 | Carol Hallett VP of World Wide Sales for Real Intent |
There was a chill in the air; people were bundled up with layers of clothes as they walked at a fast clip to get to the convention center in Dresden, Germany on Tuesday 09 March 2010 to attend DATE 2010. The coat rack was filled with all of our coats, hats, gloves and scarves…but the reception by the DATE organizers was anything but cold…
As we arrived on Monday to sign in, we were greeted with “Cheers” and asked our names. Everything was in order, in its place and waiting for us…finding where to go first was our only challenge and that did not prove to be too hard to tackle.
The EDA vendors were well cared for; all of the details were attended to without a hitch. The booths were up and waiting for us when we arrived, everything running like a well oiled machine. The booth organizer was at our disposal, just in case we needed anything at all. The offer for help was not just a polite gesture but a genuine offer.
The conversation around this show was the fact that the technical tracks, with their intriguing subject matters, were the real draw for this show. The tracks were well attended and in some cases with standing-room only. I noticed people briskly walking from one track to the next. There was always a buzz of conversation that this show is truly morphing into a technical symposium.
One thing that was pleasantly surprising about this show was the fact that it was heavily attended by students. The students were not just looking for a job but came with their projects for products that they believe are needed now and in the future of EDA. The projects were well thought out, well researched and very well presented to the public. It was nice to see these students so eager to share their knowledge, but even more eager to learn from the EDA vendors.
There were fewer EDA companies as well as industry attendees at the show this year and the focus seemed to be more on Academia versus EDA companies. That said, the conversations with the show participants on the floor were purposeful, intimate and more in-depth than at most trade shows. As a result, attending the show had great value because you were given special attention, more time and were even given a special status…hence the trip was more than worthwhile. Personally, I liked that aspect of the show.
As a Vendor in the industry, I am hopeful that they can find a good balance that allows the EDA vendors, the Academia, Technical symposium and the User community to find purpose and value in joining DATE; I believe it is good for the industry, the vendors, the companies, and the individuals to have this balance. As a responsible individual and a person that cares about this industry, I shared my ideas with the DATE organizers…I think they have a good plan for next year.
When the show came to a close we packed up our things, bundled up in our winter attire and daringly went out into the cold air outside…but inside we will have warm fond memories of the days spent in Dresden.