Post #196590

2026-01-31 09:42 UTC

At #FOSDEM, 40% of attendees at the opening talk (in a full room with 1200 seats) raised their hand to signal this is the first time they attend. This is super exciting for an old fart like me, who has been attending for 25 years. There is hope for the future! Welcome fellow hackers, and have a blast.

Replies (6)

@karen@floss.social 2026-01-31 12:06

@zacchiro In the legal @ policy devroom, over a third of people in our first session were coming to their first FOSDEM!

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@marcel_kolaja@mastodon.pirati.cz 2026-01-31 13:49

@zacchiro Indeed! I was thinking the same when people raised their hands.

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@GermanoMassullo@mastodon.social 2026-01-31 17:33

@zacchiro https://mastodon.social/@GermanoMassullo/115989348681084216

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@mcr314@todon.nl 2026-01-31 18:13

@zacchiro@mastodon.xyzy my fifth #fosdem, I have yet to go to any talk in Jensen, opening or closing. I agree it is exciting that we have that many new people... Willing to get up early...

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@UncleObli@mastodon.uno 2026-01-31 18:16

@zacchiro I am one of such newcomers, my first FOSDEM but not my last!

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@dottorblaster@fosstodon.org 2026-01-31 18:49

@zacchiro I’ve been also noticing a very diverse audience and a very diverse speakers lineup. I’m very proud of the direction the community is head towards, and also a little bit worried that this is becoming too big for UBL. But I love it.

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