there were pleasant sides at this 09′ edition of Le Web.

Proof : http://bit.ly/4K5nmb

Do you like this Whuffie Dancing Doggie ?

And thank you a lot for speaking at G9+ on december 08

(P.S. I was the cartoonist).

I really wasn’t trying to get you to name names. I understand that I am going to be frustrated sometimes and that’s OK. My point was around how there are always going to be circles – like the ripples from a pebble thrown in a pond. Communities within communities. I went to blogher in 2006 and it was the same even with it being very community oriented and almost all women – there was clearly a hierarchy, cliques and probably even a cartel.

I did and do get a lot out of it. And since I’m working on a startup right now, advice from VC’s is very important to me.

For the rest, I always want to improve the quality of LeWeb and listen to posts and constructive criticism. However most conferences I go to, including for much more money serve much worse food in the US, the last one I went to we got a stupid paper box with a sandwich and an apple in it. But yes, we can improve, I think we were above average though.

The gatekeepers and clique thing really annoyed me, we let 200 students in this year, everything was available for free online with >200,000 people who watched so I think we’re doing a lot to open the conference as much as we can. But that would take me way too long to explain and discuss your other post, I just don’t feel like getting there.

Reading your post made me just feel like you LeWeb was probably just not for you and we should probably evolve next year, keep more room for would be entrepreneurs who dream to learn from their peers and network with angels and VCs at LeWeb, and less for free passes to people who come to complain about the food and the quality of the panels that are probably not designed for them, I totally get why you would be entirely bored by a VC or monetizing mobile apps panel.

I know that running a conference isn’t easy. But I thought I was covering the conference like any member of the press would be (that’s what I understood as an ‘offical blogger’) – that means bringing an objective opinion to the table, not just painting a picture of what the organizers want me to say. Perhaps I misunderstood? And I assumed I was chosen (I went through the process like everyone else) because I would bring some attention to the conference (which I did – even with the Clique post, many people tweeted that they wanted to be there and will be there next year).

I’ll add the bit about the 1gb line – sorry that was omitted.

As for demanding. You are right. I didn’t pay for a ticket. But I was trying to write not ‘How is Le Web for a free conference?’ but ‘How is Le Web for someone who would pay full price?’ If I had paid the full price, I probably would have been more upset about the food.

Listen. I reported based on what I heard from many others and since my post(s), I have received many others saying they had the same experience. Like me, everyone had a great time and learnt a lot, but had some feedback on how the conference could have improved. I figure you want to know, right? Don’t focus on the negative. It was, in the scheme of things, minor. That’s why there are 7 positives and 3 negatives.

I’d love you to prove me wrong about the Clique thing. I’m happy to introduce you to really fantastic speakers outside of the circle that would be amazing at Le Web. I was really impressed by many of the selections this year (Queen Rania blew me away and she hasn’t spoken everywhere). It’s a great show. You have a real opportunity to make it a TED for Europe.

glad your comments show that you liked LeWeb and would go back in a heartbeat. I am rather disappointed by your La Clique post but won’t elaborate here.

Houstons’s is not my favorite restaurant I have no idea how you got that from… I was happy that you suggested indeed a much better restaurant in SF it was just a bad choice in a city we just moved in. Kind of weird to read this here frankly.

Delivering food for 2,300 people isn’t easy and if the quality wasn’t as high as I hoped I think it was okay and plenty for everyone, especially for the price you paid for the ticket… Honestly, I am always very surprised how some people can be demanding.

Thousands of students and other bloggers would have killed to be here and certainly not complain about the food and the “gatekeepers” or lack of community as you say.

Oh, finally the Internet also stayed up because there was a 1gb line financed and paid for by LeWeb that’s why we never exceeded 10-20% of the bandwidth available.

Part of the reason I’m not explaining is because, well, I’m a coward and afraid to say anything myself. I don’t know why…because, well, they already dislike me (and lock me out). Being well-known and being part of an in-crowd is something very different. I’d say Kathy, danah and myself have gotten recognition despite what those in power think of us. So, yes. In a way, you are right. We are part of the in-crowd as we are inside the knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes, but we are also far enough inside to know what not-so-cool stuff goes on behind the scenes. Maybe someday, I’ll “grow a pair” and say something more. Sorry. :/