The Success of Gnomedex Sponsorship

06.27.2005 @ 06:45 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

We’ve always had sponsors at our conferences - they’re quite welcome beyond necessity. However, we’ve never incorporated sponsorship like other conference coordinators have done. Microsoft could have demonstrated a month-old product this year, but instead opted to debut news that caused the content community to shoot milk out of their noses (in a good way). Yahoo had a wonderful set of furniture in their designated area at the conference, but we were pointing people to Flickr from day one. Audible started talking about their entry into the podcasting world at the conference, Google had a Blogger corner at their party, Ignition Partners’ crafted an awesome mFoundry app for cell phones, PubSub tweaked their tracking feeds for Gnomedexers, etc. The conference was made complete with truly integrated involvement.

We strive to go beyond mere banner placement - and we don’t sell content. This philosophy stretches beyond the conference, as witnessed in just about every episode of our Show. Everybody walks away a winner; sponsors get exposure, attendees get information, and Lockergnome is able to produce a fantastic experience for everyone involved. It is my hope that we made all of our 2005 sponsors proud to be associated with the conference.

The Gnomedex 6.0 Folder

06.27.2005 @ 06:39 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Gnomedex Lyrics in Need of Music

06.23.2005 @ 10:20 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

Here are the official Gnomedex 5.0 song lyrics - they just need a tune. So, have at it - all you music-makers! Be sure to come back and tell us about your creations.

Gnomedex: Ponzi casts a hex,
Gnomedex: balance and checks,
Gnomedex: hundreds of techs,
Gnomedex: total blog-o-plex,
Gnomedex: PowerPoint decks,
Gnomedex: many rubbernecks,
Gnomedex: special effects,
Gnomedex: y equals x,
Gnomedex: truly respects,
Gnomedex: spirit reflects,
Gnomedex: geeky execs,
Gnomedex: nerdannosaurus rex,
Gnomedex: nothing perplex,
Gnomedex: fun intersects,
Gnomedex: no one expects,
Gnomedex.

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.

Remix My Chest @ Gnomedex

06.21.2005 @ 05:04 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Don’t ask me why, but the Bryght crew are holding a contest on the Giveaways page - just scroll down until you see a half-naked photo of me. Best remix wins a pretty nice prize. I think they’re suggesting that you should post your remixes to your own site / blog and then email them the links to it. I suppose by doing that, however, that you’ll be exposing my chest further to the universe at large. I truly didn’t come up with this “Bryght” idea.

Mobile Fun for Some!

06.21.2005 @ 04:56 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

One of our sponsors, Ignition Partners, is bringing mFoundry to Gnomedex. This is going to benefit everybody, especially those who are carrying these phones. Essentially, they’ve developed a Gnomedex-specific app that sits on your mobile phone and feeds you the conference schedule as well as all the registered blogs (via RSS)! It’s an amazing application on their platform, and we’re happy to provide this extra service to those of you who can use it. Unfortunately, Windows Mobile device users - like myself - will be left to their own devices. No pun intended.

Gnomedexer RSS Feeds

06.20.2005 @ 02:01 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

Danny has been working on a few scripts lately. He noticed that we had a large OPML file of Gnomedexers, but it was largely incomplete. I’m not sure how he did what he did, but we now have a truncated list of attendees with their RSS feed locations included. This is NOT the same as our master list, originating here and outlined here.

Helping Dave Winer with OPML

06.20.2005 @ 01:29 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

Are you ready for OPML? You should be. Gnomedex Keynote Dave Winer has been working on an OPML Editor and he needs your help: “It’s so exciting that we’re all going to be getting together later this week in Seattle, and I wanted to take this opportunity to invite any of you who are coming to be part of our test group. To me, it’s an incredible opportunity to have face-to-face discussions with people who have used the software and have ideas they want to share.” So, if you’re a Gnomedexer - sign up to test Dave’s OPML Editor!

