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Full of stuff you need to know

If you’re feeling weighed down, it’s because we have a huge issue this month. We have 120 pages of all the stuff you need to know about security, including a few interesting case studies (and one about the software that manages 175 000 cameras. Wouldn’t it be nice to have clinched that contract?

We also have an article with a quick review of IFSEC SA 2013, we can’t do a show of that size much justice in three pages, but we gave it a shot. It’s always interesting to talk to people about a show the size and expense of IFSEC. There are those who say it’s too expensive and think they can get better traction by hosting smaller, more personal and focused events themselves.

Then there are those who don’t want to be there, but say they can’t afford not to be seen on the floor. Many of us remember when Norbain mysteriously vanished from IFSEC UK, which gave rise to all the speculation about how the company was finished, only to have it return in size and style for a couple of years before it really did go under.

And then there are those who, despite the cost, come away from every show with positive reviews about the people they met, the leads they got and the positive branding they managed to do. It’s difficult to tell from the outside which of these is more accurate. Perhaps it depends on the company and how it approaches the show.

What are your opinions on IFSEC and similar security shows? Worth it or not? Let me know on [email protected], or write a comment on the Hi-Tech Security Solutions LinkedIn group at securitysa.com/*LinkedIn.

I think smaller companies feel the financial bite of IFSEC and often end up thinking they have been relegated to the sidelines because they don’t have a big budget to spend on significant floor space and funky looking stands. Perhaps the organisers can take a more SMB-friendly approach to their smaller customers and try to promote them more? Although I’m sure it is impossible to run a show like this and end up pleasing everyone.

Correction

It seems it’s also impossible to run a magazine without some stupid mistake slipping through. In our July issue we ran a case study about a residential estate named Lord’s View occupying an area of “two million square kilometres”. In hindsight, that’s a tad large for an estate – it would have to be about 1400 km long and 1400 km wide. It should have been metres not kilometres. Our apologies for the error and thanks to the reader who pointed it out – that’s the last time we use the company that runs the Zimbabwe elections to do our measurements.

If you find any errors in this issue, we’re blaming the printers.

Enjoy the magazine

Andrew

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