fosscon... 2011?

Fosscon ended just over 12 hours ago. I think I probably listened to the first or last 15-20 minutes of at least 10 different talks or workshops... and I loved it. It's 6am the following morning and I'm absolutely exhausted, but I'm also excited about what the future holds.

So, the good, the bad... We didn't get the turnout we'd hoped for, but at the end of the day I think everyone enjoyed themselves. The talks (or at least the parts I actually got to hear) were very good, and more importantly a lot of people from all over talked outside them about ways they could help each others... help their community. I think it says something of our speakers that after hearing just a tidbit here and there, I still felt fulfilled in every instance.

To me, that's probably one of the best things that comes out of this. These disparate groups and people from all over have made the connections that will tie them together in the future. They've learned of new resources, and also who might need the resources they can provide, and as a result the community grows stronger.

It's these connections that move us forward. In the foss world, one person can certainly make a difference, but a handful of people who share what they have and use it to do something new and amazing, they can change the whole world.

There was a lot of talk at fosscon about next year. There will be a next year. Too much good happened for there not to be, and these people, all those who attended, those who sponsored (linode, the Peer Directed Project Center, and of course our attendees themselves!), those who volunteered... they are fosscon's community, and it's going to happen again.

See you in 2011