WWDC08 was back in June, but my thoughts return to it now because Apple Developer Connection just released the videos of all of the sessions to the attendees.
In my mind, this means that WWDC is one of the best deals in technical conferences. When you are there, you get access to the Apple developers who are writing the code we’re using, you get a unique opportunity to network with your peers, and the labs they provide give you support and expertise from the same people that Apple depends upon to put their best face forward.
During the week it is an N-ring circus. At any particular time, there are multiple sessions going on in the many conference rooms, and the labs are filled with people. If at any one time you are not forced to make a decision between at least 3 different sessions, then you just aren’t paying attention (or just aren’t as curious as I am).
This is why releasing the video is such a boon. I can now go back and watch the sessions I was disappointed to miss — I was always hearing about a session going on in a different room that was just amazing. And for those sessions that I did attend, I can go back and reinforce what I learned there, and pick out bits that I missed. The only parts the videos do not include are the Q&A sessions, and the quality of those were variable. (Was it just me, or was the same guy going to each Q&A session and asking the same leading questions about Apple’s Java support? It was getting tiring.)
For the cost of a ticket, you don’t just get the conference sessions that you can get to, you get ALL of the sessions. I can think of only a couple of conferences like that (C4 and TED, and I’m not sure they actually release ALL of the video).
I’m happily reliving some of my favorite moments — Bertrand Serlet’s “Mac OSX State of the Union” session where he revealed a bit of the secret sauce that developers will find in Snow Leopard; the iPhone “Tips and Tricks” session, and others. I’m also reevaluating my initial impressions of some sessions — some that I lost interest in are now much more interesting.
In my experience comprehension is enhanced by repetition, especially if between repetitions you try to use the information you have learned. Many things you thought you understood turn out to be more difficult than you assumed, and now that you have more context the presentation makes much more sense.
One thing I know for sure. I’ll be at WWDC09. And I’ll probably be paying out of my own pocket. It’s just that good. And, when you look at it as a whole, it really is one of the best bargains in tech conferences.
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