The crew of SkyDogCon would like to express our support for Adrian “IronGeek” Crenshaw. For many years, we have worked with Adrian to build video recording systems for our smaller conferences so that they too could have quality recordings to put online for the community that could not make it to a con. In the beginning, Adrian built a software system that was open ended enough that it would work with commodity recording hardware. This allowed us to build out a hardware rig that was within our budget, and also open enough for other conferences to replicate. While it was a bit kludgy at first, over the years Adrian has refined this system into something any conference on a budget could use.
Over the years, Adrian has become the go-to person for getting your conference recorded. Whether he volunteered himself, or you called him and asked for help, he has spent more time than anyone we know traveling to conferences and helping record them. We can not determine anyone else in the community that has done so much for smaller conferences than Adrian.
The latest attempt to polarize the community is beyond insulting. Every conference organizer worries about negative press, things that will impact attendance and support. Codes of Conduct have been put in place as a way to tip toe around those in the community that wear their feelings on their sleeve. Speakers have been asked to downplay their talks in certain ways so that the possibility of someone in the audience becoming offended is minimized. We are drifting away from the true hacker spirit more and more each year. We have always been the outsiders, the rabble rousers, the square pegs in the round holes.
If anyone is a square peg, Adrian is. Do we want him to conform? NO. Those in the community that love Adrian love him because he is who he is, and he is uncompromising about who he is. We also love that he has bent over backwards to help most of us. He has given his time, his gear, and his knowledge to our community.
At what point do an individuals opinions negate their hard work? Adrian did what he thought he needed to do to protect his hard work. We stand behind him and his actions.
Adrian: You sir, are welcome at our con and our homes. You have a black badge waiting at the registration counter for SkyDogCon. We don’t want you to have to lift a finger, unless it’s to order another drink, or make an off-the-wall comment during a talk. We, like most of the community, have your back.
-The SkyDogCon Crew