I think I'll review the format and general impressions of the evening as opposed to the subject matter in detail. The latter, was fascinating, philosophical and entertaining. The format of the evening took the form of a short presentation by the speaker (15 minutes), introducing the subject and describing the various aspects of the topic that could be discussed. In this sense, the talk acted as a starting point for the debate rather than a lecture. The floor was then opened to a Q&A type session, with anyone in the audience free to contribute to the answers to those questions and make additional points. The whole thing was loosely directed by the organisers. I think the format is very conducive to getting everyone involved in conversation, provided that the leader makes some attempt to prevent the more forthcoming individuals from taking over. Certainly something to consider over the standard lecture/QA format, and means that the initial speaker's task is not onerous.

Excellent, if somewhat random and weaving, conversation. It was way too crowded though - I hadn't realised it was a joint meetup.

While this wasn't strictly an exclusive Long Now event, it was nevertheless a thoroughly enjoyable and stimulating experience. Excellent speaker and lively audience participation. I liked the pub-ish informality and generally friendly atmosphere. It would be good to have further Long Now sessions like this. I would definitely support.