{"id":6254,"date":"2016-02-17T12:12:54","date_gmt":"2016-02-17T11:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/blog\/?p=6254"},"modified":"2021-06-22T11:13:42","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T09:13:42","slug":"phpbenelux-conference-2016-of-elephants-jungles-and-exotic-drinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.combell.com\/en\/blog\/phpbenelux-conference-2016-of-elephants-jungles-and-exotic-drinks\/","title":{"rendered":"PHPBenelux Conference 2016: of elephants, jungles and\u2026 exotic drinks!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lees in het Nederlands<\/a> - Lisez en fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n

The PHPBenelux Conference has always been a very lively experience \u2013 exactly like the programming language itself, which is very dynamic. This year, the elephant (the traditional PHP logo) was released in a real jungle. Visitors had the opportunity to quench their thirst for knowledge thanks to the various talks. And for their actual thirst, Combell was there with a smoothie bar! Here is an overview of the event\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Combell<\/p>\n

The elephant as the symbol of PHP<\/h2>\n

Everybody knows that the PHP community is very active and boasts numerous enthusiasts who want to share their knowledge with each other.\u00a0After all, PHP<\/a>\u00a0is a powerful programming language, with a simple structure and yet offering tons of possibilities.<\/p>\n

But did you also know why the logo of that community is an elephant? Vincent Pontier, who created the logo,\u00a0explains this himself<\/a>: when you look at the letters \u201cPHP\u201d, you will see \u2013 with a dash of fantasy \u2013 that they form the shape of an elephant. And this is how the elephant became the PHP mascot.<\/p>\n

\"PHP-to-elePHPant\"<\/p>\n

A real jungle, from the parking lot to the conference rooms<\/h2>\n

\"Full-scaleWith such an animal in your logo, there is no better central theme than a jungle for the PHPBenelux Conference. During the\u00a0PHPBenelux Conference, which was held in Antwerp on 29 and 30 January 2016<\/a>,\u00a0an impressive jungle theme could be found absolutely everywhere. In the first place, a one-meter tall elephant welcomed all visitors in the parking lot. The central room was decorated in a jungle style, with bamboo and palm trees, and yet another (full-scale) elephant in its middle. Even the conference rooms were decorated in this jungle style for the occasion, with boxes used as rostrums.<\/p>\n

No fear of elephants\u2026 and snakes!<\/h2>\n

All sponsors responded creatively to the jungle theme. PHPro allowed visitors to unleash their primal side with a boxing machine \u2013 the 5 best \u201cPHPunches\u201d won a headset. Web store Coolblue made a carton jungle using its well-known blue boxes; the prize they offered was a BB-8 (the mascot of the new Star Wars movie). As for ContinuousPHP, they gave the opportunity to build an elephant with Lego blocks and get the chance to win the coveted elePHPant. Other sponsors offered the chance to win an elePHPant or make a picture in a jungle setting.<\/p>\n

\"TameFor adrenaline junkies, our colleagues at Nucleus even came with a full-grown living snake. The most courageous visitors could wear it around their neck, in order to guess the weight of the animal, which was very docile, yet extremely cold to the touch. Anyhow, Combell collaborator Romy<\/a>\u00a0proved that the people at Combell are not cowards: she wore the snake around her neck as if it were a living scarf!<\/p>\n

Other entertainment equipment (like a pool table, a pinball machine, retro games and an Xbox) did not fall under the jungle theme, but it was no less funny for all that. By popular demand, the bumper cars,\u00a0which were all the rage 2 years ago<\/a>, were there again.<\/p>\n

Jungle fever makes people thirsty\u2026<\/h2>\n

In the past, Combell often came with an ice cream truck to events such as this one, but this time, in order to stick with the theme of this conference, it came with a smoothie bar full of exotic drinks. In this spacious bar made of bamboo, delicious (and healthy!) fresh drinks have been mixed for two days, and served (for free) to all visitors. Banana Tropical, Red Detox, Morning Glory, Lime Lover, Fresh Ice Tea\u2026 All cocktails have been mixed on site using fresh fruit \u2013\u00a0a refreshment that everybody enjoyed, literally and figuratively! The smoothie bar was a huge success and received many compliments.<\/p>\n

\"Overview<\/p>\n

In accordance with tradition, after the talks on Friday, visitors were treated to a feast of Belgian beers and fries \u2013 as well as many other attractions and delights.<\/p>\n

The themes of the talks<\/h2>\n

However, this conference was mainly about the riveting talks, with Cal Evans as keynote speaker. Many subjects were broached, and organisers had a tough time selecting the talks. As Thijs Feryn explained, they allowed themselves to be led by what is essential in today\u2019s Internet era.<\/p>\n