I have been reading the posts on the future of Interex, and listened to the
discussion (at least at our table) at the HP3000-L lunch about same, with
considerable interest.  But, it occurs to me (as I am sure that it occurred
to many of you)  that the Apps-on-Tap initiative may mean the end in the
middle future of HPWorld and Interex as it is presently configured.  (For
those who haven't a clue what I am talking about, Apps-on-Tap refers to
internet-hosted applications.  This is apparently a big part of HP's
e-Services push.)

I make this claim because many of the vendors at HPWorld are application
vendors who are there to market their products to IT managers who use HP
hardware.  Many of the sessions are aimed at helping IT managers better
manage their HP hardware.  But, the internet changes everything.

If applications are rented from internet-based application service
providers, the hardware the apps run on becomes irrelevant to the apps'
users.  It will matter not a whit to Telenomics' users whether the software
runs on an HP3K, an AS400, or Linux, as long as it works.

Certainly certain categories of applications will always remain in-house,
especially home-grown applications which the corporations which developed
them feels gives them a competitive advantage.  Yield-management software
for airlines, or stock-trading software for hedge funds are two examples of
this kind of software.  There are many others.  But, for back-office
applications such as accounting, human resources, payroll, and so forth,
apps-on-tap means there will be less and less reason to run them on
in-house servers.  IT managers will more and more become internet
communications managers, and less and less managers of computing
infrastructure.

What this implies is that application vendors such Mitchell-Humphrey,
Smith-Gardner, etc., will have no reason to come to hardware-centric shows
such as HPWorld, because their target audience no longer includes the
traditional IT manager of computing infrastructure, who currently make up a
considerable number of HPWorld attendees.  The target audience of
internet-hosted applications will consist exclusively of the end-users of
those applications. The traditional IT manager will have little reason to
come to HPWorld, because they will not be managing much computing
infrastructure.  This will leave only software development tool makers and
some types of hardware vendors to market their wares to developers, ASPs,
CSPs and ISPs.

Whether HPWorld can survive with only tool vendors displaying to software
developers and hardware vendors to ASPs, CSPs and ISPs is anyone's guess.

The more interesting question is whether Interex itself can survive.  As
many on this list know, HPWorld provides a critical chunk of Interex's
revenues.  If HPWorld is considerably downsized or disappears because of
apps-on-tap obviates the need for it, Interex itself may not be able
continue.

There will still be a demand for an IPROF-like conference, so software
developers, ASPs, and CSPs can get together and discuss things with each
other and with HP.  Some of the SIGs may survive also.  But, as has been
discussed, no one really needs Interex to put on IPROF or run the SIGs
(although I understand Alfredo was chewed out for saying something sort of
similar).

I imagine that many of you will disagree with me, and I look forward to
reading your responses.

Tom Brandt                            Northtech Systems, Inc.
+1 734-769-5040                     313 N. First Street
+1 734-769-5498 (FAX)            Ann Arbor, MI 48103