[jedberg]

This is a huge blow to our industry I think. I've attended a lot of conferences, large and small, and the hallway track is almost always the most useful part.

I've had some of my most important collaborations start with meeting someone in the hall.

I've met some of my best friends in conference hallways.

I have an entire group of friends who I only ever see at conferences, because we live all over the world.

I once got questioned entering Canada as to why I was going and I said, "to visit friends". They asked me how I could have so many friends in Canada if I've lived in California all my life. I told them, "I met them all at conferences!".

And it's true. Every person I know in Canada I met at a conference (other than a few family members). And almost all of them have helped me professionally at one time or another as well as being good friends.

I'm going to miss those O'Reilly hall tracks. :(