Ok, there are reasons to go to Boston that have nothing to do with watching the Yankees defenestrate the Red Sox, but none that are as much fun. 

However, that's not what this column is about. 

The reason I had the chance to watch a Yankees-Red Sox game at the venerable old ball park is that Region 1 of the Society of Professional Journalists held its annual spring conference at Boston University, 

The theme of the conference was Byte Back and many of the presentations covered the new media and things a working journalist (I actually prefer the term reporter or "old newspaper lady") needs to know to survive in today's world. 

But there were also panels that reminded us if we don't stand by the old values all the bells and whistles are meaningless. 

Kevin Z Smith, former national president of SPJ and current chair of the ethics committee, gave a talk on the proposed update of the SPJ Code of Ethics. The society isn't proposing huge changes, of course. The same things always apply: accuracy, accuracy, accuracy, minimize harm, take nothing of value from a source. The only thing that changes is the manner in which we do the job. 

We take copious, accurate notes. We may use a Dixon-Ticonderoga #2 pencil on a reporter's notebook or a Bic Crystal on a steno pad or we may use a laptop, although I, personally, think that's a dangerous game. But the most important thing is how careful we are, not what we use.

The reason I think taking notes on a laptop is dangerous is that somebody might want to subpoena your notes. If you take notes on paper, you can burn them or shred them or feed them to a goat. If you take notes on a laptop they never leave. Sure, you can delete them, but, as we all learned from countless episodes of Law & Order SVU (I so-o-o miss Christopher Meloni, don't you?) they never really disappear. Our notes could be floating around cyber-space with all those videos of Henri le chat noir and pornography in some sort of celestial minestrone. And, my friend Cece, who is a programmer, says The Cloud is actually a former Westinghouse elevator warehouse in Pocatello, Idaho, staffed by six guys who wear hoodies and live in their mothers' basements. Makes you feel secure doesn't it? 

Regardless if you want to take the chance or not, ethics don't change. 

Other panels featured specialists talking about writing for an expert audience. Many were science and technology people, being right down the street from MIT, but I could relate. A specialty is a specialty.  We all know we are writing for people who know as much about the topic as we do, and that's pretty intimidating. 

So, Boston was great for many reasons, not the least of which was the opportunity to scream "Derek, Derek!" and get dirty looks from Boston fans. And to sing "Sweet Caroline" like an idiot. But, meeting with people in the same business, networking and just plain seeing old friends is great, too.