Gnomedex Podcasting Policies

06.20.2005 @ 01:18 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

For all you podcasting Gnomedexers, I hope your mics are warmed up - because you’re pretty much free to record and share whatever you wish to record and share. Interview anybody who isn’t nailed down! We’ll be streaming live audio on Friday & Saturday, then uploading the highest quality [audio and video] cuts not long after Gnomedex has wrapped up. I ask that if you post any mainstage presentation at length, please respect what our top sponsors have done for us (by mentioning that Gnomedex was a production of Microsoft, Lockergnome, and Yahoo!). You’re also welcome to take as many photos as you’d like and put them wherever you want - and the same holds true for regular ol’ blogging. Just give credit where credit is due, and we’ll all get along fine. Remember to use the word/tag “Gnomedex” wherever possible so that others might discover what you’ve done!

Podcasting ROBOT @ Gnomedex?

06.19.2005 @ 10:12 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

An exclusive from uber-Gnomedexer Tod Maffin: “A podcasting robot will be launched at Gnomedex. I don’t mean “bot,” I mean a real mechanical, moving, PODCASTING ROBOT.” There’s a blurry sketch available within his entry. If this is really happening, it’s news to me. I wouldn’t be surprised, though; we continue to attract the world’s leading technolgists. Perhaps we need to do a Droid-dex next time?

The Gnomedex Wiki

06.17.2005 @ 05:00 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

For the first time in history, this conference has a wiki. We’re using JotSpot largely because a couple of the JotSpot gang will be with us in Seattle next week! As of this moment, I’ve set up a very basic structure that can be changed at will by any participant. Edit, add, move, etc. - make it as complete as you want it to be. Note: just like most wikis, this is a community effort. I’m not going to have much time to do anything within the wiki until well after the conference is over, so have at it, friends!

Gnomedex Participant: David Sifry

06.14.2005 @ 09:44 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

David Sifry - Before founding Technorati, Dave was cofounder and CTO of Sputnik, a Wi-Fi gateway company, and previously, he was cofounder of Linuxcare, where he served as CTO and VP of Engineering. Dave also served as a founding member of the board of Linux International and on the technical advisory board of the National Cybercrime Training Partnership for law enforcement. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University. With David, we might see:

• What is happening on the Web right now
• How tagging plays an important role in how we use the Web
• What tomorrow’s search engine will do for its users

Gnomedex Participant: Scott Gatz

06.14.2005 @ 09:44 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Scott Gatz - Responsible for Yahoo!’s content syndication / RSS initiatives, Scott leads the team that redesigned My Yahoo! around RSS and integrated RSS into Yahoo! Mobile, Yahoo! News and the My Yahoo! Ticker. Gatz’s early career was diverse, ranging from television production at the Lifetime channel and NBC to product development and management for major information providers. In the early 1990’s, he spent two years managing a team at Reuters. Scott may be able to show us:

• How small changes can help big companies
• Where today’s emerging technologies might converge
• Why user friendliness is just as important as developer friendliness

Gnomedex Participant: Bob Wyman

06.14.2005 @ 09:44 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Bob Wyman - As CTO and co-founder of PubSub, Bob has been developing innovative, industry leading products for almost 25 years. In the early ’80s at DEC (Digital Equipment Corporation), Bob was the first product manager for the industry’s first customizable and integrated office automation suite. Bob moved to Microsoft in 1991, becoming Senior Product Manager for Applications Programmability in the Visual Basic group and was responsible for the driving the first versions of what was then called “Macro Manager” but has since grown into OLE Automation, ActiveX, etc.

