Like it or not, ours is a world of ratings.
Before venturing out to the cinema, we check movie reviews and ratings that warn of violence, nudity, strong language and sexuality. (Regrettably, there is no warning for insipid writing, postmodern pandering or lack of originality, but thats another column.)
If were buying virtually any home appliance, we run to check the ratings given to various brands by consumer advocacy Web sites and magazines.
And if were actually wealthy enough still to be able to send our kids to college, we want to know how prospective schools are rated by magazines and college admissions services.
So, in the spirit of providing information that lets my readers separate the wheat from the chaff, I welcome you to this years edition of my own ratings of the technology events and developments of the past year.
Taking the cue from my stellar revelations of last year, I will list a technology-related trend or event, then rate that event by assigning from one to five "at" signs (@) for each instance. A rating of one @ is, as an unknown bluesman once wrote, so low you could wear a top hat and walk under a snake. A rating of 5 @s is the tech equivalent of a Barry Bonds home run (juice-induced, of course).
ACORD and LOMA combine conferences in a single insurance technology show: @@1/2
The combined event drew more attendees than the combination of the single events from the year beforean obvious success for ACORD, the driving force behind the new ACORD/LOMA conference. The event brought together vendors and insurance personnel from both the property-casualty side of the industry (ACORD) and the life side (LOMA). Exhibitors who do business in both the life and p-c areas were happy with the increased turnout. Those who operate in only one of those areas, however, expressed less enthusiasm for the combined show. Industry scuttlebutt has it that the life insurance faction may be exploring other options. These groups have needs that must be met if the new conference is to succeed in the coming years. The jury is still out.
