Under the Influence
It’s been a week since we rolled off the bus to the IT Influence conference in the Hunter Valley – a pile of journos, analysts, vendors, PR folks, a professor and a futurist here and there. As technology gabfests go, there was a lot to digest.
Before I continue, however, there’s need for a quick disclaimer: I moderated nearly all of the consumer technology sessions as a favour for organiser Phil Sim of MediaConnect. The idea being that, as an independent journo, I have a reasonable chance of herding the question hogs and keeping speakers on track. (Additionally, I won a bet and also got to moderate the enterprise security session.)
Most sessions went rather smoothly, so it was light duties. Reflecting on the overall event, however, I’m left with some lingering questions. Here’s a few:
- Why were participants in an enterprise session genuinely worried about the personal information that ID thieves might glean from blogs and social networks, while in consumer session such concerns were dismissed as mere paranoia?
- Why, when urging consumer education, are vendors then unable to say how much they spend on genuine education campaigns (not marketing)?
- Why are vendors now starting to vaguely talk about an increasing need for Mac anti-virus, with few having actually produced such a product yet?
- Why do we keep asking about the future of the PC, knowing the answer will probably be ‘smaller, faster, cheaper and more shades of pink’?
- Why does futurist Ross Dawson like video goggles so much?
- Where was the video camera when journo Gus Kidman fell off the segway?
ben barren wrote:
Video goggles are a freudian nod to a dystopian googles future… “The future’s so bright I have to wear shades” went the synthd pop song. It was the googol’s in the bath I couldn’t envision. Electrocuted at 1 gig/p/sec in the bath….
Posted 15 Sep 2007 at 11:16 pm ¶
VBtheDog AKA David H wrote:
When Gus fell of the Segway, the videocamera journo ie: me, was puffing and panting on his BACK to the venue of the races due a malfunction of the camera immediately at hand. A perfect case of NEW technology crapping out and OLD technology (a 10 yo Sony) taking up the reigns for the rest of the night without a hiccup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ4RHRAmcgI has the full story (sans Kidman stack)
Posted 16 Sep 2007 at 9:45 pm ¶
VBtheDog AKA David H wrote:
“googol’s in the bath ”
Eek! Is that Google Earth’s next extension? Scary, scary …but then again …….
Posted 16 Sep 2007 at 9:47 pm ¶
Warren Badger wrote:
How does someone with a full-time corporate job describe herself as an “independent journalist”?
Posted 24 Sep 2007 at 11:17 am ¶
Nicole wrote:
Hi Warren,
As I don’t work for MediaConnect, the organisers of the Influence forum, I can keep the flow of the discussion going and, if other journos are hogging the floor, I can cut in and ask them to continue involved questions/interviews after the session. It’s something that’s easier for me to do as a peer, than as one of the forum’s staffers. Likewise, participants know the questions I occasionally throw in are genuine.
You’re right in that these days I do have a corporate gig, although I have to say that it’s not in journalism and not the tech sector, rather in online development for finance boffins.
The freelance journalism is something I have been doing for many years and its still a big part of my world. It still seems fair to use the word independent as I don’t work for single publisher.
I hope that’s not too confusing for everyone. Thoughts and comments from others welcome!
cheers,
Nic
Posted 24 Sep 2007 at 11:40 am ¶