Does Skype care about VON? Why is Skype not here? Why are there only rumours of a couple of attendees from Skype? I sighted one and heard about another but if they are travelling here then they are in stealth mode. This is a shame. I've had seven solid conversations with developers active in building Skype applications. Together they could easily fuel the "innovation message" for the next six months. All of them are having a hard time connecting. All would have benefitted from a 1-2 hour roundtable discussion. Some members of this group have pioneered and promoted Skype hardware from the very beginning. Others have new software that will add to the overall Skype experience. From what I see, Skype remains the only IM system that is really bridging the IM/VoIP/Voice world with a platform potential that can lead the market. Not appearing makes them seem both less interested and perhaps too inwardly focused on what they are wrestling with. That's not good news.
So this would have been the perfect place to broker a roundtable or even smooze together as a mini group for a small breakfast. Even more so as VON Spring is held on eBay's doorstep. It forces me to ask what is Skype conference strategy? Last year it was clear that Niklas was increasingly faced with picking and choosing which conferences he must go to. It's impossible for a company and a presenter to be at every conference. Still picking and choosing the right ones is important. There was a communications opportunity both here and recently missed at ETEL. Both are "opportunistic" spaces for increasing the Skype developer pool. They are also important for visibility. From this blogger's perspective if Skype is going to win in the US it must have a conferencing and PR / story strategy around it.
That's one area where Skype communication has slipped. Last year the link between conferences and releases was obvious. This year the only thing we have on the horizon is eBayLive and we know Skype is going to be there. Problem is Skype may have quite a challenge getting enough developers there. I'm planning to go. I think it remains an opportunity. I'm not sure if 50% of those I've talked to will make the trip.
There's another dimension to my question.
Last year Niklas was the keynote presenter at VON Spring via video conference and last year's VON and VoIP rock star. Jeff gave these guys a heap of support. Out of all the big conferences with this one on their doorstep it certainly appears to be a snub.
From Skype's perspective it may be a hard position to sustain whoever is presenting from Skype. Still there remains a public agenda and one that Skype helped to fuel in relation to "free telephony". This appears to be even more apparent as I listen to the Windows Live presentation today. I've just clicked the slide for the fact that video minutes on MSN just exceeded Voice MInutes. That's an interesting chart in itself.
Only 9% of their users use Video today.
Finally, my general impression is the presentations this year have not really supported Jeff's opening passion and recognition that "broadcast" / video is the next framing opportunity. In fact I've found the presentation I've just walked into generally lacking in imagination. That's ultimately the challenge here. The exhibitors are here to sell and learning is a long way off second. The floor is buzzing with space up +40% versus year ago.
. Nov 7-9. San Francisco. 
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