A great conference is great because of the face time... show me a conference ....and I'll show you a bond.. a level of communication that occurs.  Show me a really really great conference and I'll show you one with people who have communicated for a while in a virtual setting and thus the conference itself is just to solidfy what's already there.

While I'm totally pleased that TechEd has placed it's presentations online, there's still a level of communication that just cannot be captured in “Death by audio and powerpoint”.  I'm in Las Vegas at the Bellagio and having a AICPA Tech conference with my geeky CPA friends.  And while I'm making sure I'm buying the MP3 to listen to it back home, I know that the talks with my fellow geeks over Mountain Dew will many times be just as valuable to me as the presentations themselves.   

My only complaint [that has privacy issues as well] is when they give us the brochure for the attendees, that we don't get an opt-in to share emails addresses.  As it is I'll be advertising the community listserve on the web site of the conference. 

Hand out business cards.....join/start a listserve... keep that virtual face time going.... and that conference will give back ten fold.

For you SBSers...don't miss the summer mini Harry-fest in Los Angeles and remember the SBS lovefest of www.smbnation.com this fall.