Burning Man: What's the fascination for Silicon Valley? Video

Video description: In 1986, on a San Francisco beach, about 20 participants got together to burn an 8-foot structure of a man, and thus was born Burning Man. Twenty years later, the festival, which now takes place in the northern Nevada desert, is expected to attract some 35,000 people when it takes place next week. For some reason, Burning Man has occupied a special place in the hearts of techies. Join CNET News.com Charlie Cooper as he looks at why with Burning Man veterans Jennifer Guevin, Elinor Mills and Declan McCullagh during this week's edition of the CNET News.com Reporters' roundtable.\r\n\r\nBurning Man video footage courtesy of www.dramainthedesert.com.

Related Videos

Burning Man 2007: Green Man theme

CNET News.com's Elinor Mills captured video of Burning Man alight with fireworks and a Tesla coil attracted to a fire-wielding sculpture as part of the Burning Man 2007 arts festival in the Nevada desert on Labor Day weekend.

Does privacy still exist in the Internet age?

After this week's big security flub at AOL, the answer to the privacy question is a lot less clear. Tune in to a discussion between Elinor Mills, Declan McCullagh and Charlie Cooper on this week's edition of the CNET News.com Reporters' Roundtable.

How Google's giving Microsoft a new fit

Microsoft makes billions of dollars each year from its Office franchise. But now Google has launched a spreadsheet and word processor on its Web site that anyone can use--for free. Is this the first move in a broader push by Google to expand into software applications? Join Charlie Cooper, Elinor Mills and Rafe Needleman in this week's edition\r\nof the CNET News.com Reporters' Roundtable.

Reporter Roundtable: Is Google trying to squeeze Microsoft?

Is Google out to doom Microsoft Office? With its move into the spreadsheet business -- and an earlier acquisition of a word processing company -- Google is firing a very obvious shot across Microsoft's bow. What are its ambitions and how might Microsoft respond? Join Charles Cooper, Elinor Mills, Mike Ricciuti and Ina Fried as they debate on this week's edition of the CNET News.com Reporters' Roundtable.

Google's new mashup feature

CNET News.com reporter Elinor Mills finds she can create a My Maps mashup with no coding experience.

Google's new mashup feature

CNET News.com reporter Elinor Mills finds she can create a My Maps mashup with no coding experience.

What does Gates' exit mean for Microsoft?

Reporter roundtable : The world's richest technology baron is taking leave of the company he co-founded. Is this a turning point in Microsoft's history and what impact will Bill Gates' exit have? Join Charlie Cooper, Dan Farber, Jim Kerstetter and Mike Ricciuti for this week's edition of the CNET News.com Reporters' Roundtable.

Google Wants to Keep Your Calendar

Google has launched a calendar application linked to e-mail. This will compete with services from Yahoo and software from Microsoft. CNET News.com's Elinor Mills looks at some features of Google Calendar.

Google wants to keep your calendar

Google has launched a calendar application linked to e-mail. This will compete with services from Yahoo and software from Microsoft. CNET News.com's Elinor Mills looks at some features of Google Calendar.

Google's new toolbar

CNET News.com reporter Elinor Mills looks at some of the new features in Google Toolbar 4.0, which first became available on Monday, Jan. 30.\r\n