This month’s T-SQL Tuesday is hosted by Xavier Morera ( Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn ). Xavier says: “How much do you love meeting in person, where would you like for your next event to take place, and why Costa Rica?”
You can find the original post here.
Which is your favourite conference and why?
I’ve been to a small number of conferences which makes it hard to point out a favourite. Data Saturday NL is the first one I went to (then called SQL Saturday) and there are fond memories of that conference. Without discarding other events I’ve been to, Datagrillen is the one I’d hate to miss. The friendly environment, the people and the first time I heard the very strict rule “Be Excellent”. It all clicked and to finish of the day with a BBQ, some refreshments and good company. It’s a conference where you get the time and opportunity to talk to people, get to know them and accelerate personal growth. This conference was the breeding ground of my slowly growing speaking career.
Which is the best venue that you have visited for a tech conference?
The best venues for me are big venues, just because it gives sound a chance to get away and gives some breathing room. I’m not a particular fan of crammed hallways, tapping people on their back to get past. The last Data Saturday was in a cinema and that felt quite good.
There was a lot of breathing space, I could find some quiet space when needed or mingle with people when I wanted to or felt like it. All in all a very good place to hold a conference.
Who is the best presenter that you have ever listened to?
This is a tough one. Because there are many presentors on that list. And at what point are you a good presenter. There are many things to take into account. For me, there are a few boxes that have to be ticked. I have to learn something from a presenter. That’s the easy one, because at no session have I walked away without learning something. The presenter has to keep my attention for the entire session. Or not, because some of the best sessions I’ve attended sent me to my remote desktop to check something. And most of those times, fix something. During my few years of visiting conferences, I’ve found that the most attractive sessions are the ones where there’s a story line. A few years ago SQL Saturday hosted a session by Chrissy LeMaire ( twitter | linkedin ) and Gianluca Sartori (twitter | linkedin ) on SQL Profiler vs DBA Tools (I think). That was a session with a (fun) storyline, kept me attentive and I learned stuff. But for me the current best storyteller is Alexander Arvidsson ( twitter | linkedin ). He’s got a number of sessions with a storyline, content and top delivery.
Which location would you like for your next event to take place and why Costa Rica?
I love events taking place at home for the simple reason of expenses. Travelling can be expensive and by hosting events online, I can join more conferences than ever. And maybe I’m one of the few that hasn’t have the urge to keep travelling. I really enjoy pictures from other people showing their environment, their views and the nature surrounding them. But seeing with my own eyes? That could be the hermit inside of me.
On the other hand, can’t wait for SQL Bits (London) and Data Grillen (Lingen).
Thanks for reading!
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