CeBIT 2009 - Aftermath

So, how was this year's CeBIT computer fair? The media have been rather pessimistic beforehand. 25% less exhibitors, 20% less visitors, but despite the worlwide economic crisis you'll find confidence everywhere ... at least now.

This year, I visited CeBIT only for a single day as exhibitor as well as a visitor. On friday, March 6th 2009, there was 'startup day' at the HPI booth in hall 9, B.10., and we presented our video search engine yovisto (well, it was almost only Jörg who did the presentation, while I was playing 'visitor'...). As every other year, for me hall 9, the 'future parc', is the most interesting hall of all 26 (!) halls. BTW, did you now that the Hannover fair area is the largest in the world? In hall 9 you could find the latest research of universities and research institutions (as well as some government and public administration...).

One thing that was pretty obvious was that hall 9 was not as crowded with exhibitors as the years before (at least in the rear areas this could be realized pretty heavily). I also was a little bit disappointed about our former booth at the joint exhibition stand of the universities Thüringen, Sachsen, and Sachsen-Anhalt (=Mitteldeutschland), because there was nothing really interesting to see, and most exhibitors were busily sitting in front of their computer screens.....presenting their 'backside' to the visitors and avoiding contact...not really inviting at all. No wonder, if they don't make it in the run for excellence...


But, on the other hand, I really liked the exhibition stands of the Fraunhofergesellschaft and the THESEUS research programme. Esp., at THESEUS (user scenario CONTENTUS) they demonstrated the workflow for digitalization, restauration, and indexing audiovisual media (...just my subject). While digitalization and restauration work pretty well, the indexing capabilities are still rather limited. You might search for 'similar' motives, but identifying individual persons is still subject to ongoing research.



After all, I was really happy to stay just for one day. Some of our co-workers had to stay for the entire week (my sincere condolences!). Was it worth while? For one single day, of course yes it was!

P.S. Alas, there really was a Latvian company that showed 'brains' in various colors.... ;-)

It's CeBIT time again ... Day 2

Incredible, but true...yesterday evening we've succeeded in walking through ALL CeBIT halls. If you've ever been there, you know that this means something. Somebody told us, that taking the whole 9 yards means walking almost 10 kilometers. Ok, in the evening without the crowded passages its much easier (except the crowded parties of course). And there the CeBIT often offers Live music of exceptional quality.

But before that you stand there at your booth from 9 am to 6 pm, talking to peoples, explaining and demonstrating your project, making new contacts, taking and planning appointments...
Saturday and Sunday are the days of the so called 'Beutelratten' (meaning non-business visitors that are hunting all possible giveaways and gadgets, gathering all in free giveaway bags that they have to carry around everywhere and everytime). But, anyway besides of those, today we also had some rather interesting business visitors.
Tomorrow on Sunday will be my last CeBIT day...and I must say it's okay. Another three days would be really too stressful...

Please don't forget to register at OSOTIS, our new video search engine, and win an iPod!!
(to be continued...)

It's CeBIT time again ... Day 1

Friday, my first day on CeBIT computer fair. This year, we (Osotis) have a booth at the joint exhibition of 'Mitteldeutschland' in hall 09 - the hall of research and future. Next to us are the other EXIST-SEED funded projects of the FSU Jena -- MobiSoft (watch out for Steffen's Blog, esp. for his pictures) and Navimatrix. On the other hand - my second employer is also present in hall 09 - the Hasso-Plattner-Institute of the University of Potsdam at the joint exhibition of 'Berlin-Brandenburg' with the projects Lock-Keeper (a hardware firewalling system), TeleTask (a simple tele lecturing system), and Tele Lab (a laboratory for security techniques). I will write about the most interesting projects of hall 09 in the upcoming posts.

Yesterday, we had a lot of trouble to keep our system running. But today, Jörg (fortunately) managed to solve the major problems. Thus, I tried to upload a few more videos (including a lot of Berkeley public lectures). If you read this blog, please register at Osotis, because we need a lot of users to keep the system working!

As usual, CeBIT would be half as interesting without it's after business parties. Almost in each of the more than 20 halls there were several parties going on (many including live music, all including free drinks, some including free food...). It's the most difficult task during the day to find out, where and what is going on after business, where to go for 'dinner', for some drinks, and for to listening the best music.