FAQ

Here's everything we can think of that you might want to know about ORD Camp:

Facilities

Where is ORD Camp being held?
- At the UIC Innovation Center, located at 1240 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, which is here. There are two doors to the Innovation Center--you should try the main door it has an ORD Camp sign on it.
What are the rules in the Innovation Center?
- Please wear your badge at all times. We will have security guards who will ask you to leave if you are not wearing an official ORD Camp badge
- Please do not erase any whiteboards--these are used by students over the course of the semester
- Please do not remove/reorganize/fold/spindle/mutilate any of the hundreds of sticky notes on the walls
Where will I sleep?
- See our Where to Stay page.
What should I bring?
- Demos, slides and talks that can teach, inspire, and expand the horizons of your fellow attendees
- (Optional) Wireless-enabled laptop, useful for hacking stuff, demoing your projects, etc.
- (Optional) Camera, for memories of the event
- (Optional) Musical instrument for impromptu jam sessions
- (Optional) Notebook and pen
- (Optional) Things for people to try, play with, or taste
- (Optional but particularly useful and appreciated!) Power strip or two
Connectivity?
- A wireless Internet connection will be available

Getting There

How do I get to ORD Camp?
- You can drive or take the CTA Blue Line and get off at the Racine stop.
- Check out the Ride Board for carpooling possibilities.
If I drive, where do I park?
- There is a small amount of street parking nearby
- There is a parking lot East of Throop, off of Congress. It has meters that give 15 minutes of parking time for every quarter. Rumor has it that they patrol the lot, so cars parked at unpaid meters will be ticketed. Rumor also has it that tickets are $10. Rumor thinks $10 is pretty cheap for parking :-)
- There's also a small amount of street parking North of the expressway if you're OK with walking an extra block or two
- If there's an attendant at the multi-level parking structure East of Racine on the North side of Harrison, you can park there for about $7 a day. If there's no attendant there, no parking.
- There is a parking lot on the Southwest corner of Congress and Throop. As the small sign to the right of the entrance states, it is for the high school there, but parking is usually OK when school isn't in session if there's nothing going on at the school. Park here at your own risk--they shouldn't tow you, but that's not to say that they won't.

Presenting

What's the deal with presenting? What's expected of me?
- This is not a traditional conference with a distinction between pre-prepared speakers and audience. Instead, everybody's expected to participate and contribute something interesting, whether through leading a session or contributing your insights to various sessions. Given our limited time together, it's unlikely that everybody will have a chance to present, but at the very least, you should have something in mind to talk about.
What are some examples of presentation or discussion topics?
- How you reverse-engineered hardware / software to do something interesting
- Tell us all about your obscure hobby
- Behind the scenes of your Web startup
- Start an interesting debate about deep issues
When do I need to let you know what I'm talking about?
- On the first day of ORD Camp, we'll have a big whiteboard where you'll be able to reserve a timeslot and write down your topic. If you want to share some ideas before then, check out our Suggested sessions page.
Should I bring toys?
- Yes! Robots, hacked Wii remotes, your crazy inventions -- bring anything fun that people would find interesting.
What about musical instruments?
- Yes! We've already got a guitar and a banjo coming, and hopefully more. Impromptu jams usually start late in the evening after dinner.
Do I need slides?
- Nope! We don't expect to have a projector in every presenting area. Be prepared to present without a projector.

Attendees

Who else is coming?
- Others like you, others unlike you.
Can I bring my friend/significant other/soulmate/obscure relative?
- Sorry, but ORD Camp is open to invitees only.

Food

Where will I eat?
- Thanks to our sponsors, we'll be providing all meals!
  - Friday: Dinner
  - Saturday: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Will there be vegetarian, vegan, meatatarian food?
- Yes

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