Blue Ferret BlogTip 8-14-06 - Convention Survival Tricks

Tomorrow I'll be riding into San Francisco, heading for the LinuxWorld Convention Expo.

This will be my third year attending. The expo is free, and it's always a blast. Lots of tech-people to talk with, big-name brands with latest-product news...and of course, lots of freebies. (Hey, we all like those.)

So today I thought I'd list a couple things I've learned about going to tech conventions. A few Things to Remember, should find an expo on the itinerary.

Things to Remember:
Wear VERY comfortable shoes. I don't know about you, but my work shoes are not that supportive. Spring for gel insoles if you need them. If you're sure nobody will look at your feet, sneak in wearing sneakers.

Check the weather. Even if you're in an air-conditioned convention hall, the weather outside could be hotter than you expect. A few hundred people wandering around will bring that heat indoors. Dress like you'd be comfortable walking down the street. Despite its cool bay winds, I never bring a jacket to San Francisco.

Pack light. I'm speaking only for LinuxWorld here, but I always walk out with at least one full tote bag. Papers, CDs, free stuff, booklets, etc. Make it easy on yourself, and only bring what you absolutely need to. Lugging one bag in only makes lugging two bags out much more irritating.

Nothing fancy. But remembering these things made last year's expo a lot more comfortable. I'm hoping the same is true this year.

I'll be back on Wednesday with a LinuxWorld floor report.