Talks announced for KiCon 2019

Here’s a starting list of the talks that will be happening at KiCon 2019 (more will be added as speakers verify their attendance). You can also purchase tickets to attend the conference now! Hope to see you all there

https://kicad-kicon.com/talks/

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Chris, this looks like a fantastic setup. Congrats on getting it organized.

I look forward to some interesting and productive KiCad conversations!

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I can’t wait to see everyone at KiCon. I’m really looking forward to all of the great talks about how people are using KiCad. Rumor has it that the conference badges are going to be rather nice too!

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Yeah, but the tickets are expensive. Its overpriced, am sorry but you should think again about the price…

Sorry you think that. I’ve not seen a 2 day conference for $99 (including food, etc), perhaps you have.

We do have volunteer tickets (free!) and reduced price tickets for students. If price is actually an issue, let us know. In my experience, people who mention price are unlikely to attend anyway.

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Why you are attacking me for just raising an issue ? not the right way.

KiCAD is an “open source”, so for not-for-profit, it promotes this idea. So having $106.66 – $134.24, doesnt hint towards this direction. Am not a student and not a volunteer, am just a user of KiCAD and no…money is not an issue for me. so dont take it personal and no need for mocking.

Regards,
Moh

I didn’t see attack or mocking. He’s just realistic. It would be big money for me, but flight from here would alone be $1000 and the night at a hotel I don’t know how much, so $135 wouldn’t be an issue if I would actually attend. That would be relatively high for those who live in that area, but not for others.

I have another, smaller thing to complain about: it would be nice to see KiCad spelled correctly (it’s KiCad in all KiCad official things) but I see KiCAD in the talks list too many times. Maybe you Chris could give a note to the speakers… They can pronounce it as they want :slight_smile:

You are completley missing the point of what I said. and as it always happen during forum chats when somebody doesnt read and he just want to defend someone and thats it.

Anyway, how to spell kicad is not our topic here. my point was and I repeat, Kicad is an open-source and not-for-profit, now what brings people to KiCAD or KiCad mostly is this point. So I hope that we dont end up one day with features for sale, or with a paid version like Kicad+.

I dont understand this idea about people who complain about the price dont come ? where on earth did you came up with this idea.

Warm regards,
Moh

my question was, its overpriced, this is what i think. its up to you weather to reduce it or not.

if you want to make a profit or a fame out of it this is something else.

Nor was the pricing, it was originally “Talks announced for KiCon 2019”.

I don’t know where your idea about Open Source and money comes from. Open Source and Free Software ideas explicitly allow making money or profit in several ways. I don’t think Chris Gammel will be any richer after the event, and if he is, I’m not opposed to the idea.

I don’t think it’s overpriced even though I can’t afford it. You’re entitled to your opinions, but you continued a bit aggressively and blame others for attacking. Don’t blame us for taking part in discussion from our standpoints and for giving our opinions if you give yours.

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Please read again with calm what I said. We can all use a keyboard and type whatever we want.

Now calm down…read…understand and then reply.

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I think @ChrisGammell just encountered reason #342 of “why being a conference coordinator sucks!”

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All excess funds from the event will be donated to the project! I think with the sponsorships, there should be some remaining. I’m not taking any money for my work on this.

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That’s a great lineup! I wish I could hop a plane to attend this year, but discretionary spending is down these days. I have an idea for a talk - maybe I’ll be ready for the 2020 KiCon. Good luck!

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I can’t wait to get there and meet all the awesome people behind KiCad, as well as the rest of the community. I am flying in from India with my Wife to attend my son’s Graduation at Pitt Univ, and KiCon just happens to be scheduled the day after his big day.
So for me, while the trip is proving expensive, now I have two reasons to justify the spend.

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“Open Source” and “Not-for-Profit” are not the same thing at all. I know companies that open source their code, publish app notes telling you exactly how to use it and then make their money off of customers who realize that it is a lot easier to hire them instead of doing it in house.

The KiCad organizers are doing an excellent job with pricing. If you are on a budget then there are free options for volunteers. The list price is there for anyone who can get their company to foot the bill and wants
to pass some money onto KiCad.

We really do want to see a KiCon 2020 and beyond.

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I don’t consider the conference “overpriced”. The cost of transportation and lodging makes my total cost-to-attend almost triple the conference ticket itself, which is more than I can afford right now, but it’s a bargain for a professional-level conference. For comparison, the “short” Microchip Master’s conference list price is $1800 plus travel, and they’re trying hard to sell you stuff. Admission to “Sensors Expo” starts at $950. A 2-day ticket to “Maker Faire” is $60 and I doubt that the technical & educational content is even close to comparable.

As for fame & notoriety . . . . the fact that @ChrisGammell is organizing and producing this event makes him highly respected by me. I doubt that I will ever have occasion to hire him for technical services, but I’m sure his name will come to mind if such a need arises.

Dale

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Appreciate the kind words and totally agree about the travel element, which is what makes it hard for folks.

The truth is at any price, someone will not be happy, and that’s their prerogative. Any economic decision is a personal choice. As I noted on the FAQ page, we will be recording and distributing all talks free of charge after the conference, so hopefully this helps for folks that can’t attend. That will not have the social connections–which I always feels is the most valuable part of a conference–but people prioritize different things from events.

I hope people consider attending if they can! I am also hopeful that success with an event like this will also inspire future events in other parts of the world that makes it easier for people to get to.

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Very reasonably priced - I’m very sad that I cannot attend even tho it is close by to me in Toronto (well sorta close). I’m hoping they will in some way try to record the sessions so they can be published at a later date. -hint hint-. How do the kids say it… I’m very “Jelly” of all you attendees. lol

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