Welcome to "Dear Omar," a weekly column by tech specialist Omar L. Gallaga. If you have questions for Omar, reach out at [email protected] with the subject line “Dear Omar.”

It was around July 2020 when I officially declared my exhaustion with virtual conferences.

While these events were a valiant attempt to adapt to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, they often fell short of expectations. Many major gatherings—including mobile phone conferences, corporate tech summits, and gaming expos—were canceled, prompting some to pivot to an all-Zoom format. The outcomes were, at best, inconsistent.

Apple stands out as a company that managed this transition gracefully through a series of videos rather than a live keynote for WWDC. However, despite its polish, the virtual experience felt sterile, lacking the immediate audience reaction that typically characterizes their events. The essence of the live experience—complete with applause and energy—was missing, making it feel more like a marketing campaign than an engaging presentation.

Throughout 2020, the majority of virtual conferences I attended, whether free for the public or exclusive press events, failed to capture the thrill of in-person gatherings. The absence of spontaneous networking—the chance encounters with acquaintances or new connections—was palpable. Video conferences inherently lack the vibrancy of shared experiences, which is vital for engagement. This sentiment resonates with many aspects of our pandemic experiences, but conferences particularly thrive on crowd reactions and the focused attention that an in-person environment fosters.

I’ve snacked on Cheetos while watching conference Zooms, but I greatly prefer attending in person.

This preference is especially true for South by Southwest (SXSW), the iconic Austin-based tech/music/film festival I've been covering since the late 1990s. Though I’ve been critical of SXSW during its missteps, I genuinely cherish it as both a conference and an experience. For years, it has brought together the tech and entertainment worlds in my town for ten days of engaging panels, impressive brand activations, and a plethora of movie screenings and live music.

The cancellation of last year’s event served as a stark reminder of the pandemic's impact, leaving a void in connections and ideas. The fallout was significant for both the city and the SXSW organization, resulting in layoffs and restructuring.

SXSW recognized early on that, even with vaccines rolling out and mask-wearing becoming standard, an in-person event in spring 2021 was not feasible given the scale of the conference, which attracts around 400,000 attendees and numerous unofficial events.

While some hope there will never be another SXSW Online, this year's virtual programming was a commendable experiment, showcasing innovative approaches without being overly concerned about following the trends set by other major events.

What lessons can other conferences learn from SXSW Online? Here are a few insights on what succeeded and what didn’t.

Well-known speakers and celebrities continue to draw attention Since the late 2000s, SXSW has become increasingly star-studded, particularly as technology and entertainment have intertwined within the streaming media landscape.

Even as a scaled-back virtual event, SXSW 2021 maintained its star power. Oprah Winfrey hosted a panel with Dr. Bruce Perry as part of SXSWedu, the educational segment that precedes the main event. This was an impressive start. The main conference featured speakers like Stacey Abrams, Charles Yu, Pete Buttigieg, George W. Bush, and filmmakers such as James Cameron, Barry Jenkins, and Ava DuVernay, alongside other notable figures like Mark Cuban, Melinda Gates, and Willie Nelson, who gave his first-ever keynote.

Additionally, billionaire Richard Branson launched the Responsible Business Initiative during SXSW Online as part of a business-led campaign against the death penalty.

Exploring VR and virtual spaces One of the more intriguing facets of SXSW Online was “SXSW Online XR,” which integrated various virtual reality technologies to create an interactive experience, including live performances, 360-degree videos, and film screenings.

I typically appreciate the concept of VR technology more than the actual experience of using a headset. During a press preview, I spent a frustrating half-hour trying to navigate the VRChat app to join a guided tour of a virtual representation of The Contemporary Austin art museum. Although I had the equipment to participate, once I ventured into a colorful VR depiction of South Congress Avenue, I found myself eager to escape cyberspace. The attempt at go-karting left me annoyed with unresponsive controls, and I ultimately spent only about 30 minutes in VR without returning.

Most attendees lack VR headsets, and even those who do may question whether virtual interaction can truly substitute for in-person engagement. At in-person SXSW events, VR demonstrations typically include guides to assist participants with the technology, something that was absent from the online version.

That being said, if there was ever a year to experiment with remote VR, this was it.

Prerecorded content offers advantages Initially, I was surprised to learn that many SXSW panels would be pre-recorded rather than live. I worried about losing the spontaneity and immediacy of a live event.

However, the pre-recorded format allowed for more polished content. Sessions could be edited down from an hour to a concise 25 to 40 minutes, incorporating video clips and supplementary materials that would be difficult to manage in a live discussion.

For example, a panel on the Apple TV+ hit Ted Lasso effectively combined insights from film editors with relevant footage, something that would have required meticulous scripting in a live setting.

While there were some missed opportunities—such as a pre-recorded panel with Desus Nice and Kid Mero, which took place before Mero contracted Covid-19—the overall quality of presentations was often enhanced, as seen in Willie Nelson's keynote, which captured the best moments from longer interviews.

The decision to pre-record also minimized technical issues that can arise during live streaming. Additionally, allowing most content to remain accessible online until mid-April was a considerate move, recognizing that attendees may experience Zoom fatigue and prefer to consume content at their own pace.

Networking challenges Unfortunately, SXSW Online could not replicate the spontaneous networking that occurs when large groups gather in a city. Although the online format included chat options during panels and virtual messaging, I received only two messages throughout the event (one from a marketing firm) and made no new contacts. Typically, I would leave SXSW with numerous business cards and connections.

Other conferences might benefit from organizing attendees by shared interests in advance or creating promoted meet-up spaces. SXSW's Meet Ups page still has a placeholder stating, “Stay tuned for more information coming in the 2021 season.”

In summary, SXSW successfully navigated its online conference in a year when the event aimed to maintain continuity until a return to semi-normalcy in 2022. While the virtual experiment was a success, I eagerly await the opportunity to engage with real people in person next March.