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Webby Awards Downsized To Virtual Event

minesweeper writes "In another sign of the times, this article in the SF Chronicle says that the seventh annual Webby Awards, typically a flamboyant affair held in San Francisco, has been reduced to a virtual event this year. Many of the nominees couldn't make it to the event scheduled for June 5 due to the downturn in the economy and fears of traveling."

106 comments

  1. Just as... by Glock27 · · Score: 1, Insightful
    many web related positions have become "virtual jobs".

    Personally, I'm ready for another "bubble".

    --
    Galileo: "The Earth revolves around the Sun!"
    Score: -1 100% Flamebait
    1. Re:Just as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, so you can get a $50,000-100,000 job and rich people make billions of dollars by selling their overvalued stocks.

    2. Re:Just as... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Personally, I'm ready for another "bubble".

      You're going to have to wait a while. The people involved in dot-bombs will remember the financial sting for a loooooooooong time, and are not likely to work for pretend internet money (stock options) again anytime soon.

    3. Re:Just as... by JThaddeus · · Score: 1

      Yep, it tells us a lot about the market. See Gene Weingarten's method of market analysis. Good as any, I guess...

      --
      "Love is a familiar; Love is a devil: there is no evil angel but Love." --William Shakespeare ('Love's Labors Lost')
  2. hrm... by xao+gypsie · · Score: 2, Funny

    sad, but not as sad as the 'Clippy' awards were last month....

    xao

    --


    xao
    http://TheHillforum.hopto.org
    1. Re:hrm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I like my women like I like my coffee......bitter.

      Hot, black, and with a load of cream?

    2. Re:hrm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I like my women like I like my coffee......bitter.

      Hot, black, and with a load of cream?


      Chock full of nuts?

    3. Re:hrm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like my women like I like my coffee......bitter.

      Hot, black, and with a load of cream?


      Gathered in quantity from columbian villages?

  3. Traveling to San Fran. by $$$$$exyGal · · Score: 2, Funny
    A significant number of nominees said that for a variety of reasons they were reluctant to travel to San Francisco.

    They are probably afraid to travel to San Francisco, or anywhere else for that matter. If they leave the office for more than a day or so, many of them are probably afraid they'll be replaced.

    --
    Very popular slashdot journal for adul
    1. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by SN74S181 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Worse yet, nobody will notice they were gone, but someone important will notice that nobody noticed they were gone.

    2. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Speaking as a straight person who lives in San Fransisco, fuck you.

    3. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Speaking as a gay person who lives in San Francisco, fuck me!

    4. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what? the return of $$$$$exyGal? the return of the porn obsessed man and karma whore who thinks he is a woman? it is truly an odd day in slashdottington!

    5. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by obotics · · Score: 1

      Or they could get SARS while they are out and about...

    6. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by inertia187 · · Score: 4, Funny

      ...many of them are probably afraid they'll be replaced.

      Yes, replaced with a very small shell script.

      --
      A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
    7. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't think my wife would approve. :)

    8. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by wljones · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      I am retired, and do not fear job loss, or loss of pension. SARS incidence is so low as to be random noise. War was not a reason to fear flying even during the campaign. The US Government operated and airline approved Passenger Harassment System at airports means the airlines and airports can crumble into dust before your eyes. If it cannot be reached by surface transport, it will not be considered for a visit.

    9. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by UnknownQ · · Score: 1

      Ahah! They can't fire the guy who writes the shell scripts! That's why I'm going to be a sysadmin.

      --
      Wherever you go, there you are!
    10. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Excellent troll! We all know there aren't any straight people in San Francisco.

    11. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by Temporal · · Score: 2, Funny

      for STORY; do
      POST=no

      #(CT) removed to increase efficiency
      #rtfa $STORY
      #ispell $STORY
      if grep "Linux\|DMCA\|Microsoft\|Star Wars" $STORY; then
      POST=yes
      fi

      if grep $STORY $PREVIOUS_STORIES; then
      POST=noo
      fi

      if [ $POST != no ]; then
      post $STORY
      fi
      done

    12. Re:Traveling to San Fran. by IIRCAFAIKIANAL · · Score: 1
      POST=noo


      Now that was funny! :)
      --
      Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel.
  4. This should have been done a long time ago by HughJampton · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Does it not make sense to have web awards presented on the web?

    --
    In Soviet Russia, beowulf clusters imagine YOU!
    1. Re:This should have been done a long time ago by Savatte · · Score: 1

      The oscars are broadcast on television.

