the heck does 'Pre-defined and Unconference sessions', and '"Shop talks" with fellow SketchUp designers' purport? Probably, 'we'll make it up as we go along'. What's wrong with a little structure? Only in Boulder!!

Hopefully, the boys in the 'office' will soon publish:

a list of attendees
a proper agenda listing the presentations with summaries of what each presentation will cover

I would also like to see:

web-based webinar sessions with invitations (passwords) emailed out to the deserving many that cannot attend, and for whatever reason (here I'm thinking of Didier, TIG, Fredo6, ThomThom, Chris and many more high quality modellers and ruby masters)
streaming for those who want to watch live, but not participate, and
posted video sessions with presentation materials for those who cannot watch (wrong time zone). All the PowerPoint presentations could be posted very quickly, and concomitant with the live presentations.

Is this too much to ask for?

Regards,
Bob

Gaieus

Yes Bob, partly you may be right. The GSU Team (although previously had been planning greater events) now decided to "only" celebrate the 10th anniversary of SU back hope - in the companion of 200-250 other, enthusiastic users.

The "unconference" phrase to me shows that many of the topics is still open and they are even open for users' input and suggestions. This is not necessarily bad IMO. Last time also only the "frames" had been pre-decided and the presenters could decide what exactly they're going to talk about.

As for live webinars (webcasts) and other things Google, with their advanced technology, should be able to do nowadays; yes, I agree. It would be nice to see live (or at least very soon after) what is happening. This was the same last time, too.

Also, if someone handed in his/her presentation in time to Google, they made it publicly available (not before but soon after the presentations). This could be followed now, too, maybe with even some better technology.

dylan

It sounds like a fun 3 days to me.

Learning Sketchup, mixing with fellow users and masters, meeting people, competitions, food, walking, beer* etc, etc. Happy days!

*I added the beer - it must be stated in no way do Google condone the consumption of alcohol

Gaieus

@unknownuser said:

...I added the beer - it must be stated in no way do Google condone the consumption of alcohol

Hm. Last time there was wine and beer.

True that neither was enough so eventually we had to find another place I would not like to talk about now here in public...

solo

Shhhhhhh...

Alan Fraser

Boulder is quite a compact kind of place and is pedestrianized along the Pearl St Mall, where SU Central used to be. Plenty of bars/bistros/cafes to walk to or stagger back from. It's a University town, remember.

dylan

Well if it would have been October instead of Sept, I would definitely have gone, or at least tried to go depending on getting an invite. I really don't have the funds free in September which is a shame, but I look forward to hearing all about it.

ckent

I really want to go!!!!! Come on give this unemployed recent M.Arch Graduate and CU ENDV alumni something to look forward too!!!!!! Come on one invite!

Jean Lemire

Hi folks.

I got an invite but, since I am going to France at the end the week following BaseCamp, it would put a toll on my vacation time and on my bank account too. The company I am working for is not able to assume these costs even if I use SU in my work.

Unless Google finds the funds to pay for travel and lodging, then I could probably assume the 3 days of vacation time, I have to decline the invite.

Too bad since I had a great time at the 2008 BaseCamp.

I hope that some of our regulars will be able to attend and will give us a good report.

Best regards.

Gaieus

Hi Jean,

Too bad... I really enjoyed meeting you last time in 2008.

danbig

Whoa! How did I miss this topic going from two posts to five pages!!?

Let me make my intention clear:

I would love to represent one of many solar and renewable energy designers who are finding SketchUp to be the perfect tool for design and analysis.

If anyone has a nomination for a relative newbie to ruby, but a seasoned geek and thorough enthusiast, it won't be wasted on me.

DavidBoulder

A few breweries nearby if supplies run low at Google. My favorite is Upslope http://upslopebrewing.wordpress.com/. The can their beer, lighter and greener, easier to bring home in your luggage.

My only thoughts on the unconference, is that it would be nice to have some or all of the discussions for this done online in the week or two prior to the basecamp. People who want to give a session would submit a post with a description of the session. The content or subject could evolve and develop base on the user discussions of the post. Then a few days before the conference there would be a vote on what sessions to have. Deciding how to schedule them is a little tricky, but ideally sessions that had a very high number of votes would be set at different times so people could attend them. I also think we don't want 2 or 3 very similar sessions. If people propose similar topics to each other hopefully they can agree to merge it into one session prior to voting.

I see a few advantages for the pre-discussion of the unconference sessions.

We don't use an hour and half of the day discussing what the sessions are
There is a little more time to flush out the topics, and how best to schedule them.
Speakers or moderators have a little more time to prepare, hopefully making sessions more productive.
Attendees can plan their day a little better to see which sessions they want to attend.
Potential speakers know ahead of time if they will talk, so they won't put a lot of preparation time into a talk they end up not giving. I know the idea is that people don't prepare a powerpoint, but should speak out of their knowledge and experience they have, but many people will still want to prepare and that will take time.

I have not attended an unconference before. Does anyone with unconference experience have feedback on how things went?

caronte01

Hey guys,

I would love to go, but as other have expressed here, on such short notice, and with limited $$$, i won´t be able to. Traveling from Colombia, to Boulder, earning colombian pesos... well... I do have the option to nominate some people from the forum who are willing to go. If you do go, please keep us posted!

I don´t hang here often, so, if interested, drop me a note at caronte01 at gmail

Cheers

Santiago

solo

Looks like I will be making it after all, anyone needing a recommendation that is 100% positive about coming please let me know and I will submit your details.

This is kinda like getting a Willie Wonka golden ticket.

Gaieus

I also have a couple if someone's interested...

tolmandesign

I will make travel arrangements today! Looking forward to Basecamp 2010! Anybody from the SF Bay Area going?

Chris Fullmer

@dave r said:

I still have 10 invites left.

Highest bidders?

I had thought about e-baying mine to get rent money

Then decided I really would rather invite friends. Plus, why should I start worrying now about rent money?

Dave R

Good point.

marvins_dad

Hey - I'm more of a lurker than a poster - but really interested in the event. Hopefully I can get an invite.

Wow - this is my first post...guess I am more of a lurker than I though.

Dave R

I still have 10 invites left.

Highest bidders?

PMs helpful.