[09:26:13] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> anyone arrived yet?
[09:26:58] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> and want to do something together
[09:27:19] <wm-bb>	 <super_nabla> I'll arrive on 30th in Milan.
[09:55:38] <wm-bb>	 <Tohaomg> Tomorrow morning, if you will still be interested (re @jeremy_b: anyone arrived yet?)
[17:27:46] <wm-bb>	 <Superraptor123> I'm there Thursday afternoon!
[17:49:02] <wm-bb>	 <Bill> Oh oh, I just read this https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Hackathon_2026/Travel#Electricity_access How will I be able to plug in my American power plug to power my computer?
[17:49:25] <wm-bb>	 <sjoerddebruin> Travel adapters?
[18:00:36] <wm-bb>	 <pirakalamina> me! but I'm with my mom so not for now 😅
[18:00:36] <wm-bb>	 <pirakalamina> I'd appreaciete recommendations on places to eat near the venue. I'm not at the hackathon hotel but I'm a few blocks away. (re @jeremy_b: anyone arrived yet?)
[18:37:26] <wm-bb>	 <BeeBee_P> You'll need to purchase a travel adapter. You can usually find them at the airport, I recommend getting one that you can use in multiple countries (normally they're box shaped). It'll be more expensive than just the European one, but generally worth it as you can plug USBs and your computer into them.
[18:37:26] <wm-bb>	 This is an example : https://tools-static.wmflabs.org/bridgebot/2eb5f958/file_79751.jpg
[18:38:30] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> first read the text on the adapter. to check for the input voltage range. (re @Bill: Oh oh, I just read this https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Hackathon_2026/Travel#Electricity_access How will I be able to ...)
[18:40:59] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> most travel adapters only change the shape of the plug not the properties of the electric wave.
[18:42:45] <wm-bb>	 <BeeBee_P> This is true. My hard-won advice is not the use an American hair dryer in Europe with a travel adapter. Bad things happen.
[18:42:45] <wm-bb>	 <BeeBee_P> But if you're purchasing an adapter at the airport, they can help you figure out which one you need! (re @jeremy_b: most travel adapters only change the shape of the plug not the properties of the electric wave.)
[18:44:01] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> I think best is read the labels in advance and if you can avoid it don't bring anything that doesn't take 220V with you. (re @BeeBee_P: This is true. My hard-won advice is not the use an American hair dryer in Europe with a travel adapter. Bad things happen.
[18:44:02] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> But ...)
[20:29:37] <wm-bb>	 <hayify> I think with most modern laptop adapters you'll be fine, same with USB chargers for phones and the like. They tend to work on both US (110v) and EU (230v) currents. With hair dryers and other devices it's another story indeed 😉 (re @jeremy_b: I think best is read the labels in advance and if you can avoid it don't bring anything that doesn't take 220V with you.)
[20:31:21] <wm-bb>	 <jeremy_b> but not all small electronics. I've seen the most basic 5 port Ethernet switch and an 18650 charger fried. the safe thing is read the labels. (re @hayify: I think with most modern laptop adapters you'll be fine, same with USB chargers for phones and the like. They tend to work on bo...)
[23:01:40] <wm-bb>	 <Bill> Oh, My brick says: INPUT 100-240V ~ 50/60Hz, 1.6A so I guess I'm good there. But I ran to Micro Center, the computer store chain, and their cheapest adapter did not convert the voltage, so I bought one that cost $10 more that did. But yo, it says it's intended for travel irons and hair dryers and "do not use with electronic circuitry (i.e. computers)" I guess I should
[23:01:40] <wm-bb>	 let my com <clipped message>
[23:01:41] <wm-bb>	 <Bill> puter's brick do it rather than that adapter kit?
[23:07:54] <wm-bb>	 <tehreedy> What did you buy? A step down transformer?
[23:08:30] <wm-bb>	 <tehreedy> You really just need a basic travel adapter that physical changes the pin positions
[23:08:50] <wm-bb>	 <tehreedy> Which you should be able to get for a few dollars outside the airport captive market pricing
[23:10:32] <wm-bb>	 <tehreedy> https://www.amazon.com/Unidapt-European-Adapter-Converter-adaptor/dp/B077WJYNQ5? something like should do. What Bee suggested is a useful step up if you're going to be travelling a bit, and saves you having to carry a USB charger too
[23:35:59] <wm-bb>	 <Bill> I bought this, as I did not realize my brick was up for the job https://www.microcenter.com/product/407820/samsonite-travel-converter-and-adapter-kit — that should work with a hair dryer. I'm going to exchange it for this, which offers surge protection https://www.microcenter.com/product/403607/qvs-world-power-travel-adaptor-kit-with-surge-protection (re @tehreedy:
[23:35:59] <wm-bb>	 What did you <clipped message>
[23:36:00] <wm-bb>	 <Bill>  buy? A step down transformer?)
[23:38:41] <wm-bb>	 <tehreedy> I guess because it's a simple step down transformer, it probably does something funky with the sine waves which electronics often do not like