Well there goes another CeBit.
I was pleasantly surprised that this year’s event actually had some content worth writing about. But I’m glad it’s over because for some reason CeBit for me means…
– Endless e-mails and phone calls before the event along the lines of “would you like to meet such and such at CeBit”.
– Going into the office to check e-mail before heading out to the event.
– Cabbing to and from the event.
– Sifting through the program to find the most relevant story possibilities.
– Having PRs call you on your mobile phone every few hours.
– People at the event talking you to tears and then asking you to write about their “revolutionary” technology.
– Trying to find the media room.
– Forgetting a previously arranged meeting (sorry).
– Hoping for Internet access (at a tech conference, yeah right).
– Locating a power point to power the notebook used to (accurately?) transcribe presentations with your brick of a notebook running dry.
– Catching up with about a zillion people you’ve met and/or interviewed over the years (the best part, really).
– Wait for a cab during Sydney’s “change over” time.
– Handing out and gathering business cards by the dozen. Oh well, at least it’s good networking.
– Lugging your 3+Kg bag and notebook around the exhibition floor and being asked to take a brochure at every stand.
– Meeting people you’ve interviewed over the phone buy never so much as laid eyes on (this happened, I kid you not).
– Cabbing it back the office before COB to meet a daily deadline.
– Trying not to (or to, depending on your mood) upset anyone with what you write.
– Avoid catching something.
– Responding to numerous voicemails and hundreds of e-mails on return to the office.
– Get the transcriptions you wrote cleaned up and ready for publication.
All in a day’s work.
The government and open source conferences saved it – good oh!
