Comments on: 27, The Cape Town Way http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/ Entrepreneur | Writer | Speaker Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:32:41 +0200 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Hunter/Gatherer of Genius that is.. at Hunter of Genius http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5693 Hunter/Gatherer of Genius that is.. at Hunter of Genius Tue, 06 Mar 2007 15:20:43 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5693 [...] The 27dinners, as factious as they may be in these early phases are a good example of this, born of the geekdinners and BarCamps. Another of the maxims that has shown its consistency through economic history is that culture precedes commerce. There is method in the madness of playing together first. (And I’m not bloody well playing golf to get the advantages - dinner & fabulous wine now THAT’s an idea) [...] [...] The 27dinners, as factious as they may be in these early phases are a good example of this, born of the geekdinners and BarCamps. Another of the maxims that has shown its consistency through economic history is that culture precedes commerce. There is method in the madness of playing together first. (And I’m not bloody well playing golf to get the advantages – dinner & fabulous wine now THAT’s an idea) [...]

]]> By: Hunter/Gatherer of Genius at Hunter of Genius http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5686 Hunter/Gatherer of Genius at Hunter of Genius Tue, 06 Mar 2007 14:45:59 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5686 [...] The 27dinners, born of the geekdinners and BarCamps here, as factious as they may be in these early phases are a good example of this, . Another of the maxims that has shown its consistency through economic history is: culture precedes commerce. There is method in the madness of playing together first. (And I’m not bloody well playing golf to get the advantages - dinner & fabulous wine now THAT’s an idea) I did a post yesterday at SARocks! on the challenges we face with start-up culture particularly in the tech sector here in South Africa. We have some visionary leaders coming to the fore, some hypertalented hardworking geeks, beauty-obsessed designers and fascinated venture capitalists.. it could be worse! [...] [...] The 27dinners, born of the geekdinners and BarCamps here, as factious as they may be in these early phases are a good example of this, . Another of the maxims that has shown its consistency through economic history is: culture precedes commerce. There is method in the madness of playing together first. (And I’m not bloody well playing golf to get the advantages – dinner & fabulous wine now THAT’s an idea) I did a post yesterday at SARocks! on the challenges we face with start-up culture particularly in the tech sector here in South Africa. We have some visionary leaders coming to the fore, some hypertalented hardworking geeks, beauty-obsessed designers and fascinated venture capitalists.. it could be worse! [...]

]]> By: Tertia http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5501 Tertia Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:07:02 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5501 wrote this LOOOONG comment and then thought it was too long to post in the comments section of someone else's blog, so did a blog post about it here http://www.tertia.org/so_close/2007/03/my_take_on_the_.html wrote this LOOOONG comment and then thought it was too long to post in the comments section of someone else’s blog, so did a blog post about it here http://www.tertia.org/so_close/2007/03/my_take_on_the_.html

]]> By: Neil Blakey-Milner http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5500 Neil Blakey-Milner Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:31:52 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5500 Since it hasn't been said enough - thanks to you and everyone else for doing the hard and unrewarding tasks behind the scenes. You're doing well - we wouldn't be suggesting things if we didn't buy into everything enough to be unhappy about it not being even better... Or, put another way, compare the names of the people who've provided criticism, and the names of people who've already signed up for the next one... Since it hasn’t been said enough – thanks to you and everyone else for doing the hard and unrewarding tasks behind the scenes. You’re doing well – we wouldn’t be suggesting things if we didn’t buy into everything enough to be unhappy about it not being even better…

Or, put another way, compare the names of the people who’ve provided criticism, and the names of people who’ve already signed up for the next one…

]]> By: Mike http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5493 Mike Thu, 01 Mar 2007 16:20:39 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5493 Neil, Sessa knows I say what I say with respect and my tongue-firmly-in-my-cheek (I hope) seeing as he walked away with the 'cocky little shit' award at the dinner, head held high. Whiny little shit is the next step up. Regarding the overwhelming flood of 'suggestions' and ideas for improving on what must have been a truly difficult experience for you all to have gone through, consider this: 1. They say a crap day on the golf course is better than any good day at work. I say a crap 27 dinner is still better than sitting at home with a broadband connection and second-rate porn. 2. Do you honestly think we intended the speakers to go on for longer than 10 min each? Bear in mind they all volunteered, are not professional (with the exception of Guy who kept to 10 min) and it's kinda hard to stand up in the middle of someone's speech and stop them. 3. Not one person seems to realise that professional conference organisers charge in the region of R 500 for the kind of quality AV, entertainment, food, service, networking OPPORTUNITY (yes, you could have swopped tables in between speeches, or met outside, or before, or made paper aeroplanes from your business cards and sent them across the room, etc.) like 27, and yet we charge nothing, In fact we lose money every time because we pay for everything, including the people who eat and don't pay enough for their meals. 4. This is our second attempt, and first attempt in Cape Town. Were you expecting it to be perfect? 5. It was marketers with geeks who originated the first BarCamp, marketers with geeks who initiated the first geek dinners and marketers with geeks who brought about 27. We go together like peas and carrots. Neil, Sessa knows I say what I say with respect and my tongue-firmly-in-my-cheek (I hope) seeing as he walked away with the ‘cocky little shit’ award at the dinner, head held high. Whiny little shit is the next step up.

