[Simon]

I've done some Internext shows, in both Florida and Las Vegas. I've been a visitor, exhibitor, and roundtable presenter. And even as just a visitor wandering around, I've made good contacts at most of the shows. But all the folks I already know, I don't need to pay to see again (we have other ways to spend our money together now). And most of the folks I haven't met, and might want to see and meet F2F, aren't going to this one for various reasons. So even though it's 'just a bit north' of us, we're not going this time.

I really hope the show does well the way it's being organized this time, but I don't think that the way they're 'shaping' the show is going to make it very useful for 80-90% of webmasters today. Keeping the focus on the show may be what they want to see happen, but I'd bet that, as usual, most of the serious conversations and most of the important deals won't be made on the show floor or at any show events.

Don't get me wrong. I think that's the way deals should be done. But I also think that the show either needs to make how we do business easier, simpler, more relaxed, faster, or somehow 'better' than we can do it without all the show extras, or it's just not of much benefit. It's like they think the deals done off the floor are an added benefit of going to the show, instead of realizing that it's the show that's the added benefit...or not.

Simon