A handy guide to choosing conference sessions and some of my picks.
The agenda for next week’s NamesCon conference in Las Vegas appears to be basically finalized. For the first time in many years, I’m actually excited about attending some of the sessions rather than just networking with people in the hallways.
Selecting sessions is challenging, especially since there will be three simultaneous breakout sessions.
Here’s how I went about selecting which sessions I’ll attend:
1. Read the title to make sure the topic is interesting to me, and that it hasn’t been a topic at every previous domain conference.
2. See who’s on the panel. This is the most important part, and leads to a multi-factor decision.
a) Have I heard these people talk on a lot of panels before? If so, I’ll probably skip.
b) Do the people on the panel seem like experts on the given topic?
c) Does the panel have too many people? If so, it’s unlikely to allow for a good discussion.
d) Am I on the panel? Then I should probably go.
With this in mind, here are a few of the many sessions I plan to attend because the meet my requirements. You might find others better meet your own guidelines.
Tuesday, 11:15 – Meet the new gTLDs – I don’t know most of the people on this panel, and it’s the first glimpse we’ll get into plans for a number of top level domain names. I’m especially interested to hear about .luxury ever since the company’s pre-order pricing was posted to GoDaddy.
Tuesday, 2:05 – I’m torn between “New TLDs+Domainers: The Opportunities” and “Meet the New TLDs – Geographic and IDN.” I’m particularly curious what TLDH’s Fred Krueger has to say about the first issue, and to learn about the geographic TLDs in the other session.
Tuesday, 4:00 – “Dude, Seriously? What were you thinking” – Forget the title and description. The bottom line is this is a panel full of lawyers. And at domain conferences, those are usually interesting.
Tuesday, 4:50 – Frank Schilling keynote – because I want to learn about the evolution of AM and FM radio.
Wednesday, 9:45 – Jodee Rich keynote – Jodee is behind the .ceo application. .CEO is one of those new TLDs that makes me scratch my head, wondering what purpose it serves and who would actually use one. Which is why I think it’s fair to hear him out as he explains “why you will want your .CEO domain”.
Wednesday, 10:15 – ShoeMoney keynote – I’ve followed ShoeMoney for a while, and the bottom line is he has a really interesting story. I don’t know if he’ll actually discuss new TLDs, affiliate marketing, or perhaps what he ate for breakfast. But I’m looking forward to hearing him speak.
Wednesday 11:55 – Meet the Industry Press – sure to be the must attend session of the conference.
Bret Fausett says
You may be the only non-lawyer who views “panel full of lawyers” as a selling point, but we’ll try to keep you entertained and enlightened.
Paul Stahura says
I’m also curious what Frank says about AM/FM. What I understand is that RCA (the incumbent & 100% based on AM) successfully lobbied the FCC (the regulator) to block the introduction of FM (the new entrant) for about 10 years. Eventually, FM was finally allowed to proceed and today no one has heard of RCA
adam says
RCA is still around but I’m sure no one has heard of the hundreds of other electronic manufacturers that have come and gone since FM was introduced. FM was invented in 1933 and it was used as a “simulcast” primarily for 30 years and wasn’t until 50 some years later that the # of FM listeners surpassed AM. You got that big of a runway fellas ? One other thing, if things don’t go well with your new FM stations guys, please don’t become an Edwin Armstrong (the inventor who committed suicide).
cya in vegas
Domenclature.com says
I have a friendly advice to the new gTLD community:
I have noticed that the current default as to why these TLDs will succeed, or make for a sound investment goes something like this:
“It’s not for people reading this today; these TLDS are for our kids, and their kids”
In order words, these new TLDs are being pitched for our grand kids. Nothing can be more amusing, if not silly.
I am begging all keynote speakers, and indeed, all presenters, stay away from this one. Nobody should be engaged in the business of forecasting what our kids will use as a TLD, not even teenagers of today can be managed.
I am a new TLD skeptic, okay critic, but only when it comes to ICANN. I’m with the entrepreneurs, I want what’s best for the risk takers. I started early, shouting on top of the mountains, don’t do it, but like Berkens says, it ended up being inevitable.
Good luck to all, have a wonderful conference! I will be at Caesar’s Palace, almost next door.
Unlike the new gTLDs, Vegas s like the old IANA: it’s either on the Black Jack Table, or it’s shooting Craps…just like .Com or .Org, maybe occasional .Net, just like the machines….
But never none of those pai gow, or new gTLD stuff 😉
Acro says
Domenclature – The difference is, that Berkens reassessed the conditions and trends of the market and saw – and seized – the opportunity to be actively involved in an irreversible trend.
I followed the exact same path, instead of yodeling from the mountain the typical songs of fear and loathing.
I find your statement about “grandkids” to be a gross misquote of Frank Shilling’s “This is about the kids who have nothing today, your children and future registrants.” – if you can’t see what the man is saying, why don’t you pick his mind at NamesCon? Oops, you just said you aren’t going.
About you being at Caesar’s Palace in Vegas, I call major BS, as you proclaimed early on that you’d be attending NamesCon. I was truly hoping to meet in person.
Sorry, but you just lost the last specks of credibility with this attitude.
Domenclature.com says
@Acro,
I was expecting your comment.
As both a Total Rewards Platinum (Caesars), and MLife member of MGM Resorts International, and residing 45 mins away from Las Vegas (by air), a few hours by car, with several commercial interests there, and the Desert, hardly two weeks go by without a visit…So to you going to Vegas is a tour, to me, it’s a local affair.
However, on the important issue that you raise, which was my earlier plan to attend NamesCon, you’d have to ask Mr. Lau why he suddenly made the thing into a new gTLD affair. I was actually taking credit for softening the air, by blogging incessantly against “expensive”, and “elitist” domain conferences.
Lo and Behold, the conference completely took a completely different mission. And that’s fine.
Acro, I know what I’m doing. We’re going to meet, and very soon. It’ll be for a true domain interest, not buddy-buddy, tho nothing wrong with that.
Here’s my phone number 323-377-5768 in case there’s opportunity to salute to a toast in Vegas.
Enjoy the conference.
Adam says
An irreversible trend ? nah. It’s just not that. It’s an irreversible moment in time where you can seize an opportunity to possibly be ahead of a possible trend. It’s opportunism at it’s finest. Something a domainer is king at