Re. standard – all of us should be chiseling out basic standards of conduct, basically just common business practices like a contract is a contract and a handshake is a hand shake.
The internet is chaos by definition, and in order to conduct business like professionals we need to set our own ground rules and enforce them ourselves. Otherwise we will be a bunch of crooks trying to ruin each other, rather than a cohesive industry. We very much need to be a cohesive industry.
Yep, lots of people drink a lot during conferences. Some to let off steam, some to conquer shyness, some just have a good time. The club scene is not for me, but I don’t knock those who find release of tension and better communication there.
All industries involving sales have these type parties, brick and mortar or internet.