There are things at COMMON like Community and Networking that you don't get
as much at IBM's Tech Conf. Whether these are the Ask the Expert nights at
CUDs (COMMON User Discussion Socials) or some of the other social networking
events. Also, you only get the gospel according to IBM, while at COMMON you
get the IBM perspective and the other speakers on the street who live and do
it everyday.
There is a much bigger Expo at COMMON, so that you can look at products from
many companies. IBM does tend to feed you better then COMMON does, getting
Breakfast and Lunch every day.
The sessions at the Tech conference are 15 minutes longer then the ones at
COMMON, which is good in my opinion.
The COMMON Conference tends to be about 5 to 7 times more people then at IBM
Tech Conf.
IBM has much bigger pockets to pay for the meeting space, so they do not
have to charge attendees a fee to cover the meeting space that is built into
the room rate for those people staying at the hotel.
JMHO, and I may be slightly biased being the Executive Vice President of
COMMON :)
Pete
Pete Massiello
iTech Solutions
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Don
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 3:14 PM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: COMMON Focus was: SQL Finding & Using
IBM conferences are great! I'll be there!
The IBM tech conf's and COMMON cover a lot of the same stuff and generally
by the same speakers. Things you'll get at the IBM tech conf you won't get
at COMMON include a CD with almost ALL of the speaker handouts...including
the ones that are the same sessions given at COMMON but that never appear at
the COMMON website. Also the IBM conference doesn't charge you an obscene
penalty nuisance tax for not staying at their hotel venu...which btw, is
generally very reasonably priced. Orlando is at the Royal Caribe as I
recall which is a nice facility and their rates for the IBM conf for the
last conferences I've been at were really decent.
The IBM conferences generally include breakfast and lunch...and the food's
generally very good...and there's an evening program one of the nights to a
local venu for some group event, which is generally along the same calibre
as what COMMON started doing again at Anaheim's cool Thursday evening party.
Don in DC
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Leibowitz, Larry
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 2:51 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: COMMON Focus was: SQL Finding & Using
Opinion? Q: How is the "IBM System i Fall Technical Conference" Orlando
Nov. 5-9; for a 1st time i series conference attendee?
-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of rob@xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 2:43 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: COMMON Focus was: SQL Finding & Using
Pete,
It's COMMON Focus - not COMMON as we knew it. The fall is day long
stuff
versus multiple sessions. It's a whole different ball game. Only you
can
answer if the iNav full day lab on Tuesday beats the other events on
Tuesday.
http://www.common.org/conferences/2007/focus/workshop.html
I see they recently added the Developer's bootcamp. Sounds good. I
suspect without this genre that Focus was taking a hit. I think that
RPG
courses are still the biggest draws at COMMON and the me too's.
Rob Berendt
midrange.com
