• Mike Parker (60/60) Dec 19 2022 The format of DConf Online was somewhat problematic from the
• bachmeier (4/17) Dec 19 2022 This sounds like a better strategy. Also, please:
• Greggor (11/30) Dec 22 2022 It was not just the world cup, it was also the week end of when
• matheus (7/12) Dec 19 2022 I concur.
• =?UTF-8?Q?Ali_=c3=87ehreli?= (7/10) Dec 19 2022 Somewhat related, can in-person DConf be at a quieter time of the year?
• Greggor (3/13) Dec 22 2022 This, I'd love to attend in person, but flying, especially out of
• Steven Schveighoffer (3/8) Dec 19 2022 Sounds like a solid plan!
• Dukc (3/14) Dec 22 2022 Excellent. I find it impossible to follow two videos at once. The
• Mike Shah (4/19) Dec 22 2022 All sounds good to me Mike!
• Greggor (4/17) Dec 22 2022 That is a good idea, this would make the online stuff a lot nicer!

Mike Parker <aldacron gmail.com> writes:

The format of DConf Online was somewhat problematic from the 
beginning. I thought people would be used to it by now---watch 
the talk, then come back to the stream---but apparently the urge 
to watch both the stream and the talk at the same time is pretty 
strong. I suppose if I were a viewer, I'd be the same way. So I'm 
going to remove the temptation next year :-)

My thinking behind the current format was: the speaker has to be 
available to answer questions in the video's chat box anyway, and 
that's a poor format for quality answers, so why not record them 
doing it and give them a chance to verbally expand with more 
detailed answers? And then I figured I'd fill the gaps when no 
questions were coming in. Then the viewers could come into the 
stream with more questions after the talk, and after the 
conference, I'd release it as a separate Q & A video. (Had I been 
more versed in the operation of OBS Studio at the time, I might 
have taken a different approach.)

I'd like to continue releasing Q & A videos after the conference. 
One option would be to take the Jitsi instance out of the live 
stream when the talk starts. Then I can talk to the speaker as I 
have been doing, but the viewers won't have to make a choice.

I'm not sure that's the way to go, though. The thing is, even 
though I'd prefer everyone go watch the talk while I have my 
little discussion, the interaction with the stream viewers is 
part of the fun. Plus it helps keep the discussion going. I would 
miss that if I took the Jitsi out of the stream.

Adam suggested showing the talk in the stream. I wasn't keen on 
that at first, but I've since warmed up to it. And now I know how 
we're doing things next time.

Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
talk:

* I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
talk, with viewers free to chime in
* I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
together in the stream
* For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
resume the talk
* After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 or 
20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

This way, viewers don't have to choose and I can still have my Q 
& A videos after the conference.

Furthermore, I won't have to schedule the talks as premieres. 
This way, the schedule won't be limited to YouTube's restrictions 
(premieres can only be scheduled at :00, :15, :30, and :45 in any 
given hour). I don't even have to make them public. I can keep 
them private until after, maybe even release one each day after 
the conference.

As for when the next time will be, I'm thinking we'll delay until 
January or February 2024. My choice of November for the first two 
conferences was based on DConf happening in May every year. Then 
this year it happened in August. I didn't like the idea of 
skipping '22 for DConf Online, hence December. But really, that 
was just too close. We hadn't wrapped up the post-DConf admin 
before I was already working on the online version. Given that 
DConf '23 (assuming it happens) is likely to be in August, it 
makes sense to push DConf Online back a couple months, even if it 
means we have to skip a number.

So anyway, I wanted to post this here to say thanks to those who 
provided feedback and suggestions. I had time to mull it over 
today and I like where it led me.

bachmeier <no spam.net> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:

 Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
 talk:

 * I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
 talk, with viewers free to chime in
 * I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
 together in the stream
 * For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
 I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
 resume the talk
 * After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 
 or 20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

 This way, viewers don't have to choose and I can still have my 
 Q & A videos after the conference.

This sounds like a better strategy. Also, please:

* Schedule it for a time that doesn't conflict with the World Cup 
final and other major sporting events.

Greggor <Greggor notareal.email> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 15:31:53 UTC, bachmeier wrote:
 On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:

 Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
 talk:

 * I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
 talk, with viewers free to chime in
 * I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
 together in the stream
 * For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
 I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
 resume the talk
 * After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 
 or 20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

 This way, viewers don't have to choose and I can still have my 
 Q & A videos after the conference.

