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So, is this like a front page blog post or is this something that just shows up on my site?

A few of us attended BarCampMadison3, and while I may be speaking for only myself here, I have to say the Lightning Talks were the best part of the event... so much so, that I've just set aside 2 hours on Saturday night for them.

See the schedule? Yeah, it's there now.

I propose we have dinner, do a little networking (and preparing) and then spend some time spouting off about something. A pet project, an idea, a concept about an idea, some neat thing you've done, or want to do, or something you want to show off. It's entertaining and educational. In fact, it's entercational!

So join us from 7pm to 9pm on Saturday for the Lightning Talks! And be ready to give one!

Lanyrd just launched, and while I have issues (don't I always?) I figured it was worth a try...

http://lanyrd.com/2010/barcampmilwaukee5/

Twitter users (sorry for those who aren't) go there and do something!

A shout-out to Stanley A. Miller II, who filled his Sunday column in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel with a preview of BarCampMilwaukee 5, Power up for BarCamp, the 'unconference'. 

The story leads with:

The code for BarCamp Milwaukee is compiling at this very moment, and Version 5.0 of the creative technology event promises a marathon of information, insight and interaction.

Developers, designers and other creative technology professionals and enthusiasts are setting the agenda for BarCampMilwaukee5: a two-day technology slam starting at 10 a.m. Oct. 2 and running through 4 p.m. Oct. 3 at Bucket Works, 706 S. 5th St.

Anyone interested can show up and soak up the free experience, although an obsession with technology is strongly encouraged.

 

It goes on to feature his Top 5 proposed sessions. You'll have to see the rest of the article for those. 

In a break from all breaks from tradition, The T-Shirt Process will begin post-haste.

Interested in having YOUR artwork show up on the front (and the back) of the BarCampMilwaukee 5 T-Shirt? Get those creative juices flowing now. This is the official call for designs. Designs are due Sunday, September 12.

Guidelines:

1. We don't need no steenkin' guidelines.

2. Artwork area is 12" x 12".

3. We'll probably go with a one-color** shirt, but if you have a compelling design that requires more than one color, The Review Committee**** will listen.

4. Remember this will be screen printed. So, given the hcoice beteween big bold moves visible from far away and tiny, hard-to-reproduce patterns, which do you think will work better?

5. Use any software you want for creation, but don't expect me to be able to read Illustrator or Quark or Paintshop Pro. Assume the lowest common deonominator, which around here would be KidPix. Or maybe you could try a TIFF file.

Due date for design: Sunday, September 12. Send them to me.

** Technically, the shirt will be one color and the ink for the design will be a second color.

**** Interested in being on The Review Committee? I'm looking for two others to cast a practiced eye. Preferrably people with  large vehicles who can haul big boxes of finished shirts. If I don't hear from anyone by the design due date (see above), I'll let my kids choose one night during dinner.

And in case you were wondering, designs are due Sunday, September 12.

If you need an extension on the deadline, I can accept submissions as late as Sunday, September 12.

It's time to talk about shirts.

Do you guys like the BarCamp shirts? Or do you send them off to shirt Valhalla by setting them in a burning ship across Lake Michigan? What? I am being serious.

The fact is, our commitment to free shirts has been a big expense for BarCampMilwaukee. I love shirts. The Milwaukee shirts are some of my most beloved t-shirts. I think there should be shirts.

However, the choice we face, BarCampers, is one of finances. Do we want to spend some money on shirts, when we could, instead, have better food at one of the meals? It really comes down to an either or conversation, and if it's left to the cabal, I fear that apathy may just mean we don't have a t-shirt this year. We could _double_ the amount of money we spend on Saturday night's dinner if we didn't buy shirts.

 So here's what we need: A T-Shirt Czar. One person can make a difference. The t-shirt czar gets a small budget to spend on as many t-shirts as they want to. And can create that t-shirt experience pretty much anyway they want to.

Wanna be the t-shirt czar? Join the Cabal! Your input is needed!

The problem: You want to attend every session but you can't!

The solution: Capture it!

If you've got a video camera (Flip, MiniDV, RED ONE) bring it to BarCampMilwaukee5, and bring it to a session, and record it. Give us the files, or tapes, or Firewire drives and we will do our best to get it online for others to see and hear.

BarCamp is about sharing what you know in an open environment, so help us capture all of our knowledge and share it with others who missed all those amazing sessions you attended.

Are you not fancy enough to have a camera, or audio recorder or just don't feel like being a DP during BarCamp? Take notes! Publish your notes on the web... at your own blog, or here on the BarCampMilwaukee site... or wherever.

Share what you learn... That's what it's all about.

Back in 2006 we needed some way to organize the first BarCampMilwaukee, so I quickly set up a Yahoo! Group, and that worked (more or less) for the first few years... Then people complained about it, and it got spammers, and we gave up on it...

So this year we were going to run our own damn mailing list software, but that didn't happen in time, so Matt set up a Google Group call BarCamp Milwaukee Cabal (join it!) and we started using that. Of course some people still don't like it...(You just can't please everyone!)

James has suggested using Open Atrium which is more of a collaborative workspace than mailing list, but James has suggested that it could completely replace a mailing list, and do much more.

So while I sit here planning BarCampMilwaukee6, do we want  to consider using Open Atrium (which would sit on barcampmilwaukee.org) in place of the old fashioned mailing list that people love (and hate)?

So as far as tagging... what are people liking?

EVENT SPECIFIC:

barcampmilwaukee5

barcampmke5

bcmke5

For photos, video, etc. I'd probably use the longer ones, but for Twitter and microblogging services #bcmke5 is probably the most efficient.

Do we also want to suggest others?

LOCATION SPECIFIC:

bucketworks

milwaukee

wisconsin

And if anyone from Bucketworks wants to expand upon my machine tags ideas, let me know:

  http://rasterweb.net/raster/2009/05/05/machine-tags-for-bucketworks/

If you're a Drupal fan, you should check out Drupal414, a Drupal-based meetup similar to Web414, but obviously focused on Drupal.Kevin is currently giving a great overview of the BarCampMilwaukee site at the August 2010 meeting.And hey, if you're a Joolma user, come on down and see how the other half lives...

We're still looking for sponsors for BarCampMilwaukee, and if you're wondering why your company should sponsor it, here's the case I'lll make.

If your company sends just one employee to a conference, it can easily cost over $1000. There's the cost of the conference itself, and if it's out of town, you're probably covering expenses such as airfare, hotels, meals, etc. Send more than one person, and you can almost double the costs.

Now, BarCampMilwaukee is a technology conference right here, in our own city, and besides alll meals, the event runs non-stop, and attendees are welcome to stay the entire time, either networking (or working/learning) all night long, or finding a quiet place to sleep/rest.

BarCampMilwaukee is in it's fifth year, and we've made it happen every year from donations. Hearing people tell the stories of the new things they learned, or the smart people they met is priceless.

So for around $100-$200 your company can help SPONSOR this event. You won't just be sending an employee or two, you'lll be HELPING make it all happen. And, you can send as many of your employees as you wish. :)

So get in touch with us, and help make BarCampMilwaukee happen.

Hey look, it's my very own BarCampMilwaukee Blog!

I should probably write about what I'd like to do at BarCampMilwaukee5.

Yes, I'll do that.... later. Probably.