[cumbria_lug] [long post] Re: inuxWorld Expo writeup

[Schwuk]

Richard Smedley wrote:
> I think the main problem was that the event was poorly 
> publicised to the business audience at which the shows
> are all aimed. Visitor numbers were low, but the layout
> and visitor demographic seemed to work very well for us
> on the .Org stands :-)

Yes - the .Org stands were almost continously swamped. If someone could 
figure out how to turn .org into a full show...

> If you'd managed to sit your way through the Interactive
> Ideas business breakfast you'd have got an MP3 player

Damn!

> IBM were a *small* presence on the Novell stand. Red Hat
> were quite prominent with senior staff giving a number
> of talks and Michael Tieman wandering around in a
> red fedora - you may have missed him on the Wednesday
> as his flight was cancelled, then the taxi gave him
> a bit of a run around, so he didn't arrive until
> the end of the day.

Honestly didn't see IBM. Saw Michael (he took part in the debate) and 
few RH people, but I didn't really attend the conferences.

> I think of the two I'd rather have been in the penguin 
> suit - and seen everyone smiling at me - then had to wear
> the Sun gear and see people's sympathetic gazes =^)

We were having bets on how far the Sun guys could make it outside the 
Expo before getting mugged. It was also funny to see the batteries die 
about halfway through the day! :)

> I didn't bother this time - but it sounds similar to the
> LUDEx one. However LUDEx did have the entertaining addition of 
> an MS representative, and Jon ``Maddog'' Hall :)

That would have been more interesting...

> Which table were you at? We weren't overly impressed,
> but had quite a good time :^) Yes, the social side is
> very important - lots of people know each other online
> but only get one opportunity a year to put names to
> faces and relax with a drink and talk about other things 
> to someone they only know through a project that both
> parties work on. 

I was on the big table in the restaurant - about a dozen of us. The food 
was ok-ish - Wookey and I shared a mixed grill - essentially a BBQ with 
salad and rice.

It's truly worth the trip just to faces to names (or nicks in some 
cases) - if they could make the expo better it would be a must-attend event.

> Well I made the same decision, it's not unreasonable
> as I'm sure some people will be putting up photographs
> soon :)

Jono has alerady obliged[1] - although I'm not sure how much use they'll 
be to others.

> Sorry I didn't get to meet you when you appear to have been 
> in the same restaurant as me :-/

I did look for your name badge (not knowing what you look like) on the 
AFFS stand but didn't see you the couple of times I was there.

There's always next expo (if it survives - apprently LUDEx is gone now).

[1] http://www.jonobacon.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album16

Cheers,
-- 
Schwuk - http://www.schwuk.com
Cumbria LUG - http://www.cumbria.lug.org.uk