COMDEX struggling but not dead

This past week, I found myself living what for me was a nightmare come true.

It was early Monday morning, and I was wandering the aisles of the Las Vegas Convention Center, once again drawn into that annual vortex known as COMDEX.

Over a period of more than a decade, the COMputer Dealer Exposition (as it's called) has become the largest technology trade show in the world, attracting close to 250,000 participants at its apex in November of 1999.

Since then the dot-com collapse, slowing economy, and general business jitters post 9/11 have all combined to see participation (both of exhibitors and attendees) drop significantly in the past two years.

But back to this past Monday: There I was, walking up and down the aisles of COMDEX, and the LVCC was nearly deserted.

Here and there I would see a few people visiting in a booth or walking from one place to another, but if a trade show ever looked like a ghost town, this was it.

This went on for close to an hour, as I stopped and chatted with a few people here and there, as a feeling grew within me that I could not suppress "COMDEX is dead. I have lived to see the death of this venerable old show. Even worse, the technology industry must be in a much weaker state than I thought."

I even imagined writing this column, thinking, "There is no positive spin to put on this story. COMDEX is finished."

It was at this time that I found myself standing in the booth of a forgettable high-tech firm positioned adjacent to one of the main entrances to the LVCC Central Hall. As I visited with one of is execs, I happened to glance over his shoulder at the doorway where I saw throngs of people being held back by LVCC security.

And then it hit me; I'd forgotten to change the time on my wristwatch to Las Vegas time when I arose that morning. Hence, I had mistakenly believed COMDEX had been "in session" when in fact the floodgates had yet to officially open.

Boy did I feel sheepish.

Let me state for the record that any reports to the contrary, COMDEX is not dead, and neither is the high-tech industry.

Well, actually, the owner of COMDEX, Key3Media (OTC BB: KMED) is likely to file bankruptcy proceedings any day now, but that's really a whole 'nother story.

As far as Fall COMDEX 2002 itself was concerned, I'd call it a success. Not a rip-roaring, dot-com-inflated success, mind you, but a success nonetheless.