 This sounds like a better strategy. Also, please:

 * Schedule it for a time that doesn't conflict with the World 
 Cup final and other major sporting events.

It was not just the world cup, it was also the week end of when 
winter break starts for a lot of students & is close to 
Christmas. This will effect availability, because this is when 
people start traveling and doing Family related stuff.

In general I think this was a death by a thousand paper cuts type 
deal: Not much time passed from the last Dconf, Online stuff is 
slowing down as people return to IRL, the Holidays are 
approaching & there apparently was major sports event going on.

I do also want to say that I'm not blaming anyone here, I don't 
think any of this was too obvious until it happened.

matheus <matheus gmail.com> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
 ...
 Adam suggested showing the talk in the stream. I wasn't keen on 
 that at first, but I've since warmed up to it. And now I know 
 how we're doing things next time.
 ...

I concur.

By the way, unfortunately I couldn't watch some of the content 
live (I was working), but I'm watching the playlist since 
yesterday and I'm liking everything so far, in fact I would like 
that some talks were more than 20 minutes.

Matheus.

=?UTF-8?Q?Ali_=c3=87ehreli?= <acehreli yahoo.com> writes:

On 12/19/22 06:38, Mike Parker wrote:

 This way, viewers don't have to choose

Yay!

 Given that DConf '23 (assuming it happens) is likely
 to be in August

Somewhat related, can in-person DConf be at a quieter time of the year? 
Air travel is most expensive and crowded in summer months for the 
northern hemisphere when schools are off. I think cost of lodging is 
affected similarly.

Ali

Greggor <Greggor notareal.email> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 16:26:45 UTC, Ali Çehreli wrote:
 On 12/19/22 06:38, Mike Parker wrote:

 This way, viewers don't have to choose

 Yay!

 Given that DConf '23 (assuming it happens) is likely
 to be in August

 Somewhat related, can in-person DConf be at a quieter time of 
 the year? Air travel is most expensive and crowded in summer 
 months for the northern hemisphere when schools are off. I 
 think cost of lodging is affected similarly.

 Ali

This, I'd love to attend in person, but flying, especially out of 
country and in the summer months is expensive!

Steven Schveighoffer <schveiguy gmail.com> writes:

On 12/19/22 9:38 AM, Mike Parker wrote:

 So anyway, I wanted to post this here to say thanks to those who 
 provided feedback and suggestions. I had time to mull it over today and 
 I like where it led me.
 
 

Sounds like a solid plan!

-Steve

Dukc <ajieskola gmail.com> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
 Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
 talk:

 * I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
 talk, with viewers free to chime in
 * I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
 together in the stream
 * For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
 I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
 resume the talk
 * After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 
 or 20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

Excellent. I find it impossible to follow two videos at once. The 
new format is much better.

Mike Shah <mshah.475 gmail.com> writes:

On Thursday, 22 December 2022 at 16:12:05 UTC, Dukc wrote:
 On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
 Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
 talk:

 * I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
 talk, with viewers free to chime in
 * I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
 together in the stream
 * For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
 I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
 resume the talk
 * After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 
 or 20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

 Excellent. I find it impossible to follow two videos at once. 
 The new format is much better.

All sounds good to me Mike!

I like the new changes, and still think DConf '22 Online was a 
great success -- learned a lot!

Greggor <Greggor notareal.email> writes:

On Monday, 19 December 2022 at 14:38:26 UTC, Mike Parker wrote:
 Next time, everything will happen in the livestream. For each 
 talk:

 * I'll chat with the speaker for 10 or 15 minutes before the 
 talk, with viewers free to chime in
 * I'll switch from the Jitsi to the talk, and we'll watch it 
 together in the stream
 * For any on-topic questions (about the talk) during the talk, 
 I'll pause it and let the speaker answer verbally, then I'll 
 resume the talk
 * After the talk, we'll keep the speaker around for another 15 
 or 20 minutes for more Q & A and discussion.

 This way, viewers don't have to choose and I can still have my 
 Q & A videos after the conference.

That is a good idea, this would make the online stuff a lot nicer!
Instead of watching the talk and then hunting down the 
appropriate Q&A in the Q&A video/stream.