NECC ISTE Makeover

For those of you who may not know...this is the last NECC ever. Yes you read me right.
The last NECC ever. But if your jaw has not hit the floor, (and just in case it did, ask someone near you to pick it back up) the conference lives on- but it will now be known as ISTE. (or, the conference formerly known as NECC..we just need a symbol now)

As you may have read in my last post, my shock that Apple was not at NECC. I continued pacing up and down the exhibit hall, in a daze when I had an epiphany. It happened while standing in front of the Google booth, or I should say booths- or really Google playground. I had a flashback as I stood in front of Google, what I saw happening at the Google spot was familiar. But in my flashback, the name was not Google, the location was smack dab up front, grabbing your attnetion as you entered the exhibit hall. CROWDS, and crowds of educators, salivating who could not get enough of Apple, Microsoft, and others. But fast forward, getting out of the flashback, and there I was staring at Google. As the reality set in about Apples absence from NECC ITSE, it hit me-OPEN SOURCE, freeware- I predict that within 3 years, you will be greeted in the exhibit hall with open arms by Google, Open Office, ZOHO, Scratch, and other open source organizations. Googles exhibit spot was packed from start to finish, and the number of Google workshops, breakout sessions, and poster sessions was unprecidented. Scratch was a close second. Open Source is all the rage, and is not the flavor the month but here to stay. I predict over the next three yeras, most educational software companies will be a distant memorie on the exhbit floor of NECC or rather the conference formerly known as NECC.

Thoughts anyone????????????????????????