Beyond Folksonomies SXSW Panel Podcast Files

Looks like the folks at SXSW have put out a complete schedule of when the podcast/mp3 versions of the panel presentations will be available. If you check out theSXSWi panel podcast schedule, you'll see that my panel's audio will be available on April 6. If you didn't attend the panel or are just curious, that will be when you can participate after the fact.

It's also an interesting schedule to look at because it will let you know when any of the other panels you were interested in or missed (which is all of them if you didn't attend).

If you are lazy and just want to grab all of the MP3's as they come out, you should put the podcast RSS url into a podcast receiver like Juice and let it take care of grabbing them as they come out and you can filter through them after the fact (that's what I'm doing).

While I agree that much of the benefit in attending is in meeting people, etc. I am not anywhere near convinced that that is the primary or even the majority of the benefit. Personally, to me, experiences like this are valuable in how they provide a wide array of input into your thinking. With 3-4 sessions per day, a couple of meals per day and your evening leisure, the permutations are gigantic. Each person who attends actually attends a completely unique conference. And, because it's 4 days of constant input, you tend to think about things on day 2 that wouldn't have occurred except for what the events of day 1 stimulated you into thinking.

Thus, I think the primary purpose of these conferences is mental stimulation. And, that stimulation *can* happen using just the podcasts. So, if you can't go to conferences, take advantage of these files and don't let people tell you that they aren't valuable.