molly.com
Thursday 20 November 2003
comdex or bust
That would better read “Comdex was a bust.” I’ve never in my some 6 or so years of working the show seen it so small and with such dismal attendance. Even November, 2001 had better attendance than this.
I had a great time, though, enjoyed seeing friends of old and meeting new both at Comdex and ApacheCon. My sessions went well, too, so the trip was not for naught.
However, I don’t think Comdex will survive another year, unless someone buys it, reworks it, or merges it with something else.
I’m not optimistic.
Filed under: professional
Posted by: site admin | 04:58 | Comments (19)
Sorry to hear that, Molly. Good to hear that you managed to salvage some part of it, though!
We were talking here at work about COMDEX and what it has become. Years ago, technology was such a big deal we had a show in LasVegas and one… somewhere else. Now, all of the little shows seem to have coopted COMDEX to one degree or another.
If I went this year, it would be to see new CSS techniques, not new flat-screen monitors. I’d be more interested in new web editors, not wireless networking. And when you get down to dollars spent for value received, I can learn more about CSS or page-creation software at other shows and the flat-screen folks and wireless networking folks can learn more about their interests at other shows, too.
I’ll miss the whiny/bitchy afternoon crowds, the sight of seeing folks in business suits and Reeboks and especially the after-the-show parties and hospitality suites. But it’ll be nice when LasVegas hotel room rates return to normal for that week, too.
I agree that the “traditional tradeshow” was a bust. However, all conferences based on that model are gone or soon will be, yet I found the show a GRAND success for networking and learning opportunities. Veterans, like me, of tradeshows have ALWAYS found the true value of these conferences the business networking opportunities and the educational seminar sessions. I do not miss the “hotel suite” booths with rent a girls and boys in costumes handing out free gifts and scanning my badge for “contact blast” marketing campaigns.
I spent one day on the floor and found skilled people staffing the booths and engineers who could answer my questions. I could use a bathroom without standing in line for 20 minutes, I could have business conversations and hear and speak without shouting. The speakers on the Comdex floor Innovations booth were fantastic (and free for exhibit ticket holders). I like how Innovations and Microsoft had small kiosk booths that brought in smaller vendors that was staffed with engineers and smaller distributors will real, now products. So I think you are a bit harsh because the seminars and training sessions were very good, including you Molly, a true goddess of information management. The business networking contacts were also excellent, thanks.
That’s sad to hear.
SXSW seems to be going through that as well. The same speakers regurgitating the same monologues to the same disinterested bloggers who are really just there to freeload at the ad agency parties and go back home saying they know Zeldman.
[Dons flame retardant suit]
To hear this from a professional like Molly working with WOW is truly disappointing.
Where on earth you will hear Bill Gates and Scott McNealy as a keynote speaker?
Even the Comdex organizers were predicting an attendance around 50,000 and they achieved it. This is a new model of Comdex and we all should welcome it as the IT economics change.
What is there in numbers and compare with last 6 years? Remember that this is the Year One of the new Comdex and it should in no way compared with the dot-com days. Success lies in spirit and I am sure in the next few years Comdex will be stronger then ever.
I was there(COMDEX) last year attending the WOW certification. Someone told me that Comdex was going bankrupt. I’m not sure how valid that statement was, but those kind of rumors are bad news.
This year I attended the Macromedia MAX conference(November 18 – 21, 2003) in Salt Lake City which was taking place the same time as COMDEX. Maybe this conference is one of the reasons it had a low turn-out.
Hopefully COMDEX has a *stronger conference next year so I can attend.
side-note:
I saw you *new book there Molly! but didn’t have the funds to buy.
The fact that you met some friends Molly doesn’t make it all bad:-)
Great site by the way
M.K
Very interesting site.
great site
Hello!
greets to all
it´s a verry nice blog here
This article is very interesting and written by some clever guy.:) Thank you!
thanks
thanks
good article
thanks molly..
thankss
good thankss