South By Southwest is the Sundance of the Internet industry. But don't call it "South By Southwest."
"Unless you know to call it 'South By,' you shouldn't be at South By," explained Mark Sullivan, a Houston-based publicist.
[pause]
At the door of the bar, a PR neophyte searches an iPad for your name. Once you pass muster, you "check in" to the venue on your geo-location social network of choice. Next, via your preferred group text-messaging app, you text a core of friends alerting them to your whereabouts. You sidle up to the bar and order a Shiner Bock. You snap an arty photo of the scene with your iPhone and post it on Instagram and Twitter, affixing "#sxsw" to the end of your micro-message.
Then, casually, you sip your drink, checking your device to see who has retweeted you, the warm glow of the screen casting you in the right light. Overheard: "Looking down is the new looking up."
I think I'll continue to call it "South by Southwest."