I am sad to say that I will be missing the Office 2.0 conference for the first time ever. I went and was completely inspired at the first one, and was a co-organizer last year. 

There are a few things about Office 2.0 that put it above most other conferences. Here are my thoughts:

The Gadget

Obviously this is a big one. When I turned up for the first Office 2.0 conference, I didn’t even know we’d be getting a gadget at all. The whole place was buzzing. Last year it was great to get the iPhone. This year it looks even better. This year it is the HP 2133 Mini-Note, which looks incredible.

The thing about the device is that you are more or less forced to use it for the duration of the conference. It is the best way to get the schedule, leave messages for other people, etc.  Being immersed in the use of the device forces you to wake up to the possibilities that portable computing devices put in front of us. It also makes you think about the sociality of mobile computing.

Bang for your buck

This partially relates to getting the gadget as well (it usually makes up 3/4 or more of the cost of your registration), but since Office 2.0 is not run as a money maker, you get treated well, and I mean really well, instead of being seen as an opportunity for profit.

The lunches are a big tastier, the coffee is decent (and the Tea at the St Regis is incredible), and in general you feel like the conference is being put on for you, not someone else.

Content

Sure, there is some of the usual vendor content at Office 2.0, but there is one key difference. Ismael puts quality first, and he never allows a panel or keynote to go ahead unless he sees the value to the community. Office 2.0 is one of the only conference that can change the way you think about collaboration, productivity and web 2.0

People

Every year Office 2.0 is packed with really cool and brilliant people. The big difference though is there is never the “cooler than thou” vibe you might get other places. People are constantly organizing dinners, drinks and parties and the only way you won’t get an invite is if you don’t talk to anyone.

Wow. It is hard to believe I won’t be there. I think I should go check for flights and cancel my meetings!