C++ and Beyond

In my summary profile of last year’s C&B attendees, I noted that we had people from five continents, and I wrote:

Assuming we do another C&B, I’m going to press for free admission for the first resident from Antarctica to register.

Well, we’re doing another C++ and Beyond, and Herb and Andrei have given in to my pressure.  If you reside in Antarctica and you’re the first to request free admission to C&B, you’re in!  I’m guessing the weather in August is likely to be somewhat more pleasant in Asheville than in Antarctica, but I’m a cold-weather wimp.  (Earlier this month I was in Québec City, a lovely town with truly charming people, where the not-bad-by-local-standards evening temperature of -11 degrees (Celsius) was more than enough to convince me that Québec is a great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.)

To qualify for the first-from-Antarctica 100% admission discount, all you have to do is (1) ask for it (send us email) and (2) convince us that you really reside in Antarctica.  I can think of a number of ways you can do that, but sending a picture of yourself in a bright red parka standing next to a penguin with a tourist ship in the background is not one of them.

I honestly hope we’re able to give away this slot. If you’re willing to travel to C&B from the bottom of the earth, we’re eager to have you participate.

Scott

Andrei, Herb, and I are pleased to announce that registration for C++ and Beyond 2012 is now open. In fact, thanks to a technical boo-boo on my part, it’s been open for a couple of days, and wasn’t I surprised the other morning when people starting registering before I realized it was possible? That phenomenon “incentivised” me to finish up the C&B web pages a few days earlier than I’d planned, but the result is that everything you need to know about C&B is now accessible.  Among the most important pages are:

• The C&B Home Page, which summarizes what C++ and Beyond is about.
• The Grove Park Inn Page, which describes where it will be held, and the Getting to C&B 2012 Page, which tells you how to get there.
• The C&B Schedule Page, which currently contains only general information, but which we’ll update to reflect talk topics as they are determined.
• The C&B FAQ Page, which answers frequently asked questions (duh!).

The essentials of C&B 2012 are as follows:

• Dates are August 5-8, location is the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina.
• Attendance is limited to 120 participants.
• Technical sessions focus on new material—material we’ve never publicly presented or published. Prospective talk sessions will be posted to the blog for advance feedback.
• The Sunday evening reception and daily breakfasts and lunches are included.
• Group registrations (3 or more people) get 10% off. Early birds (groups and individuals registering by the end of May) also get 10% off.  These discounts combine, so early bird groups get 20% off.

This year boasts more C++-focused conferences than we’ve seen in a long while, but C++ and Beyond remains the only event with a deliberately small-group feel, a dedication to new technical material, and a real opportunity for substantive interactions with Herb, Andrei, and me.  The three of us are committed to making it a don’t-miss event for all serious C++ software developers, regardless of experience level.

We hope to see you in Asheville in August.

Scott