Ok. Here are my views on this entire thread.
First of all, instead of focusing on the negative in this thread - try focusing on the positive value it may hold.
MisterX criticism of the show holds some important points.
1. Drinks should not be overpriced in a place where they are not the main issue (like a bar/pub) and if fact can help people feel the show was better than it is
as well as help people relax and network better (unless you drink too much). Was overpricing the case? I don’t know – I wasn’t there. How much was a glass of beer? How much was wine?
2. $125 for a show where there is only a space to get together is also overpriced UNLESS that $125 included something else. I do not know since I wasn't there (I regret not being there) but if the seminars were included in that - then its fair. (The criticism about the seminars - I can not address that since I wasn't attending). Anyway - I don't know if it was right for that one, but usually you know what you get for what you are paying for in advance. That was the case for Internext. Don't know about this one because I didn't go - but wasn't there a site where you could find that out?
3. Not having name tags is a shame. It’s not a good excuse saying "you could have asked them who they were or should have known in advance" – that is pure bullshit. The whole point of a show is to meet new people – telling someone they should have known them in advance is foolish and nametags are not rocket science. Company+Name tags are an old and well known concept. I see no reason not having them. (Though some people say there were tags – so I don’t understand it. Maybe they were hard to find? Don’t know – the fact the people say there was a problem mostly proves there was one)
Which brings me to the second thought - Don't reject people's criticism. You will be the only looser for that. Even if it's badly put and seems invalid - try to get the best things you can out of it. If you think the show was perfect and someone raises some points where your reaction is "I think differently and anyway - do the best with what you have" I think you are wrong. You should always strive for better (in this case show) and almost everybody's opinion - especially criticism - may hold a key for improvement.
Now - as to networking opportunities. There are no rules there. Booths help and tags help. And if you are good at this and very social it helps.
But even then, in the last Internext I met wonderful people in the least expected occasions. Only one example out of several, where I met wonderful people in Vegas IN SPITE the lack of tags and booths...
It was in PSB's lounge party that started slow and where I attended alone without friends (which makes me less social since I am a "friends" person). First I met Meni - I had no idea it was him because in his pics he looks like a body builder
and in reality he is half my height
(that’s because I am tall. very) hehe. Anyway - not only that but ALL PSB's people wore shirts with the WRONG names. Go figure. Meni pointed FNP Dave out which proved to be a wonderful person and things went from there..
But even better was my meeting with Poppy and Laurie. I basically met them in that same occasion by chance, where we happened to ask one another "hey - whazap - who are you?" and sat to the same table together. No tags, no booths, little social readiness. Till this day, I think it was one of the finest hooking-up I had at Internext and that is even without this relation being based on immediate gain. Some people are just good to meet because they are good people at heart and as time prove sometimes - also people how its a loss not to know
So as to booths – I have no clear opinion, just saying I see nothing wrong with them and it’s the companies who usually push to having those, not the attendees - afaik.
Why don't I balance things by criticizing MisterX post and what some may think of as invalid approach? Well - I just explained it - Focus on the valuable and positive.
Final word - I talked to people about that show. Many said it was great.
Only think what they would say if next year it was even better if the organizers implemented some of the improvements suggested from people's criticism. Personal attacks on MisterX or Daniel are pointless and damaging to the attackers. I never saw something getting better by putting down all the criticism some had about it and trying to create a consensus about how perfect it was. Live and learn. Nothing is perfect. Embrace criticism.
Anyway - thumbs up for people who move things forward and organize trade shows.
Just my 2 cents.