speaking

Today I should be in Prishtina Kosovo running Drupal workshops at the first Software Freedom Conference Kosova. Unfortunately due to work and family commitments I had to decline the invitation. I hope to make it there next year.

I will also be missing out on DrupalCon Paris next week too.

Sometimes it sucks to be in Australia, especially when Europe is so far away and so many cool things happening there too.

This is a question I have been asking myself a bit over the last week or so, ever since I learned the linux.conf.au call for presentations were open. I am leaning more towards not. My reasons are pretty simple. Here they are in no particular order

• I can't think of something cool to talk about
• My webcam is really budget, so my video would probably detract rather than enhance my chances
• I get the feeling that Rusty's blog post about rejecting LCA speakers might apply to me

The first issue is pretty easily dealt with, I just need to think harder. The second problem involves a sub $100 investment. It is the last problem that worries me.

I did a presentation at LCA in Dunedin in 2006. I had my slides ready to go, I had my demo ready to go, I had my example links ready to go, I had my speaking notes ready to go, I even got to the room about 15 mins early. I hooked my laptop up and it wouldn't work with the projector, I tried a few things (mostly xorg.conf hacks), still nothing. My talk was due to start in a few minutes and I still had no picture, by now I had a few people helping, but to no avail. Almost 10mins after the start time I had a borrowed laptop up and running, but it wouldn't mount my USB key. I borrowed a USB hard drive and copied the files over. 15mins after starting time, I was ready to go. I still didn't have my demo available (which was on my laptop) and I couldn't easily pull up the links.

The me talking part of my talk lasted about 30 mins and I felt like I was dying from start to finish. I was pretty relived by the end of it. I think at least half the audience wished they went to Tridge's talk.

If I do change my mind about speaking at LCA in 2008, the 3 things I will do differently are:

• Test my laptop during the miniconfs to make sure it will work
• Have a backup laptop arranged before the start time of my talk and test it
• Have multiple copies of my slides on paper, just in case the projector doesn't work

Either way I should be attending LCA next year, especially as it in my home town.