Barcamp Belgium

One of the less serious presentations at Barcamp Brussels was the Powerpoint Karaoke by Clo and Bart. Written by Peter Van Wijnaerde, it featured some pretty novel social concepts, and a particularly long word: antidisestablishmentarianism. Enjoy!

video by Maarten
(more…)

Barcamp Brussels is over and it looks like most feedback is positive. Some remarks I made in the back of my mind for next time:

1. WIFI. Some venues are just not equipped to handle 80 geeks with laptops, N95s and even a Nikon camera with 802.11g. We should manage Wifi ourselves and install multiple access points. Creating a separate ‘priority’ network (with separate password) for the vital applications (like on-line demo) was a good set-up.
2. SEATS. We missed the comfy seats of e.g. the SAP Lounge. There should be space for hanging out and talking/browsing/hacking.
3. ENTERTAINMENT. The TwitterCamp screen set up by Werner and Thomas was a nice application, but maybe there should be some kind of ‘amusement’ track that runs next to the three presentation tracks. Games? Hackathon? Photography? Music?

More feedback?

Well, nothing’s for sure yet. You can see some of the intended presentations on the Barcamp wiki. But the schedule is created in the following way:

1. people start arriving at 9AM, start taking breakfast & coffee and chatting.
2. around 9:15AM the schedule boards are set up, with all the speaking slots open. A slot is 30 minutes, which means: 25 min of speaking (max!) There are 3 rooms, so 3 simultaneous tracks. In total there are 33 speaking slots.
3. People who want to present make a Post-It with their title and name and put it in an open slot. When all the slots are taken, the schedule is ready for prime-time, presentations start at 10AM. After that, you can only get a speaking slot if you bribe an existing speaker out of his slot.
4. Like at the previous edition, I will stress starting and ending on time. That means: if you have a 45 min presentation, it will be broken off at 25 min! It’s just a matter of courtesy for the next speaker.
5. Some minor changes might happen after that (people leave early, swap presentations, rooms are too big or too small), but that’s pretty much it. So nothing is decided up front before 9AM, and by 10AM the schedule is available. Chances are, if you arrive at 9:55AM, there will be no more opportunity to speak. I’m just saying: arrive in time!

TIMING
This Saturday is Barcamp Day, and it looks like it’s gonna be a busy day. So you better arrive in time: we start with breakfast at 9AM and the first presentations will be given at 10AM. Since the speaking slots will only be attributed up the very same morning, you better be quick if you’re dying to give that presentation: it’s first-come, first-served, and there are less slots than there are attendees!

VENUE
The venue is Halles de Tanneurs in the Marolles, a former wine vendor’s building that was very nicely renovated. At noon we will have lunch at the Recyclart, a one-minute walk from the Halles. It looks like it’s gonna be a really nice day, so we will be eating partly outside in the sun. Bring some lotion!

Both locations can be found on the following Google Map:

TRANSPORT

• Car, coming from Gent
  Enter Brussels via Koekelberg, turn right on the Kleine Ring at Sainctelette, go left just before the railroad into the Stalingradlaan, take the fifth on the right into the Radstraat, you’ll drive right to Recyclart. Find a parking spot!
• Car, coming from Antwerp/Leuven
  Enter Brussels via the E40, follow the tunnels ‘EC’ (the middle ones), and take the Wetstraat/Rue de la Loi. Pass the Kleine Ring and keep following the Wetstraat (you’ll pass by the Warandepark at your left). At the lights go straight ahead and keep following the road when it make s a big turn to the left (Kolonienstraat). You’ll pass by the Centraal Station on your right. Just keep going straight ahead (you’ll see Albertina bibliotheek/Kunstberg at your left). You’ll see a large skating park right in front of you, and you have to turn left and then right just before it. Now start looking for a parking spot!
• Train
  The venue is about the same distance from Brussels Centraal or Brussels Midi/Zuid, but you’ll enjoy the 10-minute walk better if you step out at Brussels Centraal.

PARKING
For a parking spot, try the Brigittinenstraat that runs next to the railroad, or the roads between Huidevettersstraat/ Blaesstraat/ Hoogstraat. If you drive a Golden Lexus and want a guarded parking spot, try the public parking of Justitiepaleis / Poelaertplein.