We recognize the value of conferences like #FOSDEM.
Representatives from a very large number of open-source projects attend each year. People have deep conversations about their experiences with various aspects of #freeCulture.
People who are trying to get into the software field meet their role models. Some of them get hired. It can be a great opportunity, so naturally there's a significant Fear Of Missing Out in the #freeSoftware community, not just in Europe but across the world
Attending big conferences like this often means booking time off, travel, and accommodations well in advance.
It can be expensive, and it's not always easy or possible to cancel last minute if you start to feel sick.
Taken together with that FOMO, and the desire to meet friends you might not have seen for several years, the natural outcome is that many people ignore that runny nose, slight cough, or mild fever, and attend #FOSDEM anyway.
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