That palpable air of computer trade show excitement is already gathering for Miller Freeman’s Web Design & Development (Web ’98) conference in San Francisco this week. In particular, IBM is expected to elucidate its web application server strategy, particularly as that applies to the free http server from the Apache Group. In other Web ’98 highlights, Infoseek, Macromedia, Poet Software, Symantec and Ireland’s Iona all have new products to unveil. Miller Freeman is also hosting an indoor rock climb to encourage conference attendees to aspire. Hmm. A more apt metaphor for the web industry will be down with the diehard geeks if Survival Research Labs, as rumored, makes it to the show. SRL (http://www.srl.org/) builds giant machines out of industrial odds and ends, and programs them to fight to the death.
