Giving is better than receiving
Better to give a talk at a hacker event, of course. Or in your hackerspace, or even just to a bunch of other nerds whenever you can. When giving your presentation, don't be afraid to make it too "easy" to understand. Making a difficult subject understandable is often a sign that you really understand it, after all, and it's also a fantastic service to the public. And don't be afraid that your pitch isn't hard core enough, either, because with a diverse enough audience, there's sure to be people out there who are still entirely new to it, and they'll be grateful. /p>
These are the conclusions I reached talking to many people at Chaos Communication Camp the weekend before last, and this is one of the great opportunities when you attend an event like this- this. At Camp, there were several simultaneous scenes, and with so many conferences that new ones are still in progress. This meant that everyone had the opportunity to have their say, and many did.
And that's awesome. Because obviously getting the job done or delving into a particular subject is part of the hacker experience, but it's also just as important to share what you've earned with the rest of the community. The principle of spreading knowledge is a cornerstone of our culture, and getting people to talk about what they have learned is the manifestation of this cultural value. If you know something, say something!
Of course, when you're not at a conference, you can write down your hacks and send them to the advice line (hint, hint!). That will work too.
Better to give a talk at a hacker event, of course. Or in your hackerspace, or even just to a bunch of other nerds whenever you can. When giving your presentation, don't be afraid to make it too "easy" to understand. Making a difficult subject understandable is often a sign that you really understand it, after all, and it's also a fantastic service to the public. And don't be afraid that your pitch isn't hard core enough, either, because with a diverse enough audience, there's sure to be people out there who are still entirely new to it, and they'll be grateful. /p>
These are the conclusions I reached talking to many people at Chaos Communication Camp the weekend before last, and this is one of the great opportunities when you attend an event like this- this. At Camp, there were several simultaneous scenes, and with so many conferences that new ones are still in progress. This meant that everyone had the opportunity to have their say, and many did.
And that's awesome. Because obviously getting the job done or delving into a particular subject is part of the hacker experience, but it's also just as important to share what you've earned with the rest of the community. The principle of spreading knowledge is a cornerstone of our culture, and getting people to talk about what they have learned is the manifestation of this cultural value. If you know something, say something!
Of course, when you're not at a conference, you can write down your hacks and send them to the advice line (hint, hint!). That will work too.
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