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  1. #1
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    Kid Section at HostingCon

    I mentioned it in another post I made regarding the growing concern of kids running companies that are illegal in some since. It sparked an idea that I think would be amazing for HostingCon to head up.

    I am suggesting in the future to open an area of HostingCon to the kids. Have it a yearly event and offer invites to the city to those interested in learning how networking works, etc. You could even provide some hands on training and awesome lectures from guest speakers. I am sure many would devote some time to see this happen.

    Kids are the future and many are hungry about the technology age and are already looking to work in this industry. Why not provide some great training to all levels (beginners to advance) from the industry itself.

    You never know - one day it could become an after school center where kids can come to continue to learn. Big dreams - but why not right? They deserve an out lit.

    Just a thought.

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  2. #2
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    I like the idea of opening the conference up to younger people (younger than the current attendees ) but I think it would be better to invite some of the local technology classes to attend the exhibit hall, and maybe have a special lecture about the hosting industry. You could feature talks on careers, the future, etc. I think the number one issue most people have at HostingCon is explaining to everyone else just what they do
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  3. #3
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    I agree. Anything is better than nothing.

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  4. #4
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    There are two aspects of running a hosting business. There's "hosting", which kids seem to have a decent (although not great) grasp of. The other aspect is "business", which the kids seem to fail miserably at. I think it would be a really good idea to get it pounded into these kids heads that the business part of running a hosting company is so much more important than knowing how to follow a Linux for Dummies manual.

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  5. #5
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    my suggestion here isn't so much as to teach them how to be a web host but more so constructive lectures and tools that could help them learn more about networking and how the hosting industry utilizes the technology that is available today to make the industry run.

    It would be educational to those interested in learning.

    It is like when I wanted to learn how to improve my golf game back when I was 10 y/o I was able to go to clinics to learn some very important skills as well as learn more about the game.

    I have also been to design type clinics that weren't about trying to teach you how to run your own ad agency - but were geared towards providing kids with a vision on how the design industry ran and what jobs were available and a few tricks of the trade.

    All I am suggesting is (we as an industry) with all of our knowledge and tricks of the trade come together to meet once a year at hostingcon could really use this collective knowledge to something for the kids that are interested.

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  6. #6
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    Excellent idea Jerett, and great follow ups from Mat and Tina.

    I'm loving this idea Jerett. We all bark on about how kids are screwing the hosting industry, but there are those little gems among those who are screwing the industry that know what they are doing (I believe I was one of those back in the day, when I was hosting sites at 16, and apparently, doing a fine job of it).

    I'm imagining a teenage guest speaker, who is already working in the industry and who is managing their own business. Heck, I would volunteer myself to speak if I had the chance. I've considered going in to local schools and talking about self employment after education to 16 year olds in the past. My lack of time meant it didn't go anywhere, but this would be right up my street.
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  7. #7
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    This is quite big step for kid section at HostingCon and good idea to train them incl more info about business.

    If kids are not in Las Vegas or need to travel there, looks like they need parents or supervisor to come along if they are 11-13, don't they? You know what parents are like.. Protecting children and keep them safe. I just can't see myself how can 11yrs old kid can travel alone...

    Jen
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  8. #8
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    HostingCon is a conference for adult professionals, not an after school program for kids to learn how to start hosts with their allowance money.

    No, i'm not trash talking. I started BLCC as a proprietorship when I was 16.

    HostingCon currently allows those age 16 or order to attend. If they reduced that any more I would not attend.
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  9. #9
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    I think we're talking more about inviting one class of teenagers to listen to a guest speaker or two and chat with them, Jeff, rather than allowing kids full run of the conference hall.

    I would agree with you if we were talking about lowering the age for full attendees of the conference, but I don't think we are.
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  10. #10
    if you want to do somthing like that you could use "workshops" with more experienced people showing the younger generation how that and this is done and what to expect etc. But to me sounds good but i couldnt imagine seeing alot at it.
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  11. #11
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    Just wondering, when you say kids, what age range are you referring to? 12-18?
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  12. #12
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    Personally, I'm thinking no younger than 15. I'm not sure what the age ranges are in US schools, but here in the UK, 15/16 is the time when schools start to talk a lot about a career after school.
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  13. #13
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    16 should be the limit. Any younger then that I think they would be too immature to really continue to be interested in it or even understand the full physics of it. Most kids go into it looking for a quick way to get money, they eventually find out that it's a lot more then what they bargained for and thousands of kiddie hosts go poof each year.

    The hosting industry isn't something that you need advertised
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  14. #14
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    Sounds great! Hmm... with the age it can depend on the country. Because of schooling, kids can mature earlier than others. But i'd say 13+ maybe? There's simular sessions going on at a Tafe but it isn't aimed straight onto "hosting" but onto there more technical sides like networking etc.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Funkadelic
    16 should be the limit. Any younger then that I think they would be too immature to really continue to be interested in it or even understand the full physics of it. Most kids go into it looking for a quick way to get money, they eventually find out that it's a lot more then what they bargained for and thousands of kiddie hosts go poof each year.