• How news aggregator has only just begun
• Where RSS belongs, and where it does not
• Why tracking your brand is essential for success

Gnomedex Participant: Jason McCabe Calacanis

06.14.2005 @ 09:44 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Jason McCabe Calacanis - Jason is the co-founder and CEO of Weblogs, Inc., the world’s largest blog publisher. The Webogs, Inc. Network (WIN) publishes 80 niche including Engadget, Autoblog, TVSquad, HackADay, Joystiq, and Mark Cuban’s BlogMaverick. Calacanis was formerly the founder and CEO of Silicon Alley Reporter magazine, which was rebranded VentureReporter.net after the dotcom bubble burst. VentureReporter.net was sold to Dow Jones in 2004. Calacanis lives in Santa Monica and enjoys long walks on the beach with his fiance and English bulldog Toro (named after the sushi, not the lawn mower). From Jason, we might learn:

• “Common Sense of Blogging” when dealing with fair use
• How to protect yourself from getting your content ripped off
• What practices might turn a blog into a business

Gnomedex Participant: Scott Rafer

06.14.2005 @ 09:44 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Scott Rafer - Scott is the President and CEO of Feedster. Before Feedster, Rafer co-founded WiFinder, the Wi-Fi hotspot directory; BookBroadband, the broadband hotel finder; Fresher Information, RSS indexing way too early; and FotoNation, a creator of connected photography solutions. Previously, Rafer led the Internet products group at Kodak Hollywood and worked in investment banking at Needham & Company. For school, Rafer graduated from the Management of Technology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Scott might be able to explain:

• How RSS is changing old media
• Why this new dot-com boom is not like the first one
• What it takes to hook Joe & Judy Consumer on syndication

Gnomedex Keystone: Dean Hachamovitch!

06.13.2005 @ 11:38 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

Dean Hachamovitch - Who turned Clippy off in Office? The same guy who helped invent autocorrect and red squiggles (among other things) while spearheading Office user interface development in the 1990s, and then re-invigorated Microsoft’s online casual games business during the dot-com meltdown. In a nut-shell, he’s Chris Pirillo’s kind of geek. He’s now the General Manager of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer team and driving Internet scenarios for Longhorn. Dean will talk about:

• How the future of the web is no longer just “browse”


• Why “really simple” is a good idea


• What Longhorn will deliver to make this easier for end-users, developers, and publishers

Gnomedex Sponsor: PubSub

06.12.2005 @ 11:12 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

When we need to subscribe to a keyword, we always use PubSub. “PubSub is a matching service that instantly notifies you when new content is created that matches your subscription. Using a proprietary Matching Engine, PubSub is able to read millions of data sources on your behalf and notify you instantly whenever a match is made. The heart of the PubSub service is a powerful, proprietary Matching Engine that makes it possible, for the first time, to match millions of search queries against thousands of new pieces of information every second.” Be sure to subscribe to the Gnomedex feed before the conference begins!

Gnomedex Sponsor: Audible

06.12.2005 @ 11:10 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

I’m proud to announce yet another top-notch sponsor for this year’s Gnomedex conference: Audible! “Audible is your destination for digital audiobooks, audio magazines, newspapers, radio programs, and more that download in minutes and let you listen anytime, anywhere. Use popular handheld devices such as the Apple iPod, listen right on your computer, or burn to CD. Then grab your audio and go!” I can’t imagine that most Gnomedexers wouldn’t have heard about Audible already, but you’ll finally be able to meet the fine Audiblites face-to-face!

New “Cove” Gnomedex Passes

06.12.2005 @ 01:29 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

The Bay Auditorium, where all scheduled presentations are taking place, is completely sold out. We can still get you access to everything else, though!

We’ve arranged to have a unidirectional audio/video feed sent to an adjoining room throughout the conference’s duration - so you can enjoy Gnomedex in person, too!

These new “Cove” passes are still $399 apiece, as we’re charged the same amount per attendee (and we have to pay more for the extra resources used). Most conferences charge attendees a higher amount for their last-minute registrations, but we value your presence more than anything.

See you in a few weeks!

It’s Official - Gnomedex is Sold Out

06.09.2005 @ 11:35 AM PT | Chris Pirillo

Thrilling news! A full two weeks before Gnomedex 5.0 begins, ALL TICKETS HAVE BEEN SOLD.

Gnomedex Diamond Sponsor: Microsoft!

