Are Trade Shows a thing of the past?

[housekeeper]

Good thread and some interesting viewpoints, I'd like to see companies offering more software or equipment as well, but as was pointed out not quite feasible. The first show I went to was in Chicago circa 1985, it was actually a CES show and the porn section was kind of like an addendum to the electronics show. Is that not how the shows were born, out of CES shows which were originally in Vegas, I think?

Anyhow, hope the low attendance is just a passing fancy. Like many others I have attended trade shows for years in a myriad of industries, it's always a beautiful thing when human interaction is involved...