    The hosting industry isn't something that you need advertised
    Yes that's right. 16 is the current limit at hostingcon, as you can see from their website. And I do believe 16 should be the limit. Anything younger wouldn't be right.
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  16. #16
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    I think it would be a great program to offer to the kids. It isn't something that kids need to travel to - it could be geared towards local kids in the Chicago area. And only the workshops would be available to these kids with a possible tour of the show room during a set time.

    HostingCon is a conference for adult professionals, not an after school program for kids to learn how to start hosts with their allowance money.

    No, i'm not trash talking. I started BLCC as a proprietorship when I was 16.

    HostingCon currently allows those age 16 or order to attend. If they reduced that any more I would not attend.
    So don't worry here - I wasn't saying we should open the floor for the kids to roam free.

    Another suggestion would be to talk with the local tech schools for kids in the area and maybe have a group go there and talk.

    Im just throwing things out.

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  17. #17
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    Maybe we should let cats and dogs loose in the convention and open a play pin too!
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  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Funkadelic
    Maybe we should let cats and dogs loose in the convention and open a play pin too!
    Sure. Maybe you will have fun.

    Jerett is throwing an idea out there. As he has already said, he isn't talking about letting kids loose in the convention. He is talking about one morning where a class or two of kids can be brought by their teacher to listen to a couple of the industry professionals and maybe have a play with some of the tools we use on a daily basis.

    Of course, if you still want the cats, dogs and play pen I'm sure the HostingCon guys can fix that for you. Maybe you'll get a bone to play with too.

    </End rant. Sorry!>
    Last edited by Jamie Harrop; 12-27-2006 at 01:57 PM.
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  19. #19
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    HA! Thanks Jamie!

    Funkadelic - I personally take some offense to what you said and find it very immature on your part to put kids on the level of cats and dogs and referring to my suggestion as a play pin. You didn't say it out front - but the implication was understood.

    I would have to speculate that you are one of the first people to complain about our kids these days the trouble they stir up - but are the last one to lift a finger to offer any constructive alternatives for them - much like what I am offering HostingCon does.

    If you are only going to be rude and ignorant on the issues - please don't post in the thread.

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  20. #20
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    I stand by what I said. Web Hosting is a serious industry just like any other industry. There are thousands of kiddie hosts who are ruining The Hosting Industries Reputation. I see no point in giving kids a lecture on web hosting. If their interested they will just go out and start their own little kiddie host.

    It seems like you want to make it something to a similar extent where a firefighter would go to an elementary school and give a talk about his job to try and get kids to be interested in it.

    The Hosting Industry is a world renowned industry and if the kids are interested they will find out on their own. As I said before it's not something you need to advertise.
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  21. #21
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    I disagree.

    I feel that the hosting industry on a whole work with some of the leading technology that is out there when it comes to networking. I don't have this kiddie fear that you do of them taking over the industry - but more so feel it would be an excellent opportunity to talk to them about some of the new technology that is out there - how we use it - and so forth.

    So what your saying - is why educated at all basically. Let them figure it out themselves.

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  22. #22
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    I do suppose you are right. I wouldn't gear this towards 'kids' in particular. Around here there are high school's that students can choose to go to. The student would pick an career or industry they are interested in such as a computer technician, mechanic or even hair stylist. They don't however say anything about the hosting market. I think it would be more beneficial to introduce your idea to Teenagers in high school.
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  23. #23
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    I feel that inviting some youth of a few technical schools / classes and introduce them to some of the technology we as hosting providers use would be amazing. Show them how awesome it is and why we love doing it. It might spark a few minds and get some of them really interested in the industry or better yet - networking in general.

    To plant the interest in one child's mind is enough to grow a better tomorrow.

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  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by IRCCo Jeff
    HostingCon is a conference for adult professionals, not an after school program for kids to learn how to start hosts with their allowance money.

    No, i'm not trash talking. I started BLCC as a proprietorship when I was 16.

    HostingCon currently allows those age 16 or order to attend. If they reduced that any more I would not attend.
    Agreed. HostingCon isn't a careers fair and the logistics of younger attendees just does not fit. Do you think parents will pay for their children to stay in (relatively) expensive hotels? Will they accompany their children to HostingCon or would they be sent alone and responsibility left with HC staff to look after them? 16 is fine and maybe 18 would be better, any younger and you need parents to travel and pay for their children.
    I spent a few grand in attending (flights, hotel, entertainment) HostingCon 2006 and I doubt that parents would want to pay that purely because their child is 'interested' in hosting.

    For the record, I am not anti-young person. I also started at 16 and turn 22 not long before HostingCon 07.

    Matt
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  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Funkadelic
    I do suppose you are right. I wouldn't gear this towards 'kids' in particular. Around here there are high school's that students can choose to go to. The student would pick an career or industry they are interested in such as a computer technician, mechanic or even hair stylist. They don't however say anything about the hosting market. I think it would be more beneficial to introduce your idea to Teenagers in high school.
    They are very generalized. How can you possibly encompass every single career path on top of the education kids are receiving? The bright kids will know what they want to do or build up the ideas as they go through college. It is the bright kids that will be the decision makers in this industry when they come of age.
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