The Expo Guide that wasn’t

The Expo Guide that wasn’t.

Macworld Conference and Expo 2007 is a huge event. Sure, it’s not as massive as the Consumer Electronics Show, but Macworld has hundreds of vendors, as well as dozens of seminars and presentations, many of which are in different halls and buildings.

The Macworld Conference and Expo Event Guide is a critically important publication; it’s the best and easiest way for attendees to navigate the maze that is Macworld.

This year, the show management ruined the Guide. They eviscerated the two most useful sections; the listing of what each vendor does, as well the listing of seminar/presentation times and locations.

Each year, as soon as I’ve obtained my Media credentials, I pick up the Expo Guide. This year, I knew something was amiss as soon as I picked up the booklet. It was too thin, far too thin. Given that there are many more vendors this year than previous, a Guide thinner than I’ve ever seen did not bode well. It didn’t take long to discover the vendor descriptions was gone; replaced by just listings of vendor names and booth locations.

How was an attendee to know what Miglia Technology was about? What does ADS Tech sell?

Big names need no description, unless Adobe’s or Canon’s market niche has slipped your mind.

But the little guys need all the help they can get, as their name recognition is marginal at best.

Quick, tell me what Circus Ponies Software sells.

Bzzzzt, time’s up.

Right, that’s my point.

With not even a mention of what each vendor does, the current Guide leaves both attendees and vendors in the lurch.

If you want to attend the presentations, most of are well worth the money, this year’s Guide won’t help you know when and where to show up. You need to get the info on the show web site, www.macworldexpo.com.

No computer with you at the show. So sorry, Charlie.

Expo show management, you’ve been put on notice.

Don’t screw up the Guide next year.