Encouraging more people to attend conferences

Rabea Gransberger: Yes, I do. There's a small local conference called the Java Forum Nord in Hanover, which is just one hour away by train. I always ask coworkers if they want to go there because it's a good conference for people who haven't been to a conference before.

"Some people are intimidated by the atmosphere at conferences."

—Rabea Gransberger

Many people don't like the idea of going to conferences. It's just a different way of learning and I think everybody's very different in how they learn. Some people are intimidated by the atmosphere at conferences.

If you're going alone, for example, and you don't have anybody to talk with, I think it can be very overwhelming to see all those people running in different directions. Then at lunchtime, you're standing there alone. So, I think conferences aren't a good way for everybody to learn.

Geertjan Wielenga...