Things I learned at Interop 2006...

In keeping with my habit, here is my usual post-show post about Interop.This time though, there will be less about vendors and more about press and analysts, because I've picked on vendors enough through the years. Though one or two did make my list for this show. As usual, most specific names have been filtered out to protect the guilty. Ten things I learned at Interop 2006:

10. Miracles can happen. For the first time ever, we got through Chicago coming home without any cancelations or delays.

9. When a vendor tells you "ask anything you want, we trust you", ask as much as you can, they might sober up before tomorrow.

8. A good glass of Reisling will eat metal. In particular, will eat the magnetic backs for the Stampede pins that were given out.

7. Some vendors will stuff 20 bucks in your pocket, kiss your ear, and leave you standing alone on the dance floor.6. In a pinch, you can use an earing post to reset a BlackBerry.

5. No amount of caffiene will keep you awake through an uninteresting presentation.

4. You can't attend the annual Well Connected Awards without pants, but you'll lose your shirt buying slacks on the Vegas strip.

3. I now know how to make Editor Steve "the unshakable" Hill blush.

2. An analyst friend of mine dances as well with men as he does with women.1. Your boss making announcements and congratulating award winners from next to a stripper pole is only "okay" in Vegas.

No, the vendor in #7 wasn't bribing me, he had left his cell phone and 20 bucks at the table, and we hunted him down so he didn't leave without them. He was pleased enough to have his cell phone that he left us the 20 bucks.

Yes, Steve was actually embarassed. It was hugely amusing, and he's good natured enough to laugh at himself while he was at it.

Yes, I actually forgot to pack all of my pants. Not a single pair in my suitcase when I got there. My new suit for the WCA awards party cost more than my suite at THE Hotel.

The vendors in #9 were not drunk (at that point ;-)), they were recognizing that we're analysts and editors, not reporters, and that the more we know about their product, the more accurate our articles about them. If only more vendors thought like that.Did anyone else notice strong signs of improving markets? There was a lot of recruiting going on at the show, more chatchke, more new initiatives, and a more upbeat mood than there have been in a couple of years.