Absolutely.
I’ve been stewing over this all night and the one thing that really strikes me is what a slap-in-the-face insult this is to any responsible, hard-working webmaster.
These are bright people who have an eagerness to learn and succeed with their sites and they want to do this in a way that does not compromise their principles. This should be supported in every way possible, without dangling the carrot of “the darkside,” which is EXACTLY what is being presented with Ogrish’s participation at the CAC.
Marc–you can’t just feed affiliates (and other industry folk) what YOU want. While I realize that you make the bulk of your moolah off sponsorships, it stands to reason that if affiliates don’t attend, the sponsors surely won’t follow.
It’s time to be sensible. Raise the bar on what you present–the industry is thirsting for high-level, valuable knowledge. If you can find the sleaze, surely you can find the cream. Whatever you decide, I just hope you realize how you’ve truly underestimated the ethics and values of those you profit from.