CPA Congress in Melbourne – Catchy Titles R Us

Today I am presenting to CPA Congress in Melbourne, at the Melbourne Convention Centre.  The topic I am presenting to is "What is Open Source Software and When can Businesses Use It?".  I must spend more time on the titles, as I see that all the other sessions have catchy little titles like ‘Communication that Captivates’ or ‘Introduction to budgeting for non-accountants’ (OK well maybe that one’s not all that catchy).  I really should start with some eye-grabbing titles.  In this case, it probably should have been something like ‘Never Buy Software Again!’ or ‘What you don’t buy could hurt you’. 

Hmmm.  Maybe I’ll think about that.

Unfortunately I have always liked my seminar titles to say what they’re about – kinda boring, but functional.  I bet I won’t have anyone turn up to this seminar thinking they’re going to get free software from me.  I might have to establish a Catchy Names for Seminars department. 

Anyway I flew down this morning at 8.50am on the plane – but had to leave home much earlier than I had intended to since Brisbane is suffering greatly from traffic chaos.  Amazing what can happen when someone realises that about 100m or so of roadway could collapse and kill everybody in its path.  I’m sure they’ve done the right thing but honestly who can tell?  Got into Melbourne about 11.30 and immediately the fun and games started.  It seems my email with the presentation and workbook didn’t actually come through with the email I sent on Sunday.  Maybe I mucked up – it occasionally happens, and even more rarely do I admit to doing so.  Anyway, after much toing and froing I found the Press Room in the Holiday Inn (Trap for Young Players:  as an outsider looking in, apparently I am supposed to ‘know’ that the hotel with Crowne Plaza written all over it is actually the Holiday Inn.  What gives?).

That has lead us to a place where they can have the presentation in the room and can photocopy (!) the 12 workbooks I need to do my workshop.  Again, insert a big fat hmmm here. 

Why only twelve people I hear you ask?  Well, darned if I know either – I hope they all turn up or that whole group discussioon thing I’ve got planned is going to go pretty lamely.  Perhaps everyone knows everything about there open source software (I can but hope) or perhaps somewhat more realistically they have a nagging faint suspicion at the very core of their souls that three hours spent discussing open source software could send them into cardiac arrest or a reall really deep coma. This I think is a real problem for a profession when the topics I am up against are things like ‘3 secrets of how workplace fun boosts results’, ‘GST and Property Update’, and ‘Excel Beyond the Basics’ (that one needs two rooms).

Gak, perhaps this is my problem.  Accounting still thinks of IT as Excel (a tool to help you report on the financial aspects of the business) whereas I am thinking of IT as a tool that helps the business deliver its services or products.  Perhaps I should have mentioned that they wouldn’t have to pay for Excel to do 80% of the work they want to do…

Ah, accountants.  A conservative lot.