The Dummies are coming to San Francisco! Alan L. Rubin, who organized the conference, wants to share his pride: as author of "Diabetes for Dummies," he knows how hard it is for Dummies to get respect.

At the first-ever conference for authors of For Dummies books–an “unconference,” its puckish organizers declared–there were no step-by-step instructions on how to register. No boldface WARNING signs ...