Database Underground | Sean McCown » PASS Disappointment

September 24, 2007 | Comments: (0)

PASS Disappointment

TAGS: SQL Server

PASS last week was just a little disappointing. I heard somewhere through the grapevine that attendance was down by around 15%, but as it turns out, that was the lucky part. The Denvery convention center turned out to be inadequate for our crowd anyway because many of the good sessions were standing room only, and they wouldn't let anyone stand during the sessions. More on that in a minute.

That wasn't the disappointing part though. What I found disappointing was the inconsistent quality of the content. PASS is making more of an effort to expand its speaker base, so they're getting some people who either aren't experienced speakers, or who have other agendas (like promoting themselves). Anyway, I took a 400-level session that spent most of the time explaining the basics to us. Things like, here's what tempdb is, and don't forget to split data and log files. And I found that to be the norm with the sessions that I didn't like. They advertised themselves at a much higher level than they turned out to be. Needless to say next year I really hope they have someone checking content so they set these sessions at the right level. I don't mind them teaching that stuff because someone will always need it, but at least be honest about your audience.

OK, now about standing in the rooms. Nobody ever gave me a reason, but it appears to be something that the convention center folks insist on. I'm sure if they were pressed, they would say it was a fire regulation to not have people sitting in the back. You couldn't even sit on the floor or on a table. So I'm having a hard time here not talking about how pointless and moronic that is, but I will refrain. However... if I were to talk about it, I would point out that that would be the stupidest fire code I've ever seen. If you say that you can't have anyone there because of a fire during a presentation, then you have to account for fires before the presentation while everyone is still standing around and the room is crowded. At that point everyone is blocking the door. So what you're telling me is that it's ok to block all the exits before and after sessions, but not during. So evidently, it's the fact that someone is talking in the front of the room that determines the fire laws. That kind of rule was clearly made by idiots. Seriously, if you don't stop to consider the actual logic of your rules, then you end up with crap like this. And what would the other reason be then? The convention center people just think it's disrespectful to not be in an actual chair while someone is talking? That's even dumber than the other one. So I don't know exactly what's up with that, but I would hope that PASS would stop that kind of mindless, moronic garbage next time.

Anyway, that's what I would say IF I were going to talk about it.

Posted by Sean McCown on September 24, 2007 11:08 AM

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