    2. Re:This should have been done a long time ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So are movies.

    3. Re:This should have been done a long time ago by yintercept · · Score: 1

      It seems to me that there needs to be a few events that involve physical people meeting other physical people. Having just another a cyber event de-emphasizes any human aspect of the net.

    4. Re:This should have been done a long time ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They couldn't find a way to make it "flamboyant" enough.

  5. Nah by kaden · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's just Karma for their years of refusal to follow their own polls and give Fark an award or even a nomination, even though it always had way more votes than any of the other silly 'community' sites they list which you've never heard of.

    1. Re:Nah by jark · · Score: 3, Insightful

      agreed. the webby awards have always been, and will continue to be, a joke. their self-proclaimed academy seems to be more out of touch than anything. many sites have gone unnoticed for whatever reason so it is good to see that the webby awards are starting to go unnoticed as well.

    2. Re:Nah by Neophytus · · Score: 1

      The golden web awards are even more of a joke - they will give their award to any website of any quality. A quick google gives one small thread about them. Isnt it ironic that a scam website has one too

  6. But what am I gonna wear? by 13palindrome37 · · Score: 1

    At least I don't have to get my astronaut suit dry cleaned. That's starting to get expensive.

  7. People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by realdpk · · Score: 1

    Holy cow. These people need therapy!

    1. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Hooya · · Score: 4, Insightful

      well, ya. considering the times.. it's not the terrorist factor anymore. it's the "i'm gonna be fired.. and replaced.. if i don't show up at work" fear factor.

    2. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      it's not the terrorist factor anymore. it's the "i'm gonna be fired.. and replaced.. if i don't show up at work" fear factor.

      RTFA. The "fear" relates to SARS and the war in Iraq, or so reports the writer in attempting to link a downturn in attendance to global travel trends.

    3. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by sirinek · · Score: 1

      No doubt. Why not just seal yourself up in your house with ducttape and plastic sheeting.

      Christ, some people need help.

    4. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Screw the terrorists, man, I'm more afraid of the "security" theses days!

    5. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by IvyMike · · Score: 1

      I don't think it's 9/11. I think people are afraid because of the SARS, and the possibility of being stuck in a confined space with an infected person.

      (Not that I am afraid; I'm just saying that's what I think the problem is.)

    6. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. I think its fear of willingly boarding an aircraft that will be piloted by an intoxicated individual with a gun.

    7. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the WHO has only quarantined Canada and China, there's no advisory about the USA.

    8. Re:People are *STILL* afraid to travel? by Garg · · Score: 2, Funny

      the WHO has only quarantined Canada and China, there's no advisory about the USA.

      And that's just Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle, Pete Townshens is still undecided.

      Garg

      --
      Garg
      Alumnus, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters
  8. Hehe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wait after the day when cyberterrorists do a major cyber attack, you'll read:

    "Webby Awards, typically a virtual event, has been reduced to a flamboyant affair held in San Francisco. Many of the nominees couldn't make it to the virtual event scheduled for June 5 due to fears of using the Internet."

    1. Re:Hehe by -Rainer38- · · Score: 1

      But they'll still have their chance to scream their opnions on the war....

    2. Re:Hehe by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      nah, it goes like this: because of outbreak of newest ms.server DOSsing worm, the whole internet was reduced to 20byte/s stream of information, making everyone unable to attend to the virtual webby event. dial-up lines were hastly put into place for desperate nominees to connect with.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  9. hmmm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "A significant number of nominees said that for a variety of reasons they were reluctant to travel to San Francisco,"

    Would this have anything to do with a previous bad experience in the Blue Oyster bar ???

  10. Thats f**ked by kingkade · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...fears of traveling.

    What are we, a country of pansies all of a sudden? I see people traveling everyday without even thinking of "ooohh, the terrorists are out to get us, aahhhh....". Statements like this make it seem we're all holed up in our basements with a shotgun and stock of canned ham waiting for the end. These geeks just don't wanna leave their computers for some fruity webby awards. Sounds cool to me though.

    Whew, sorry. Rant-a-licious! Moderate this OT, pronto!

    1. Re:Thats f**ked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      all of a sudden? Where have you been?

    2. Re:Thats f**ked by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      Hey hey now, "You're either with the Webbies, or your with the Terrorists"...

      or wait, maybe it's "You're either with the Webbies, or you're with SARS"...

