Stop it! I don't know why, but this shit really hit a sore spot with me. What I'm talking about is all the comparing and bitching about "real" conferences and PodCamps. Are they different? Yes! Are they the same in some ways? YES!

There is room for regular conference, un-conferences and everything in between. I think it's pointless and doesn't help anyone to start comparing them and choosing sides. It just doesn't make sense and it's a waste of everyone's energy to do so.

Yeah, I'm wasting some energy typing this right now before even having some coffee, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.

Some key points as I see it:

Many people can't pay to travel the globe and paying for conferences
Many people can only attend conferences that are near to them so the more of them the more chances someone can go
We all have to make decisions which conferences we go to. But, who cares the why and the how someone makes that decision. The key is that THEY made it.
The community is big enough for all of us and all the conferences (hmm....maybe I need to add a slide now)

I'm at PodCamp NYC and speaking as well. I'm going to be at the PME and speaking there too. There will be other conferences of both types in between now and then.

The New Media Playground is big enough for all of us to play on. No bullies allowed. So grab a swing and have some fun and let's work together to continue forward progress.