For those of us not fortunate enough to attend, how about an update? Did anyone attend the "Software Shootout"? I would be interested in how that session went from a user standpoint and if there was anything new worth looking at...

Thanks,
W.S. "Cye" Miles
APRE Inspections, Inc.
Maryville, TN

I attended InspectionWorld but I did not attend the Software Shootout sessions as they were not approved for state CE in TN. Everytime I went past the room that it was being held in the attendance was fairly small. I would say that 20-30 folks were in each session, I would imagine it was only attended by folks looking for new software.

All of the software looks the same. Nothing really new and exciting. All still have wretched boilerplate verbiage. All in all I think I counted 8 software vendors!

One noticeable absence from the exhibit hall was Pro-Lab, they had apparently signed up for the show as they were listed in print, but they did not have a booth. It was very nice to see a reduction in the mold labs at this show, perhaps we are starting to make the turn in the right direction!

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

Thanks for the update Scott. I was just curious as to how the software vendors did when presenting "under pressure". AMEN on the boiler plate verbage!

I appreciate the response,
W.S. "Cye" Miles

Scott,

I heard that attendance in N.O. was way down from previous years. Was that your experience? Thanks

JB

I would not say that it all that down, the last number of home inspectors in attendance that I saw on 18th was 588 and then you add in the spouses and vendors and the attendance was around 700 or so. It was just about the right size and all of the states that have required CE approved most if not all of the sessions for their continuing education requirements.

InspectionWorld will be in Orlando, FL (Disneyworld) in 2009 and Las Vegas, Las Vegas Hilton in 2010. Also some smaller 2 day regional educational road shows are in the works for 2009 if not sooner.

In 2007 IW was held at Disneyland and it was also a joint CREIA conference. Attendance at 2007 IW if I recall was around 1200.

The Kaplan/ITA show in Vegas was way down this past October, I think they had around 500-600 in attendance and that was about half of what they had the year before.

I'm sure that the numbers will be down at all conferences around the country and many organizations are canceling them. I have heard the InterNACHI has been unable to book their show and has cancelled it for this year. Times are tough and the associations are being forced to change with the times and the profession.

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Scott Patterson
Spring Hill, TN
http://www.traceinspections.com

The software shootout did not go off as billed. There was not a head to head show. It was one vendor at each session trying to sell their stuff.

I sat in one for a while with maybe 10 others and left since it was pretty boring.

The bad part for me was that the State only approved 18 of the 35 or so sessions. So I had to change my plans on what to sit in on. Some of the States require a written exam after the session - that really sucks.

I for one was glad that ProLab was not there. The vendors that were there had a lot of activity. The nice thing about the light crowd was being able to get around and see things and talk to people.

WOW. A yes would have worked also.

I hope you don't write your home inspection reports this way.

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I say lets merge all the home inspection organizations into one.

Seepaluce

Thanks Scott. I forgot that Anaheim was also a CREIA function.

JB