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Quick! RubyFringe Registration Just Went Live!

By Peter Cooper / February 18, 2008

rubyfringe.png

The registration process for the Ruby Fringe conference, in Toronto, Canada from July 18 to July 20, has just gone live. The quoted $650 rate (for the first 75 signups only) is in Canadian dollars, but that works out to $650.58 US, so it's all one and the same. Only 150 attendees (plus speakers) will be there in all, so sign up quick. Out of all the people I've been speaking to in the last week, there's been a big interest in Ruby Fringe, so get in now or be disappointed!

If you missed Ruby Inside's previous mention of Ruby Fringe, it's an "avant garde" Ruby conference focusing on the attendees, rather than high profile keynotes or sponsors' interests. There's a single track, no technical sponsors, and pre-and-post social events are organized. Yes, it's essentially a three day Ruby party. Speakers include Evan Phoenix, Obie Fernandez, Geoffrey Grosenbach, and Ezra Zymuntowicz, amongst others, but no topics will be set in stone prior to the event. As organizer Pete Forde of Unspace says, if anyone comes across something cool on Tuesday, they can present it on the Thursday.

Pete also told me that a brewery has been rented and bands and comedians are lined up, amongst other entertainment. There's also going to be a "girl/boyfriend daycare" type event taking place each day (at a nominal cost) for any significant others we take who aren't into the Ruby scene.

Note: I have no financial interest in this conference, though I am a (unpaid) speaker. I'm just excited about this event!

Comments

  1. Luke Francl says:

    The girl/boyfriend daycare is a great idea. I am looking forward to this conference.

  2. Gen Du says:

    Price is a little much. I'm not sure that Sid Vicious approves.

  3. Gerald Bauer says:

    Not to spoil the party. But "Fringe" implies low-cost and openess. With a $650 early-bird ticket price and seating limited to a 150. Isn't RubyElite or RubyPlatinumGoldClub a better fitting brand?

  4. Peter Cooper says:

    Gerald: Maybe! But it would be extremely difficult to pull off a cheap, city-based, mass event where power and wifi are provided, unless you have sponsors with deep pockets or Burning Man levels of support.

    I could probably pull off such an event on the cheap where I live, but then no-one is going to come 200 miles outside of London to camp and code for a weekend, so I guess this event is rebellious in the way that the Gumball Rally is, not in the way a music festival is :)

  5. Not Zed says:

    Zed attend a Ruby conference? No way.

  6. Peter Cooper says:

    I think the point is that the conference was modelled somewhat after what *** wanted out of a conference, so it makes sense for him to be there :)

  7. James says:

    "Gerald: Maybe! But it would be extremely difficult to pull off a cheap, city-based, mass event where power and wifi are provided, unless you have sponsors with deep pockets or Burning Man levels of support."

    That's *exactly* what's happening in a few weeks at MtWest RubyConf. For the 2nd time.

    $700 == forced paying for parties and food you may not want or need. That's nuts.

    Looking at the list of speakers, I don't think the agenda will be any different than any recent RubyConf, regional or otherwise.

    It's laughable to think that merely omitting Rails makes a conference "fringe". (But then it's also laughable to reference the Sex Pistols in 2008 as some sort of rebel factor.)

    The real fringe is at the local Ruby groups and Ruby code-camps. Not at pricey, limited-attendance smoozefests.

    Rubyists: take back your language and conferences. Make your own party.

    Time to monkey patch the Ruby culture.

  8. Peter Cooper says:

    Do you play any role other than antagonist?

  9. James says:

    "Do you play any role other than antagonist?"

    Is that directed towards anyone in particular?

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