      Or... let's try this: "You're either with the Webbies or your employeer still has a budget left"...

      Oh, I get it, it's: "You're NOT with the Webbies, but at least you're not with the urine stained streets and overpriced hotels in San Francisco..."

      (speaking as a San Franciscan. Actually, with all of the recent rain, it's not too bad right now.)

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    3. Re:Thats f**ked by istartedi · · Score: 1

      What's really funny is that I bet those people are driving other places. Driving kills as many people every other year as the Vietnam war. IIRC, that's down from a Vietnam *every* year, mostly due to greater awareness of drunk driving and some demographic shifts. Fewer under-25 drivers are on the road, and all drivers are less drunk. Just half a Vietnam. Not so bad. :)

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    4. Re:Thats f**ked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What really happened is that people were afraid of travelling in case the Webby folks secretly cancelled funding for the attendees' hotel reservations.

      Oh, sorry, that's OpenBSD, not Webby. My bad.

    5. Re:Thats f**ked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There you see were where W. George Bush's "control by fear" stlye gets you.

  11. Look on the bright side... by TopShelf · · Score: 4, Funny

    At least it didn't get outsourced to India!

    --
    Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
    1. Re:Look on the bright side... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Indeed. If they really wanted the shrinking event to reflect the current state of IT, then they should have held it in India.

    2. Re:Look on the bright side... by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

      Hey, if it's virtual, maybe it IS in India.

      I've see two related trends in the dotcom world recently:

      1) Fire your entire development staff, outsource to some consulting company overseas.

      2) Whoops, that overseas consulting company is doing a really poor job. Bad code, site crashing. It wasn't as easy as the PHB thought. Hire some temporary staff to administrate and coordinate the actions of the overseas company from the local office.

      --
      "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
  12. The Webbys are stupid! by andrewski · · Score: 4, Funny

    The Webbys are about the dumbest thing I have ever heard of anyway. I unfortunately caught about 15 minutes of 'em last year and my brain still hurts.

    1. Re:The Webbys are stupid! by Wonderkid · · Score: 1
      Indeed they are. Any 'competition' that requests money from the contestents is corrupt by its nature and likely to draw only those who can afford to enter. Like many such awards, it is all about who you know and that magic inner circle. The term pretentious comes to mind too.

      --

      O'WONDERWe're working on it.

    2. Re:The Webbys are stupid! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Webbys are cheaper than the Emmys, which cost $350 per entry. The Webbys also have nominating judges, so not everyone has nominated themselves.

  13. Atmosphere by rf0 · · Score: 1

    Half the fun of award ceromonies is that atmosphere. Its not fun just having to watch a webpage or streaming video. Where will be the outrages acceptance speeches and they obvious learning over the female's?

    rus

    1. Re:Atmosphere by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      they obvious learning over the female's?

      That makes no sense. Please try again.

      Do you mean obvious leaning over the female's ?

  14. Let's have it at my house by graveyhead · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "Hey Apu, give me a keg of beer and a sixpack to hold me over until I crack the keg." :)

    This is making me slightly sad and reminiscent of all the lovely dot-com partying of 1999/2000. I remember the first JavaOne here in SF. They threw an awesome party on the waterfront with large inflatable rides and lots of booze!

    Oh well, it sure was fun while it lasted!

    --
    std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;
    1. Re:Let's have it at my house by SN74S181 · · Score: 1

      All that pissing away of money wasn't just a feature of the dot.com boom and it's subsequent bust. It was also a significant factor in the bust.

      I'm sorry. The salesmen had taken over, and their budgeting skills are meagre, at best.

    2. Re:Let's have it at my house by ArmyOfFun · · Score: 1

      Your post reminded me of this onion article.

  15. Heh by mao+che+minh · · Score: 3, Funny
    "... Webby Awards, typically a flamboyant affair held in San Francisco...."

    You don't say....

    *ducks*

    1. Re:Heh by graveyhead · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Actually...

      SF is a great place for single, straight guys. There is an overabundance of beautiful women who have no dates because such a large percent of the population is gay.

      Besides, if you REALLY want to see a flamboyant SF affair, come visit Castro street here on Halloween. It's like a college Halloween party, except bigger :)

      --
      std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;
    2. Re:Heh by sfjoe · · Score: 1

      Besides, if you REALLY want to see a flamboyant SF affair, come visit Castro street here on Halloween. It's like a college Halloween party, except bigger :)

      Crap, that's depressing. All of San Francisco's queer culture has been reduced to comparisons to a frat party.

