george.james's blog

The conference is all over. A big thank you to everyone who participated. It couldn't have happened without you.

What's going to happen next?

We will be adding copies of all the slides, and podcasts of each presentation, as soon as they are available.

We will be continuing to add content to this site as a News/Blog site. Bookmark it and come back regularly.

The conference was a great success so we will be doing something like this again. Watch this space.

That's pre-conference beer, as in the evening before the conference, not beer for breakfast.

Anyone who is checked in at one of the local hotels and at a loose end the evening before can rendezvous at the Grotto Inn, Monument Hill, Weybridge from about 7pm.

It is within easy walking distance of Oatlands Park Hotel and the Ship Hotel. It's a bit further but still just about walkable from the Oatlands Chaser (Innkeepers Lodge). If you are staying in one of the hotels on the Cobham side then best to take a taxi.

The Grotto has free wifi so bring your laptop and catch up on or email or prepare a lightning talk to give at the conference.

There are at least a dozen decent restaurants within a few hundred yards of the Grotto, so there's plenty of choice for somewhere to eat after you've wet your whistle.

You won't see a £350,000 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren in Brooklands Museum, but you might well see one parked outside.

No ... I haven't gone mad and blown the kids inheritance on a new car :) But right next door to Brooklands Museum is Mercedes-Benz World which is some kind of bizarre cross between a car showroom and a theme park.

You'll probably see a few top of the range Mercedes parked up, some £¼m Maybach saloons and if you are lucky there will be a couple of SLRs to drool over. And as the McLaren F1 Headquarters is only just up the road in Woking you might even see Lewis Hamilton dropping of his road car for a service.

Mercedes-Benz World is free to visit and is actually just a car-showroom. But they have a test-track with viewing gallery, first class restaurant, quite a few historic cars (Gullwings, etc) and at least one of every production Mercedes model currently available.

So keep your eyes open as you arrive... there's more to see than you might think.

There have been a number of frequently asked questions. Here are some answers:

Will there be wireless access?

Yes. You are welcome to bring your laptop and will be able to keep in touch with the office and monitor your email etc. Connect to service BMGUEST. No keys or access codes required.

What's the dress code?

Thanks for this one, Mike ;) The fight club rules apply. Rule #6 is optional.

How can I get from my hotel to the conference?

If you are staying in a local hotel and would like a lift, or can offer a lift, please let Michelle know: michelles@georgejames.com. She will try and match up your needs. She can also advise on taxis and public transport.

Will this conference be different from <insert name of similar conference>?

Yes. No dogs, no ponies, no raffles, no magicians, no bull.

Can I give a short talk?

Yes. There's a lightning talk session where anyone can stand up and talk for five minutes about about anything they want to get off their chest. No powerpoint necessary. Contact Michelle michelles@georgejames.com or sign-up on the day.