> I really miss the days when discussion about conferences was more about technology and content

It's time to face the fact that conferences are becoming antiquated by technology.

EDIT: Judging by the replies, apparently people think conferences are local get-togethers? The point of a conference used to be about exchanging ideas with people outside the neighborhood. It would roll in airline, hotel, $100s for attendence fees (because the venues are large and require organizers.)

Basically, these things turned into junkets in exotic locations. And then many companies decided they are no longer necessary in the age of the web.

So if I go to the euroko 2012 in Berlin, pay 50 euros and no hotel, airline etc. and get to see speakers and attendees from all over the world, including Yukihiro Matsumoto for the keynote, that doesn't count as a conference because it's local and organized by a crew of volunteers that don't need to reek in hefty profits?

> and attendees from all over the world

So you can choose to quote your 50 euros and say that it's a conference, or you can examine how much money the "attendees from all over the world" paid in travel and hotel paid in and note that their money is now being substituted by the web.

Your call.

Maybe. I think that people will like to meet no matter what. It's a very human thing.

Sure, but that does not have to be at an expensive conference. I have a spare bed room (will be furnished soonish) that could host a traveling geek, ala, Paul Erdos.

Much cheaper than an expensive conference.

What's an expensive conference? The euruko for example is at around 50(?) and used to hover at 20 Euros. Lots of smaller conferences are popping up at that price point - single track, one or two days, no fancy catering, just a focus point where more than one person will show up and gather around a topic.

Until technology can replicate that, I think conferences won't go away.

> What's an expensive conference? The euruko for example is at around 50(?) and used to hover at 20 Euros.

Holy moly, travel and hotels have gotten very cheap in Europe.

Rideshare, flatshare if you want to. You can always choose to go to conferences in your town only as well.

HN London: 500 attendees on average each month. £6 entry fee. Not exactly expensive when you consider we also supply free beer and pizza.

I understand your concern, but with the exception of Apple most of the interesting tech is talked about in blogs long before conferences and you can download almost any open source stuff and play with it from your home computer.

What then is left?

No concern, really. It was just an observation. I don't think tech conferences will ever go away unless travel becomes prohibitively expensive or there's some sort of a global pandemic. People in the same industry like to get together to discuss their work, and I think they always will.