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Shmoocon: Hackers on a Plane —

I’ll write a separate summary of Shmoocon shortly, but I wanted to highlight a most intriguing idea which the fellows from the Hacker Foundation are floating and putting together. The idea is simple enough: Hackers on a Plane. Here’s the pitch.

Basically, there’s the DEFCON convention, coming this summer to Las Vegas, and shortly afterward there’s another edition of the world-famous Chaos Communications Camp, which a 5-day camping expedition in Germany that combines hacking, engineering, and a whole host of amazing activities.

So, let’s say you want to attend both of these events, and you want to do it in a style so slick your grandkids will be talking about how cool you were back then. Well, the Hacker Foundation has done it with Hackers on a Plane.

First, let’s get this number out of the way: $5,000. That’s the cost. Don’t run away. Here’s what that gets you:

  • Attendance through a special distinguishing badge at both DEFCON and the Chaos Communications Camp 2007. You’re a welcome guest at both events with a badge that almost nobody else has.
  • After DEFCON is over, you’re picked up that Monday at McCarran airport in a specially-chartered Maxjet.
  • A Maxjet is not just some run-of-the-mill pissant Jet; these things are designed to be the ultimate in comfort. Every seat is a business class seat, with 160 degree recline and a 2-2-2 configuration; there are no middle seats, only aisle seats.
  • The normal carry limits are out the window; you will be able to haul a lot more stuff than you ever could across international lines. No drugs and weapons, of course, but the limits are a lot different than you’ve ever experienced before.
  • On the flight, meals and alcohol will be served, all completely included. (No $3 beers, etc.)
  • Previews of presentations to be given at CCC will take place on one end of the plane.
  • This is a nonstop flight directly between Las Vegas and the location of CCC 2007. You will walk off the plane and “be there”.
  • 50% of your $5k is a tax-deductable (!) donation to the Hacker Foundation, a registered non-profit that provides financial and advising assistance to groups working to spread knowledge and seed hacker spaces (labs) throughout the US, attempting to duplicate the situation of such spaces in Europe.
  • At the end of your time at Chaos Communications Camp, you will be flown, business class, from the location in Germany back to wherever you’re located in the US.

So basically, we’re talking a full-fledged travel package (minus hotel in Defcon) that will give you a unique way to enjoy both of these events in high-life style. These guys have worked hard to come up with a fundraiser that will be long remembered. It’s a killer.

However, they need people to sign up, not just folks who think it’s a good idea. Spread the word, please. If you have a company that expenses trips, or you have extra cash and want to make a charitable donation while living like a king, here’s the big chance. Contact the Hacker Foundation for more details about it.

I’m always happy when people think out of the box like this. I know they only have a couple weeks to pull together deposits. If you were thinking of attending both events, this is the way to do it.


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3 Comments

  1. Tyger says:

    You’re missing a few key details here.

    1) If you are FROM Europe your flight to Defcon is covered in the
    package, but I believe you have to get yourself home from CCC.

    2) For non-Europeans: You have to get yourself and all of your
    belongings that you’ll need for CCC TO Vegas.

    3) They never clarified on how this “no luggage restriction” works for
    getting your stuff to Vegas in the first place, and back home. I mean,
    if you get all your supplies to Vegas, and then take them on over to
    CCC, won’t you get hit with luggage restrictions coming back to the US?

    Also, I hadn’t heard about this special badge thing!

    Just makes me all the more sad that I’ll be missing out on Defcon this
    year.

  2. fbz says:

    yeah the camp location _IS_ an airport. hopefully they won’t be setting up tents on the secondary airstrip. in any case this will definitely be the flight of a lifetime, i’m slightly bummed i won’t be attending defcon, the one and only time i did was dcX. the camp will rock — if only because it is being planned by the best with the most awesome part being the vintage russian bunkers. ROCK.

  3. L I says:

    $5k and I have to pay my way home? No f’n way, bitches.