Hello Boston, My Old Friend

It all started in Boston…

In 2010, for the inaugural Lucene Revolution in Boston MA, I tried to weasel out of giving a prepared talk by proposing a Live Q&A style session where I’d be put on the spot with tough, challenging, unusual questions about Solr & Lucene — live, on stage. I don’t remember what my original session title was, but the conference organizer realized it sounded a lot like the “Stump The Chump” segment of the popular “Car Talk” radio show, hosted by Boston’s own Click & Clack, and insisted that be the title we use.

It’s been 6 years since that first “Stump The Chump” session in Boston, and now — one month from today — Stump The Chump will be returning to Boston for Lucene/Solr Revolution 2016.

If you’ve never seen our version of “Stump the Chump” it’s a little different then Click & Clack’s original radio call in format. In addition to being live in front of hundreds of rowdy convention goers, we also have a panel of judges who have had a chance to see and think about many of the questions in advance — Because folks like you are free to submit questions via email prior to conference (even if you can’t attend in person). The judges take every opportunity to mock The Chump (ie: Me) anytime I flounder, and ultimately the panel will award prizes to people whose questions do the best job of “Stumping The Chump”.

As my boss Cassandra (a Boston native, and this year’s Stump the Chump moderator) would say: “It’s a Wicked Pissa!”

You can see for yourself by checking out the videos from the past events like Lucene/Solr Revolution 2015 in Austin TX, or Lucene/Solr Revolution Dublin 2013. If you want a real blast from the past, check out the video from the last time “Stump The Chump” was in Boston: Lucene Revolution 2012. (Regrettably, there is no video from that first Stump The Chump in 2010)

Information on how to submit questions can be found on the session agenda page, and I’ll be posting more details as we get closer to the conference.

(And don’t forget to register for the conference ASAP if you plan on attending! The registration price will be increasing on September 16th.)