When you want to learn tips, techniques, and/or fundamentals of a software program you have several avenues to explore. You can take an extended studies class at a local college or university, attend a class at a private training institution, or travel to a location (most often on the mainland) to attend a conference, trade show, or expo.

When it comes to trade conferences, many different conferences specialize in a particular application programs. For example, if you want to learn more about Adobe Photoshop there's the Photoshop World Conference in Las Vegas. For Adobe Creative Suite, you find the Chicago Adobe Creative Suite Conference in Miami. For Adobe InDesign you find the InDesign Conference in Seattle.

For Adobe Acrobat you have several choices. The PDF Conference produced by Carl Young started the Acrobat PDF conferences back in 1993. Carl produces a conference in Washington D.C. each year. This year the conference is not being held due to a conflict with Adobe Max 2006 that is yet, another conference. In the spring of each year you find the Adobe Acrobat and PDF Conference in Orlando.

Most of these conferences have past for this year. However, one new conference appearing in November in Omaha is another Acrobat conference. As an example of a conference where you can find much learning opportunity, I'll use the new central conference as an example.

Conference Programs

For those who have never attended a conference, expo, or trade show, let me outline the programs you usually find and offer some opinion for what you can expect. Conferences generally have two to three different tracks with sessions provided by industry experts that are typically one hour to one and a half hours each. You register for the conference and get a program listing of all sessions in each of the individual tracks and make your choices for those you want to attend.

A good many conferences also have a keynote speaker who opens up the first day's sessions with a keynote address. Also, in addition to the two to three days of sessions you often find a series of pre-conference workshops and post conference workshops. These are additional sessions you pay extra for and can be one half to full day sessions you spend with a noted authority on the subject.

Quite often you find a welcome dinner or social at the evening prior t the first day's sessions and through the conference week you'll usually have an opportunity to have lunch with other attendees and the speakers.

PDF Central Conference

At the PDF Central Conference in Omaha in November you find the program following the outline I mentioned above. The conference starts out a series of pre-conference workshops, a social on the eve of the fist day, two days of sessions, and follows with a day of post conference workshops.

The speaker lineup for this conference is very impressive. A number of speakers attending this conference are international authorities on Adobe Acrobat and PDF.

What can you expect by attending a trade conference?

At first glance the price of a conference appears to be high. You can pay $695 to $995 for attending a conference. Add the travel from Hawaii and the lodging and the price seems a bit hefty. However, if you get the most out of your conference attendance you can often gain as much, if not more knowledge than attending many local college or private training classes while paying just about the same amount of money for a series of classes that equals conference expenses. This is especially true when you attend a conference at the beginning of a new software upgrade.

If you fork over the money for a conference, travel, and lodging, then you'll want to get the most out of the time you spend at the conference. For getting the most out of a conference, here are some tips you might consider:

• Prepare your questions. Take with you any specific problems or questions about your software product to the conference and get together with a speaker or a few speakers who can give you concrete answers to your questions.
• Divide your sessions. If you travel to a conference with a colleague, divide the sessions of interest to you. You may find some sessions colliding in different tracks where you want to attend both sessions. Make some choices among your colleagues so you collectively attend the most sessions. Take notes and compare your notes on the flight back home.
• Corner the speakers. Speakers attend conferences for a number of reasons. Many speakers don't always get paid the money you might think. At the Adobe Max 2006 conference for example, the registration for the conference costs you $1095 to attend. How much money is Adobe paying the speakers? Absolutely nothing! That's right, speakers are traveling to Las Vegas paying their own airfare and lodging and getting no compensation for the conference.

This is not so uncommon at many trade shows and conferences. Therefore, you know that the speakers are not motivated by money. Most speakers usually delight in offering education, tips, and techniques on the products they love. Their attendance is for personal fulfillment and affiliating with people who share their enthusiasm of a software product. Just about any speaker you approach will be delighted to talk with you.

All the speakers you find at conferences are approachable, no matter whom they are. Make sure you spend some time with speakers and pick their brains. Often, you can collect email addresses and find people who can help you with some real world solutions long after the conference ends. Don't be shy - try to get together with as many people as you can.

• Networking. In addition to speakers, you find many interesting people at conferences and many who have workflows similar to you. Equally spend some time with other attendees and also get email addresses for people who might be able to help you solve problems after you leave the conference.

I've been speaking at conferences for over 15 years and one thing I've noticed is that there is what I call conference junkies. These people show up at every Acrobat conference. Although they're usually hopeful of learning something new, one of the primary reasons they keep attending the conferences is to meet with friends, make new friends and approach speakers to engage in private conversations that help solve problems.

• Review the conference sessions. Immediately after returning home, download all the conference speaker presentations from the producer's Web site. Additionally, look over the articles posted by many Web sites covering the event (most publishers will be in attendance and you can obtain a list of those who publish articles on the event). Review the material while it's fresh in your mind. Like any other kind of learning, you need to add a little study to internalize the content.

If Adobe Acrobat is a program you use or want to start using, I hope to see you at the PDF Central Conference in Omaha on November 7 and 8 this year. If you do attend, be certain to stop by and say Aloha.

Ted

For more information on Acrobat and PDF, visit my blog at http://www.acrobatusers.com/blogs/tedpadova.

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