So we had a 9th Kiwicon. It featured cyber, flames, lasers, significant facial damage, hackers, crackers, jackers, directors, (and, as far as we know, only one creeper. Seems pretty good for 1500 people?). Also a musical saw, many mother-duckers, nuclear launch codes, the PLA, the Evil Empire, the hams, the luxuriantly-pelted, the talented, the tasty, and the inspiring. Clearly Kiwicon has transcended mere conference and is now well shark-jumped into Variety Show; one description we heard was "infosec Sesame Street" (which we like because it suggests both eductional and entertaining, and our alpaca does look plausibly like big bird, and Peter Gutmann already cameoed as the grouch) while another wit said that we "take the act of not-taking-themselves-seriously very seriously".
We enjoyed putting on the show for you, and it appears that you enjoyed it too. Thanks for your support and patronage, and we won't see you next time, because it's always the last Kiwicon...
Max <3
The Kiwicon Crue