zlacker

>>cebert+(OP)
I once signed up to attend an AWS event way in advance, and provided my email address and phone number when I signed up. Plus, I had chatted with our rep/salesperson about how I was attending this event.

Then, on the day of the event, I drove 5 hours to the conference hall, but when I arrive there, none of the staff know anything about an AWS event! there is some other event happening for high school teachers, and that's it. I double and triple check the AwS event website. It's still up, and still has the same location and date. I call our rep, who reaches out to some other people and eventually gets back to me and tells me the event was cancelled!

Why did nobody reached out to let me know, and why didn't they even take the website down! it was bizarre. I really had thought I was going insane.

I had brunch, and then drove back another 5 hours. At least I got reimbursed for the mileage!

>>lantry+K4
Driving 10 hours both ways to an AWS event to look at some slide decks you can already find online and eat some mid-tier catering doesn't seem like a great use of a day to me.

>>hn_205+cv
Besides the slide content, the purpose of conferences like this is to get to know other people in the industry, have organic discussion, talk about common issues or needs from the vendors, and learn from one another. The sessions are the frame for that. And, if the company you work for is paying for it, then it's a nice vacation, if it's a multi-day event.