I agree with you. We need more end-user representation at the Office 2.0 Conference.

I will work toward this goal.

Best regards
 -Ismael

I checked Clearspace out and it is — at least for me — pretty impressive. It was and still is my hope that Google does something similar with JotSpot, which I use currently, and really like.

I do have to say though that the feature set for Clearspace is much richer, and Google would have some catching up to do. Pricing is also very reasonable, and it should provide the impetus for wider adoption.

In that regard, I think some wider and more cross-functional marketing is needed. What I mean is that somehow, the good news should be presented to corporate user groups, more so than just IT departments. Most of the corporate world still uses either Microsoft Exchange or Lotus Notes, with collaboration reduced to e-mail and a shared drive.

There is a huge demand and need out there for things like conversation based messaging, wiki style knowledge management, easy and quick transfer of large files, the ability for teams to view and edit documents and images concurrently, etc. in a global collaboration — but most users have no idea of what’s available, and how that would immensely transform the way we work.

Maybe, for example, a conference like Office 2.0 should target engineering and/or R&D groups — who are typically most interested in collaboration tools - at companies in diverse industries, like GM, Lockheed, DuPont, P&G, Exxon, Jacobs, just to name just a few, and invite them to explore the new world of collaboration applications. This way it would be possible to match applications with needs, and set in motion the powerful driving force of end user demand.

Just my 2 cents.