Conventions in the Cloud? Where will it all end?

Debbie and I have been in the computer industry a long time and one of the fun events we used to like to attend was Comdex in Las Vegas every year.  For those of you outside of the industry, it was the largest IT industry trade show attracting over 250,000 geeks and vendors from around the world every year.  It got us out of the office for a few days and we could see what everyone else in the industry was developing and where trends were taking us.  It used to take up 4-6 event centers in Vegas and we'd walk the aisles all day and rest our feet in the lounges or at the blackjack tables at night. 

Sadly, the show became too big and unweildy, and the major vendors started to pull out because it was almost impossible to carry on real conversations in the press of humanity.  That plus the delivery methods for introducing products via the Internet grew so efficient that the bother and expense of reserving exhibit space and shipping staff out of the office for over a week eventually caused it's demise a number of years ago.

Now it's back?  SORTA!

We just got this years invitation to Virtual Comdex 2012.  Now we can walk the "virtual aisles" of the New and Improved Comdex without leaving our desk and even "linger" in the lobby to make virtual friends.  We can chat with sales reps, watch product demos, attend lectures and pick up literature (always a chore getting it all to fit into our luggage on the way home from the show in the "Live" days). 

Technology has come so far that they have almost completely replicated the experience of the huge conventions of the past.  No more sore feet from walking literally miles of exhibit aisles.  No more expensive air fares and hotel rooms.  No more shoulder to shoulder crowds peering at small booth exhibits.  (Although Debbie once stood shoulder to shoulder with Bill Gates outside the WordPerfect booth before he needed body guards.)

Somehow, it just won't be the same.  Sure, it's more efficient and less expensive but I think the excitement will be lacking and so will some of the fun.  It was fun to watch the groups from Japan and China in their matching caps scurrying along behind their immaculately uniformed tour guide with a bicycle flag stuck to their back.  Or the hopelessly geeky Comdex attendees trying to blend in with the regular Vegas clientele and failing miserably.  I once opined that the entire pocket protector industry could be wiped out if something happened in Vegas that week.  Ok, I know I just dated myself because pocket protectors are obsolete but you get the idea.

There's something to be said about the value of in-person interaction that I don't think can be replaced in the virtual world.  Maybe I'm too old-school, but I still like to look someone in the eyes face to face to "get a feel" for whether or not they're for real or just blowing smoke (or is that now virtual smoke?).