What is BarCamp? - BarCamp

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Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:57:09 -0800
From: "Chris Messina" <chris.mess...@gmail.com>
To: barcamp@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [BarCamp] Re: What is BarCamp?
Cc: "Sara Winge" <s...@oreilly.com>
In-Reply-To: <C388218C.9905E%tan...@cs.stanford.edu>
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	 <C388218C.9905E%tan...@cs.stanford.edu>

On Dec 14, 2007 12:04 PM, Tantek =C7elik <tan...@cs.stanford.edu> wrote:

> This "Open Space Technology ... is ... the basis" assertion is false.
>
> Unfortunately this is a common misconception, the "Open Space" crowd often
> takes credit for both Foocamp and BarCamp.  It pops up every few months.
>
> "Open Space Technology" (OST) is related to BarCamp and Foocamp (in that
> some mechanics are similar), but is not the basis for them.  I won't comme=
nt
> on "unconferences" other than to say it is a very poor term (defining as a
> negative), and heavily overloaded/diluted.
>
> BarCamp was reverse-engineered from Foocamp by a former Foocamp attendee a=
nd
> then constructed *from scratch* by the BarCamp Founders.

Actually Tantek, your history is somewhat incorrect.

Sara Winge of O'Reilly is actually the one who deserves credit for FOO
Camp (it's unfortunate that Tim, as a male, automatically gets the
credit when Sara did all the work).

Sara was a student of Harrison Owen when he was initially conceiving
of the Open Space Technology concept. She took ideas and practices
from his work in helping to flesh out the design of FOO Camp, indeed
bubbling up the types of interactions that place in BOF sessions,
common to O'Reilly events.

BarCamp resulted from the invite-only and limited-attendance aspect of
FOO Camp, providing an open and inclusive alternative that sought to
provide, openly, the blueprint for the event so that others might be
able to participate or run their own event, benefiting from the
lessons that we learned, just as the founders benefited from the
lessons of FOO Camp, as passed on by a former attendee (Tantek).

It's fair to say that BarCamp is not a direct decedent of Open Space
Technology; indeed, none of the founders had ever heard of it when
BarCamp was originally planned. But to say that FOO Camp was not a
derivative of that work is patently false, considering that Sara was a
student of Harrison Owen!

And, if any of this telling is false, perhaps Sara (CC'd) can correct me.

Chris

> I agree with one modification.  Drop "un-conference".  Replace it with:
>
> user generated conference

I might even modify that to suggest "participant-created conference"
but I guess "user generated" is in vogue.

Chris

>
> >> On Dec 6, 2007 7:06 PM, sfradkin <scott.frad...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> For a potential BarCampMadison promotional opportunity I was asked to
> >>> write up a little "What is BarCamp" to try to describe to someone who
> >>> has never heard of BarCamp what it is.  After I ran it by a fellow
> >>> BarCampMadison organizer, he suggested that I post it to the BarCamp
> >>> list.
> >>
> >>> So, here it is.  Feel free to use it and modify it if it is useful.
> >>
> >>> Scott
> >>
> >>> -------------------
> >>
> >>> What is BarCamp?
> >>
> >>> BarCamp is a technology oriented un-conference.  Picture a conference
> >>> where everybody participates; with no preset schedule; where
> >>> discussions occur on-the-fly in an organic manner; where collaboration
> >>> on esoteric topics is not uncommon.
> >>
> >>> BarCamp is open to anyone who is interested in participating.
> >>> Attendees consist of programmers, engineers, managers, students,
> >>> artists, photographers, and everyone in between.  The main tenant of
> >>> BarCamp is that everyone must participate.  Participation options
> >>> include leading a session, helping clean up trash, helping setup,
> >>> helping at the registration table, and more.
> >>
> >>> As diverse as the attendees of a BarCamp, the sessions are just as
> >>> diverse as they are completely driven by the attendees themselves.  An
> >>> attendee at a BarCamp may find sessions such as learning a new
> >>> programming language, taking a photo walk, discussing open source
> >>> tools, discussing the role of technology in a Utopia or Dystopia, or
> >>> hack sessions.
> >>
> >>> Funding for BarCamp is from solicited cash donations from various
> >>> corporations.  Donations from each entity are limited so that each
> >>> cash donator is equal.  Other in-kind donations of supplies,
> >>> equipment, and food are solicited from corporations and individuals.
> >>> Time and energy donations from many volunteers are also needed to put
> >>> on the event.
> >>
> >>> Most of all, BarCamp is about meeting new people, sharing knowledge
> >>> and learning new things, and having fun.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Chris Messina
> >> Citizen-Participant &
> >>   Open Source Advocate-at-Large
> >> Work:http://citizenagency.com
> >> Blog:http://factoryjoe.com/blog
> >> Cell: 412.225.1051
> >> IM: factoryjoe
> >> This email is:   [ ] bloggable    [X] ask first   [ ] private
> >
> > >
>
>
> >
>



--=20
Chris Messina
Citizen-Participant &
  Open Source Advocate-at-Large
Work: http://citizenagency.com
Blog: http://factoryjoe.com/blog
Cell: 412.225.1051
IM: factoryjoe
This email is:   [ ] bloggable    [X] ask first   [ ] private
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