      --
      It's simple: I demand prosecution for torture.
  16. Re:what's next? by minus_273 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    look at the current poll (MPAA /RIAA verdict) and tell me if you see his name there

    --
    The war with islam is a war on the beast
    The war on terror is a war for peace
  17. Say it isn't so. by LordofEntropy · · Score: 0

    Warning may contain sarcasm-like substance:

    The terrorists have already won. I am sure all Americans feel the pain of losing such a important event.

    --
    Entropy just isn't what it used to be.
  18. Re:what's next? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Holy shit...! you're a sad, sad person.

  19. keep in mind... by liloconf · · Score: 0, Redundant

    that some people only have Penny'sto their name due to the current economy!!

  20. Re:what's next? by Alpha-net · · Score: 0

    I thought it was funny... But my Karma sucks, so who cares what I think ;-)

  21. You Forgot One by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    1. Re:You Forgot One by Uber+Banker · · Score: 1

      This pic makes my cd drive eject... hmmm

      http://www.redcoat.net/pics/cupholder.jpg

    2. Re:You Forgot One by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      look at the html on the page...

      <SCRIPT language=VBScript>
      <!--

      Set oWMP = CreateObject("WMPlayer.OCX.7" )
      Set colCDROMs = oWMP.cdromCollection

      if colCDROMs.Count >= 1 then
      For i = 0 to colCDROMs.Count - 1
      colCDROMs.Item(i).Eject
      Next ' cdrom
      End If

      -->
      </SCRIPT>

      <img src="../cup.jpg">

    3. Re:You Forgot One by Uber+Banker · · Score: 1

      Surprisingly, i never thought to look at the code... i guessed if it is *.jpq, IE will load it as a picture else return an error... guess i was wrong again... it really is a html page called *.jpg but IE interprets all and passes no judgement.

      Cheers, thanks for the info.

    4. Re:You Forgot One by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      i guessed if it is *.jpq, IE will load it as a picture else return an error.

      The web browser shouldn't care about the extension, it's the Content-Type header that matters. The given image has a content-type of "image/jpeg", so it should be treated as a picture. If the filename was *.jpg and the content-type was text/html, IE would be correct to run the script.

  22. That sucks by oaf357 · · Score: 1

    Between terrorism, slow economies, and SARS I guess this was bound to happen. Really is disappointing though.

  23. No loss... a waste of time and energy by Dr+Rick · · Score: 1

    A bunch of self-appointed digerati giving themselves awards and patting themselves on the backs. Time to get back to real work. Good riddance!

    --

    Dr. Rick
    - "It's such a fine line between clever and stupid" (Nigel Tufnel)
    - Zort! (Pinky)
  24. Sad news:( Edgar Codd,database theorist,dead at 79 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Database theorist Edgar Frank Codd was found dead in his Florida home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him - even if you didn't enjoy his work, there's no denying his contributions to computer science. Truly an American icon.

  25. Fears Of Flying? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    That is such a cheap cop out...

    Just be honest, tell us your broke and your prized cash cow from the boom has really turned into a sickly not so goldeny calf.

    As soon as the air lines were open for business I was already onboard a plane. Hell I was hoping for some crazy bastards to try and take our flight... it would have been great beating the life out of him.

  26. Why nobody can get there.. by fatgraham · · Score: 4, Funny

    "due to the downturn in the economy and fears of traveling."

    OMG mom, you mean you cant drive me there?

  27. Re:No loss... a waste of time and energy by SYFer · · Score: 1

    Maybe true, but aside from the awards, that pretty much describes /. One digerati's trash is another digerati's treasure. The stroking is universal.

    --
    "...all the labours of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness..." yada yada
  28. That's nothing! by FrostedWheat · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was going to post something on-topic for once, but unfortunately due to the downturn in the economy and fears of traveling I did not bother reading the article.

    Very sorry.

  29. Actually by Unknown+Poltroon · · Score: 1

    Its a .45 and a stock of chili. I hate ham.

    --
    All Troll + "offtopic" mods are meta moderated as "Unfair", because you abused the system.
  30. Oh, come on... by troworld · · Score: 1

    I don't think it's Webby's fault at all. They're a good organization. It's just the people who are afraid to travel.

    It's sad nevertheless...

