Thanks for the comment, by the way. I love BarCamp too and now I’m going to have to check out those other events you mentioned.

As for Build, I’d love to go although I’m fairly sure it’s too designy in content for me to get my employer to pay for me to attend (I’m not paid to do that sort of thing, sadly). Let’s see how the coffers are looking when the time comes…

Having said that, the first time I attended a web conference, FOWD’08, I came all the way from Portugal, payed for everything from my own pocket and loved it. I think it’s just easier to ease into the whole web people scene if you attend a conference first, where more people are in the same situation as you.

Pub Standards is great, but it’s not the most friendly event in the world. By that I don’t mean people aren’t friendly, but you don’t go by yourself: it looks a lot like some random people in a pub, it’s not a structured thing where everyone is there for the same thing. I remembered the first time I was planning on going someone told me “it’s great, but bring a friend” :)

Then there are also free events, like BarCamps. Here you have content, people, food, beer, games, and everything is free! How cool is that, right?

London has the privilege of hosting a lot of other free events, for example I attended Standards.Next and Open Source Show and Tell, and the content was worthy of any overpriced high profile conference.

No one’s going to fly in from Amsterdam just for a night out at the pub – it has to be for longer to make it worth it.

Why, I and bunch of other geeks took flights and trains to Belgium in Jan for a few beers. I don’t see why not ;)

And finally, regarding Build, do go. I’ve met the most incredible people there and it’s so go to get out of London once in a while!

I guess the way I use Twitter doesn’t fit quite as snugly with the way you use it as it might, but that’s part of what makes Twitter so interesting. No hard feelings I hope!