CampFaq
From MashupCamp
Welcome to the Mashup Camp FAQ.
Since launching the Mashup Camp web site, we've been receiving a lot of very obvious questions about Mashup Camp; everything from "What is a mashup?" to "What time does mashup camp start?" So, to make the most efficient use of our time, we're launching a FAQ page that we can refer people to. This way, instead of focusing on our inboxes, we can focus on delivering a great event. This page is work in progress. We're loading questions and answers into it on a one-by-one basis. If you think there's a question that should be on this page (and you know the answer), feel free to contribute to this page! Thanks - db
What is a mashup? Chances are, if you ask two people-in-the-know what mashup is, you'll get different answers. Beauty is definitely in the eyes of the beholder. But, generally speaking, mashups are user experiences that represent the merger or "mashing up" of two or more separate original sources. In the context of music, a mashup may draw from multiple songs to arrive at something that's unique, entertaining, and that may appeal to a completely different audience than the ones that any of the original sources appealed to. In the context of software, a mashup may draw from multiple sources on the Web such as a mapping service from one source and a database from another (where each entry in that database comes with an address or global positioning system location) to produce a unique, graphical Web-based application that visually plots the location that's associated with each record in the database. An example of this type of mashup is FrozenBear's mashing up of two sources: The HotorNot database with Google's mapping service. Bear in mind that this is just one type of mashup involving two sources.
Mashups don't have to involve mapping services or databases and there are already hundreds of different mashups on the Web. John Musser runs an excellent index of mashups at ProgrammableWeb. At the time this definition of a mashup was written, Musser's other Web site (MashupFeed) estimated that 2.64 new mashups were appearing on the Web every day.
Is Mashup Camp a commercial event? The first Mashup Camp, which is scheduled to take place on 2/20 and 2/21 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA is a non-commercial event. There is no charge for attendance and the organizers David Berlind and Doug Gold are not making any money on the event. In fact, at this point they're trying their best to avoid any transactions whatsoever. In other words, if an individual or an organization wants to help make the event a success by providing the coffee and tea for two days, then those sponsors-in-kind are being asked to actually arrange for the coffee and tea to be there at the event (as opposed to giving David or Doug some money and leaving it to them to get the coffee or tea).
What do sponsors-in-kind get in exchange for their sponsorship? To the extent that Mashup Camp is a non-commercial event, David and Doug are also try to keep it as neutral as possible. Sponsors-in-kind get no special booths or exhibits. Referring back to the coffee and tea example, sponsors-in-kind are free to bring branded material (for example, coffee cups) as a part of their "donation." If a sponsor-in-kind steps up to provide the security for the event, then that sponsor is free to make sure the security personnel dress in branded t-shirts or hats. All attendees, sponsors or not, are free to bring and distribute materials at their discretion but cannot set up any special displays or booth space to do so. Sponsors-in-kind will also be acknowledged for their efforts to make the event a success on the Friends of Mashup Camp page, in any official e-mail correspondences (for example, a linked list is included at the bottom of the signup confirmations), on a hand out at the event, and also verbally at the event. Sponsors do not get any special entitlements (for example, the ability to bring extra people to the event or to have their personnel moved up in priority on the waiting list to get in.
If I'm on the waiting list, is there anything I can do to get moved up or get into the event? In the interests of fairness, there is nothing you can do but wait. It doesn't matter whether you're a sponsor-in-kind or a personal friend of one or both of the co-organizers. Mashup Camp was designed from the getgo to avoid the invite-only issue. Thus, it was designed as a first come, first served event. Manipulating the list or setting conditions for who can or who cannot be on it is essentially the same thing as making it invite only. Plus, now that so many people are signed up and many more are on the waiting list, it simply wouldn't be fair to bump someone back, especially when they signed up with the understanding that it was going to be a first come first served event.
But this is a wiki and anybody can edit the pages. If I'm in a certain position on one of the lists, can't someone wipe my name out or move my position? One of the great things about wiki technology is that there's an audit trail on the page. Not only can we can always go back and look at the history of any page, we're making offline backup copies. For example, at this point, everyone can see and alter one of the 250 names on the original signup page. But we're already working off a backup copy of it that serves as the official list.
I'm coming from out-of-town. Is there a hotel where everyone is staying? There's a travel planner page that gives some of the local lodging options and that discusses the preferred hotel.
What time does the event start? There's a very tentative agenda that roughly frames out the way the event might be structured. But it's far from final yet. Please stay tuned to this web site for more information.
