RubyFringe: the three-day, $650 Ruby party of 2008

Posted at 8:23 | 15 Jul. 2020

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Looking through the annals of Ruby history, you see how things rise and fall, and it makes one quite sad sometimes. A big podcast fan, it tweaks my heart to see a podcast go on for 5-10 episodes then cease to exist. Additionally, conferences that seem to be a hit but are unable to continue for more than a short time. Honestly, sometimes I wonder if that will be the fate of some things I work on! But nothing can last forever. Perhaps RubyFringe hit the nail on the head with one expensive, attendee-oriented, sponsor-free three-day bash in 2008. It appears there was a cap at 150 attendees, with the first 75 paying $650 a ticket and the next paying a higher amount. (For those keeping score at home, that would be a $100,000 budget). Peter Cooper's RubyInside covered it pretty well and is our main link, but there are also some interesting links at an archive of the original page: here, and also a nice chunk about it on twitter at the time here (note: Jeff Atwood!) It was notorious at the time for apparently being not just expensive but a great all around Ruby party. Were you there? Write in and let me know what your experience was like if so, bonus points if you have any pictures or selfies!

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