Alex, I appreciate your comment most particularly. It gives me an opportunity to clarify the role that I’ve evolved into. I have never claimed to be the centre of the tech universe. I am not a developer nor a software engineer. I was quite amused to be nominated by BlogTO for “best tech evangelist”, because that’s certainly not my job either.

What I do spend a lot of time thinking, researching and writing about are: community (both the physical and the online kind), public policy, regional economic competitiveness and the impacts of technology on all of the above.

At the first Toronto BarCamp David organized back in fall 2005, I witnessed the amazing energy potential that an engaged and enabled community could generate. I drank the kool-aid, and I haven’t looked back. I’m a big fan of the work of David, Jay, Joey, Leila, Jevon, Ryan, Eli, Tom, Bryce and many many others who have stepped up in their own ways. It’s impossible to be jealous of such great friends and colleagues when one can only feel honoured to know them.

This is the way I step up. I am a translator between technology, culture and public policy. When I see a breakdown in the conversation, I’m compelled to step in and help policy-makers perceive and understand the quirks of the community of which I’m a part. It’s what I do, and it’s the way I contribute to the community.

Not everybody sees this work (it’s rarely public), but those that do tend to understand and appreciate it. Those that don’t, well what can a citizen wonk do?

You criticize the TechWeek people because “they have no way of separating the wheat of tech awesomeness from the chaff of wannabe pretenders and bottom-feeders”

There is a large community of people who justifiably think the same of you.

Did you think of looking in the mirror before launching into your poisonous tirade? Thanks for the “me too” post. It’s ok for you to attack TechWeek because David Crow criticized it first, with more class.

Instead of investing so much energy and taking so much glee in slagging someone else, do something, not just coattail riding like you do with the real community leaders whose well-earned reputations you so jealously covet.

I am not a fan of the people behind TechWeek but I am not a fan of “wannabe pretenders and bottom-feeders” like you either.

Pretenders in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

if the corporations want a week of patting themselves on the back ( outside the day to day patting of said backs ) I say let them have it.

The camps and un-conferences accomplish so much more and I feel the separation I think is nice. ICT will come around when they come around, and they can get on board like everyone else did, one foot at a time.

Nice post Mark and that’s why we love you.