06.08.2005 @ 07:56 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Microsoft has been supporting Gnomedex since its inception in 2001. 5.0 is no exception, and they’re once again taking the lead as our conference’s Diamond Sponsor! We have over five divisions coming in this year, including MSN, Windows Marketplace, the Windows Client Consumer department, and… something brand new, and another something secret! “At Microsoft, we work to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential. This is our mission. Everything we do reflects this mission and the values that make it possible.” And we’re thrilled to be working with them on Gnomedex once again.

Over 150 Gnomedex Bloggers!

06.02.2005 @ 03:19 PM PT | Chris Pirillo

Not everyone coming to Gnomedex has a blog, but we now have over 150 who do! Dave set up an awesome domain for a live list of Gnomedexer links.Or, just keep your eye on the non-RSS’ed OPML. So, who are some of the folks you’ll meet? In random order:

Robert Walch, Leo Notenboom, Dr. Jo Twist, Brooks Duncan, Eric Rice, Michael Marusin, John Hartman, Beth Goza, Michael Lehman, Cory Bergman, Lance Tracey, Brent Simmons, Steve Raymond, Matt Hartley, John Metzger, Todd Bishop, Marc Canter, Aryeh Goretsky, Sam Whitmore, Duane Fields, Mack D. Male, Andrew McCaskey, Tim Bourquin, Rick Segal, Brad Wilson, Arieanna Foley, Kevin Goldsmith, Scott Rafer, Doug Kaye, Morgan Schweers, Owen Allen, Steve Gillmor, James Nelson, Denise Howell, John Battelle, Kevin Briody, Susan Schmitz, Tom Conrad, Rick Klau, Scott Mace, Brandon Watts, Will Wilson, Frank Barnako, Matthew Miller, Jeff Barr, Ponzi Indharasophang, Kathy Gill, Kris Krug, Marc Strohlein, Dylan Greene, Buzz Bruggeman, Julie Leung, Gail Reilly, Cameron Mallory, Steve Garfield, Sheila Simmons, Chris Sloop, Chad Everett, Tom Novak, Gene Blishen, David Robertson, J.J. Allaire, Thomas Sayles, Michael Buckbee, Andru Edwards, Boris Mann, Bre Pettis, Brian Tosch, Matt Westervelt, Steve Rubel, Bob Morris, Erik Wilson, James Roberts, Charles Teague, John Martin, Michael OConnor, Stuart Maxwell, Sebastian Gard, Mike Dacre, Alex Williams, Robert Scoble, Greg Hughes, Mark Fletcher, David Kilsheimer, Sean Gilligan, Asa Dotzler, Todd Cochrane, Christopher Knopick, Darren Inouye, John Keegan, Richard Eriksson, Hobart Swan, Josh Bancroft, Robert Sayre, Robert Ferguson, Terry Heaton, David Geller, David Luebbert, Phil ‘pt’ Torrone, Joe Reger, Jay Jennings, Scott Trotter, Dan Gillmor, Matthew Gifford, Jim Howard, Christine Hodson, John Goodall, Steve Lacey, R Josh Quarles, Michael Kaltschnee, Susan Gerhart, Laughing Squid, Keith Teare, Ticia Gerber, James Clarke, JD Lasica, Jeff Sandquist, Tod Maffin, James Prudente, Michael Houser, Steven Duncan, Jeffrey Blackburn, Raines Cohen, Ianiv Schweber, Clint Sharp, Lloyd Asato, Rex Hammock, Nancy Tubbs, Christopher Alden, Spencer Nick, Darren Barefoot, David Rangel, Brian Dear, Ted Leung, Thomas Foss, Michael Geoghegan, Roland Tanglao, Steve Mays, Steve Broback, Rick Eames, Nick Bradbury, Charles Torre, Chris Pirillo, Lee LeFever, Dave Winer, Adam Curry, Jacob Stewart, You Software, Adam Loving, Jon Kossmann, Daryll McDade, Matt Mullenweg, Dickson Wong, and Greg Reinacker.