[RawAlex]

Shows are incredibly useful, if they are structured in a way that allows and encourages you get things done.

Shows in Vegas are hit and miss. There is just so many things to do that are not related to the show, that most people are just not reachable, not at the show, not on the show floor, etc. The shows at the Palms are absolutely, utterly, and completely useless. Nobody wants to stay there, nobody wants to be there, and nobody wants to party there. The end result is people scattered all over and nothing getting done. The last two AVN shows I attended were basically a couple of hours of show, and 3 or 4 days of poker.

The Miami show (when it started) was somewhat better, mostly because between the show floor, the pool bar, and the central area around the entrance the fountain, you could usually find or run into almost anyone you wanted to see. But over time, the loss of the show floor (and replacing it with cliquish cabanas) turned it into a series of private meetings and everyone driving off to South Beach to party. Sort of made it hard to really meet anyone. Worse, except for the Porn Poker Tour, there wasn't any real poker!

There is still need for personal contact and interaction, but the ranks in the business are thinning rapidly. Things like CybernetExpo are likely more the longer term trend for the online part of the business.