Originally Posted by
Big_Foot
Really? Miles and points are dead, you should have started being
interested in this 10 years ago, now there is nothing to learn. Those events
are only organized to make some money of the innocent victims like you.
I think this is a bit dramatic. The event itself doesn't make a direct profit and there is a good charity donation project as part of it.
Of course the presenters who have blogs or represent other businesses certainly have a potential to indirectly benefit from presenting there, by way of the exposure possibly increasing interest and readership (and selling of affiliate links, award booking services, or what have you) of their blog or other business. That in itself is neither good nor bad. Whether a particular entity's product/service offerings are worthwhile, is another discussion.
I guess like anything else, if you don't see a benefit for the price, then don't go. I went to Chicago once in 2011 I think. It was OK, some sessions better than others. No earth-shattering secret revelations or anything. The talk by Pudding Guy was cool. I didn't feel I was an innocent victim getting ripped off, in any case.
I haven't been since. This year's lineup of presenters doesn't really appeal to me and I doubt I'll go in the future. Just my two pennies.