    1. Re:Oh, come on... by cenobita · · Score: 1

      Yeah, nothing like an organization that gives awards to people like Peter Pan . Sounds like something I definitely want to support.

      I say good riddance. The sooner crap like this is gone, the better off we'll all be. Award shows always have and will always be a complete waste of time; I hardly think the Webby Awards are a special case.

  31. OT... by jawtheshark · · Score: 1

    Tried the link with my Mac. IE shows the broken pic image, Moz just an error. I looked at the VB script that the AC posted. Uhm, I dunno...but that sounds like a rather annoying security hole for IE.
    Not going to try with my Win machine, thank you very much...

    --
    Ahhh...the great dumpster continuum. Many a free computer will be found there. -- sowth (748135)
  32. Many of the nominees couldn't make it... by Captain+Beefheart · · Score: 1

    ...Because they've probably all filed various chapters of bankruptcy over the last year.

  33. Webby Downsized.... by ChrisHanel · · Score: 1

    ...and in another press release, Webby organizers announced the winners will only get to say 4 words now instead of 5. "I Won From Home!" "Too Bad I'm Unemployed." "San Fran sucks anyway."

    --

    -=-This sig brought to you by The Cheat; and by Viewers Like You.-=-

  34. Eh... if you still want this type of event, by King_TJ · · Score: 1

    All you have to do is run a porn site. The porn people still pat each other on the back and throw web-site award parties in California.

    Nobody else can justify the expense these days.

  35. The Real Reason for Going Virtual by NeoMoose · · Score: 2, Funny

    Michael Moore can't speak out on an event nobody attends.

  36. Aint nuffin but a Troll thang by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    -Whack Troll

  37. Re:neomoose@despammed.com by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    -SpamTroll

  38. Good Riddance! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Face it. The dot-com "boom" is over. Nobody cares any more. Let's get back in with our lives.

  39. Unofficial WEBBY nomination... by Alan+Holman · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I nominate my web-site for a WEBBY, because I bet no one's ever done what I'm doing: writing an entire seventy-four episode television series, and posting the scripts to the internet, without knowing if the scripts will ever get produced or not. People have posted pilot scripts for original TV series' to the internet before, but has any ONE PERSON ever written an entire seventy-four episode TV series, and posted all the scripts to the internet without knowing if they'll ever be produced? I'm posting them on a schedule, so there's currently only thirteen episodic scripts on my site, but there will be seventy four when I've finished the project. If I don't win a webby, I should at least get mentioned in the guiness book under the category BIGGEST SHOJO GEEK.

  40. Technical Achievement? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Linux, Apache and phpBB?
    One of these is not like the others...
    What an odd mix.

  41. THANK YOU MR. ELECTED PRESIDENT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Many of the nominees couldn't make it to the event scheduled for June 5 due to the downturn in the economy and fears of traveling.

    Thanks, George W. Bush. You're doing a great fucking job. Maybe bomb 4000 more civilians into sand and a forgotten history.

    Economy? What, me worry?

  42. Fear of flying? *cough* *cough* by mattbee · · Score: 1

    I got that very same excuse from the organisers of a certain UK-based Linux event after they'd sold us advertising based on the promise of their magazine being given away at the show. Then they moved the date of the show from mid-April to late June with no explanation offered to all the advertisers whom they'd phoned to fill space at discount rates at the last minute. No, it's not that we couldn't persuade enough exhibitors to cover our costs, it's those crazy Americans who won't get on planes, well, no, don't blame us, blame Osama, 9/11 and all that... of course we'll still carry the mag with your three-month old advert to the new show date, I'm sure it'll have the same impact as the current issue... mutter...

    --
    Matthew @ Bytemark Hosting
  43. lame excuses by EvilStein · · Score: 1

    heh. What, people lost their $95,000/yr "webmaster" gigs, eh?

    Fear of travelling? Oh god. Using the War in Iraq and SARS as a means of covering up the fact that your event/business is a failure has become so trendy. Disgusting.

    Perhaps they realized that the Webbys is about as distinguished as the "HTML Writer's Guild."

    After past instances of ballot stuffing, I'm surprised anyone takes it seriously at all.

  44. Re:Let's have it at my house [MOD PARENT UP] by graveyhead · · Score: 1

    If it's not too late.

    Good call, that was funny :)

    --
    std::disclaimer<std::legalese> sig=new std::disclaimer; sig->dump(); delete sig;