I was working with someone earlier this year that wanted to organize an event. They were interested in an online event for their non-US community, as they thought it would work better this year. We had worked through some of the details and then I didn’t hear from this person for a month or so.
They contacted me to ask if I thought they should move forward. A friend of theirs said online events don’t work well and don’t get much engagement, so they weren’t worth doing.
I disagree, and I told the organizer about my feelings. I think there is room for both online and offline events, and I hope to see plenty of both in the future. I have a vision here for SQL Saturday, as well as a few general thoughts.
The SQL Saturday Vision
I want to see more in-person events in 2023. I think these events help us bond well and grow our community closer. I also think they are great for networking, which is most important inside a community. My view is these events are safe in the world, though that isn’t to say that people shouldn’t take precautions. We had 16 in-person events scheduled in 2022 (we’ll see if they all complete).
I also think that there is an accessibility issue for in-person events. They take time, cost money, and can be inconvenient for people that are not close. There are certainly some people who also do not feel safe attending in-person events. Therefore, I would like to see online events run that allow others to learn more about databases and get inspired in their career.
Given these two things,
My Thoughts on Events
Remind others to register here: http://eepurl.com/hwVBKn