Webstock Day 1

The Webstock conference opened this morning to an eager collection of passionate webbies. Having attended every Webstock event since it inception in 2006 I’m amazed at how Tash and Mike continue to surprise and delight.

The bar is lifted each year with the teams professionalism and brand identity. 2010 is no different Webstock is now certainly a brand, a badge and a community (tribe).

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Mike’s opening this morning was testament to this, he talked about love and community and then surprisingly drew on the birth of three babies including my daughter Molly who was born on the 28th Dec last year. Mike then went on to dedicate Webstock 2010 to Darren and Amanda who are avid Webstock supporters, missing this years event because they are getting married in Auckland this weekend.

This set the stage for the overarching theme of Webstock

We fall in love with something that is made with love

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This was reinforced throughout the sessions on day 1.

Courtesy of Jeff Atwood:

Tiny slices of frictionless effort

A program is a love letter to the hardware

Ben Kepes is doing a great job live blogging from Webstock his first two posts covered

Scott Thomas - Web design that grabs people

The Obama campaign was built by a big team, and fuelled by love

Brian Fling Brian does the Andrew Sisters including a link to the notorious New Zealand Is Yours Nightlife video.

The part of Brian’s talk that resonated for me the most was his comment about how Mobile Applications are not the Web and that you should talk to people who have been doing desktop software development before getting started.

The role that I have taken at this years Webstock as a sponsor is attempting to bubble up the conversations and experience of Webstock for the people who are no lucky enough to attend the event. I am doing this through https://workit.co.nz a website that I have put together to “share the love” :)

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Leading up to Webstock I took the time to interview and experience the workshops of some of this years inspiring speakers. Check them out for yourself.

It wouldn’t be Webstock if the day didn’t close with a rock star and this year is no different.

I am attracted to them because they are pretty. And that's how you trespass in New York City.

Rives -- star of the Bravo special "Ironic Iconic America" – brought from TED to Webstock his typographical fairy tale that's short and bittersweet

Bring on Day Two!