This weekend was Barcamp Oxford, and suffice it to say it was utterly fantastic. While a delicious ham cooks, I just thought I’d jot down some notes.

The day for me started early on Saturday with a walk into town (Oxford’s buses being resoundingly useless), still it was a lovely sunny day and I had some good tunes on my mp3 player so I didn’t mind working on my tan for a while.

Anywho, got to the Oxford Club in time for registration and for the slots to be put up… a dizzying array of very interesting possible discussions were soon put up.

Obviously I couldn’t go to all the sessions, but those I did go to were fantastically useful.

Highlights were a thought provoking, passionate and mature discussion of women in technology, and education in general. Additionally, met a bunch of very cool people who I hope to keep in touch with!

The beeper has just gone on my oven so I must tend to my food. Suffice it to say, I found the event both highly enjoyable, stimulating and very very useful.

Props to all the people who worked so hard to make this happen, you are all awesome!

Same time next year?

Image by Sylwia Presley

Yesterday I spent a fantastic day down at the university club attending the much anticipated Oxford Barcamp.

I can honestly say that the whole event came as an invigorating breath of fresh air and I want to say a great big thank you to all those who helped organise the event – as well as all those who attended!

For the uninitiated the first rule of Barcamp is that everyone needs to get involved which leads to some very exciting, sometimes heated, but always useful discussions.

One of the things that I am particularly excited about is the support there was for doing a Transparency camp in the UK… so much so that its actually happening!

The whole event has left me energised and enthusiastic. I have a stack of people I need to contact and a stack of really cool projects to read up on.

This is how conferences should be.