Regarding the overwhelming flood of ’suggestions’ and ideas for improving on what must have been a truly difficult experience for you all to have gone through, consider this:

1. They say a crap day on the golf course is better than any good day at work. I say a crap 27 dinner is still better than sitting at home with a broadband connection and second-rate porn.

2. Do you honestly think we intended the speakers to go on for longer than 10 min each? Bear in mind they all volunteered, are not professional (with the exception of Guy who kept to 10 min) and it’s kinda hard to stand up in the middle of someone’s speech and stop them.

3. Not one person seems to realise that professional conference organisers charge in the region of R 500 for the kind of quality AV, entertainment, food, service, networking OPPORTUNITY (yes, you could have swopped tables in between speeches, or met outside, or before, or made paper aeroplanes from your business cards and sent them across the room, etc.) like 27, and yet we charge nothing, In fact we lose money every time because we pay for everything, including the people who eat and don’t pay enough for their meals.

4. This is our second attempt, and first attempt in Cape Town. Were you expecting it to be perfect?

5. It was marketers with geeks who originated the first BarCamp, marketers with geeks who initiated the first geek dinners and marketers with geeks who brought about 27. We go together like peas and carrots.

]]> By: Neil Blakey-Milner http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5492 Neil Blakey-Milner Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:18:11 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5492 I may be a whiny little shit too, since sessa's about spot-on with ``Maybe this is why you thought that CPT is difficult to connect in, because it actually was. The environment was not socially conducive, it was actually the exact opposite.''. I've posted a few suggestions on my web log at http://nxsy.org/blog/archives/2007/03/01/27dinner-reportback regarding a bit more thinking into the actual structure and activities within the events - which hopefully would facilitate more meetings and discussion between people. Neil I may be a whiny little shit too, since sessa’s about spot-on with “Maybe this is why you thought that CPT is difficult to connect in, because it actually was. The environment was not socially conducive, it was actually the exact opposite.”.

I’ve posted a few suggestions on my web log at http://nxsy.org/blog/archives/2007/03/01/27dinner-reportback regarding a bit more thinking into the actual structure and activities within the events – which hopefully would facilitate more meetings and discussion between people.

Neil

]]> By: sessa http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5483 sessa Thu, 01 Mar 2007 10:01:20 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5483 eh. What can I say. I don't mean to whine. Sorry. eh. What can I say. I don’t mean to whine. Sorry.

]]> By: Mike http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5481 Mike Thu, 01 Mar 2007 09:11:16 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5481 Sessa - you're still a whiny little shit. Rafiq - can't call it that 'cos Joburg isn't pretentious, rude, obnoxious and cliquey... Sessa – you’re still a whiny little shit.

Rafiq – can’t call it that ‘cos Joburg isn’t pretentious, rude, obnoxious and cliquey…

]]> By: stii.za.net » Blog Archive » 27dinner, where marketers and geeks collide… http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5480 stii.za.net » Blog Archive » 27dinner, where marketers and geeks collide… Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:34:40 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5480 [...] …and the result was a big BANG! Another You-niverse was created. (Great one RafiQ!) It was awesome! I’ve had conversations with GIANTS like Uno, Stefano, Graham, Mike, Dave, RafiQ, Miguel, Max, Angus, Verity, Chris, Jimmy, Stuart, Deon, Guy, Alan, Shelly, Shane to mention but a few. I know not everyone was crazy about the idea and the speakers, but I think an event like this is priceless. Thank you Cerebra boys for orchestrating such an awesome event. [...] [...] …and the result was a big BANG! Another You-niverse was created. (Great one RafiQ!) It was awesome! I’ve had conversations with GIANTS like Uno, Stefano, Graham, Mike, Dave, RafiQ, Miguel, Max, Angus, Verity, Chris, Jimmy, Stuart, Deon, Guy, Alan, Shelly, Shane to mention but a few. I know not everyone was crazy about the idea and the speakers, but I think an event like this is priceless. Thank you Cerebra boys for orchestrating such an awesome event. [...]

]]> By: Rafiq Phillips http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/comment-page-1/#comment-5478 Rafiq Phillips Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:14:15 +0000 http://www.mikestopforth.com/2007/02/28/27-the-cape-town-way/#comment-5478 Mike maybe chnage the post title to 27 Cape Town, the Jozi way? Mike maybe chnage the post title to 27 Cape Town, the Jozi way?

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