GeoCon/91: an international products showcase.

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The U.S. is by far the world's largest software marketplace, but U.S. developers have never had a monopoly on innovation. A good many products from overseas--including Tetris (USSR), 4th Dimension and Impress (France), PerForm and Corel Draw (Canada), SuperBase (U.K.), and Glockenspiel C++ (Ireland)--have already found their way onto various best-seller lists, and we suspect comparable titles are still waiting to be discovered.

But setting up global publishing relationships is still a haphazard process. That's why we've decided to create a new industry conference-- GeoCon/91, the first international software products exposition. The idea behind GeoCon/91 is simple: To give European, Canadian, Asian, and Latin American developers a chance to meet face-to-face with potential U.S. business partners--publishers, product acquisition managers, distributors and resellers, investors, press, and the like. August 11-13 (immediately following MacWorld Boston and just before the Windows & OS/2 Conference). Exhibit space--available only for products created outside the U.S.--is priced at $695 until June 30; thereafter, the rate goes up to $795. For attendees, the Early Bird rate is $245, which rises to $295 after June 30. In addition, exhibitors may book half-hour time slots (at $395) in a "Center Stage" area for major demonstrations, press conferences, and other presentations.

We're also planning several related events--including workshop sessions and sponsored receptions--as well as a conference directory that will contain detailed profiles of all GeoCon/91 exhibitors.

The fact is, we think GeoCon/91 will be a fascinating, high-energy event. We expect to see dozens of genuinely new products, lot's of serious deal-making, and perhaps even the beginnings of a true global development community. Just about everybody who hears about it thinks GeoCon/91 is a nifty conference idea, and we're going to do our best to make the event a blockbuster success.

As for logistics: European exhibitors and attendees should get in touch with Mark Verschaeren or Colleen O'Shea in our Belgian office for more information and registration information (109 Plantin Moretuslei, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium; telephone [phone]; fax [phone]). Attendees and exhibitors from everywhere else should contact Soft*letter directly (17 Main St., Watertown, Mass. 02172; telephone [phone]; fax [phone]).