Conference Proceedings

About the conference:
SVUG - System Verilog User Group Conference.
Taj Residency .
Wednesday.
11th of November, 2009.

[Prologue: The conference was great. I could actually understand what was being explained almost completely, and that is a rare occurrence during conferences in general. Till lunch it was mostly an introduction to System Verilog and its uses for designers and in verification. Post lunch was mostly on OVM - Open Verification Methodology. Since that was methodology was alien, it was not as interesting as the first session was . But in general the latter half too was appreciated and was received with as much attention.]

Excerpts from the notes that I jotted down during the talks follow. They are mostly one liners from, C. Cummings, the speaker who delivered the brilliant talks in the first session:

[At the beginning of his talk, second point in his second slide]
I would like you all to sit back and listen and not interrupt me at all throughout the presentation.... NOT!!

[On adding assertions to legacy code using bind]
But if your mother and I ever catch you using the bind command to instantiate modules, we will be very angry with you.

[On using bind files properly]
Start using outputs in bind files, then the designer will have very unkind words for you.

[On using macros in defining assertions]
I introduced macros for assertions mostly for the designers. Because they are lazy.... C'mon, you know its true.

[On a question asked in a very low voice, after the talk]
You need to be more assertive when you speak, or we need to get you a mike.

[When his computer switched off suddenly]
I think the laptop feels it will work better with the power cord connected.

[During the time it took to restart]
I can do hand puppets till the comp boots...
[Laughs heard all around]
It doesn't matter anyway. It was only a summary slide.

[When the booting took even longer]
We can take questions from the audience now, without any distractions on the screen... Not that it is my choice.

[Announcing lunch after the talks slightly ate into the lunch time, and people were fidgeting]
I guess there is some food available to the left of this room. I think you can go and have some. I mean, only if anyone really wants to.

[End of the conference, while calling out the name of the last of 5 persons who'd won OVM code books on a lucky draw, after the others called out company first and first letter of the person's name before calling it out entirely]
Since it has become a routine...
Ok.. How many of you are from Flextora*?
[Three hands go up]
Ok.. Does your name start with K?
[One hand goes down]
Does your name have a vowel in it?
[Laughs heard all round]

PS: There were other one-liners too. Most of these would have worked better if one had actually been there.
PPS: The lunch was great. So were the drinks and snacks at the end of the conference
PPPS: Day well spent.