Not What Was Expected

After several months of preparation of the Unibase interface to InputAccel Document Operating System, including setting up to run on Windows NT, the show was not quite what was expected.  Listed here are some of the good and bad feelings about the show.

Reactions to AIIM Show Capture First Time Awe

The number and quality of technical people at the show was excellent.  Most vendors had at least one person present who could answer with autority any question we asked.

Many International Attendees

The number of international attendees at AIIM was greater than at any show DMAC had previously attended.

Vendors Equal Attendees

As with most shows, the number of people representing vendors equaled the number of conference and exhibit only attendees in the exhibit area.

Brief Demos Are the Rule

Most vendors had mastered the brief demo of their product.  DMAC was over prepared with its in-depth approach to demos.  Few people were interested in more than a cursory view of the product.  None asked details about the interface to InputAccel.  Other vendors must have known this was the case.  Of the nine vendors in the InputAccel Compatible exhibit area four did not have an interface built fro the InputAccel Document Operating System and one even was demonstrating a different document operating system approach.

Other Vendors Sum Up Show

In talking with several vendors who have been at AIIM over five years, they said that basically vendors brought their product to the show, shopped for strategic alliances with other vendors, reviewed competitive products for features to add to their products, and partied.  Attendance at AIIM tends to reflect awareness of this with conference and exhibit only attendance of 39,000 in 1994, 31,000 in 1995 and about 20,000 in 1996.