Six ways to make the best out of conferences and seminars.

Going to that industry conference? Tired of listening to the same things over and over again? Well, conferences and seminars don’t have to be drudgery, if you are clear about what you want out of them. And, in many cases, you can actually learn a thing or two that will actually make your life better.

1. Decide what you want from the conference. Is it to get new information? Is it to find ways to do your job better? Or, is it to network and build contacts? Focus on how you can achieve your objectives. Prepare questions that you may have, or clarifications that you may need.
2. Don’t skip the key note address(es). This is usually where you get the 40,000-feet view of things. Most of the time, the speakers talk about new developments or innovations in field. And, if the speaker is really good, you might actually get out of there looking at things a bit differently.
3. Pick your sessions carefully. Don’t just focus on areas you are comfortable with. Challenge yourself and attend a session or two on topics that may not be directly relevant to what you do, but are interesting enough to attract your attention.
4. Ask questions. Challenge the speakers. If you have a piece of information that can help the discussion, speak up. Be a part of the discussion; don’t just be a spectator. If you can’t make it to a certain session because you were in another one, seek out the speakers and talk to them. Again, ask questions.
5. Meet other attendees. Talk to them. Remember, you all share a common interest – whether it is the industry you are in, or the interest to learn more. Many a times, fellow participants have some excellent insights on precisely the kinds of problems that you are having a tough time solving.
6. Relax and have fun. Remember, it’s your time away from work. Sure you’re there to learn and find ways to make your life better at work, but while you are there, enjoy yourself.

7 Online Services to Share Large Files

Many email providers (like Yahoo and Hotmail) and corporate email systems have a cap on the size of files you can attach to your email. This is done primarily to keep server space and bandwidth from being overused. In most cases, the size limitation varies from 5 to 10 megabytes.

So if you have a 25 MB PDF brochure you need to send to your colleague out of town, or send a 75 MB file of a 16X20 poster to your friend, how would you do it?

Well, you can always put the file in your server and have your friend download it. Or, you can put the file in a CD and Fedex it. Now the question is can you do it more easily?

And the answer is yes. Several online services, most with free versions, let you send large files quite easily. All you need to do is chose the file in your hard drive, put the email address of the recipient and send it. The service will then upload the file and email a link to the recipient.

Here are some online services that make sharing large files easy:

AllPeers (www.allpeers.com)
Transfers files to your buddies through a BitTorrent-based add-on to Firefox. Free Service.

MediaMax (www.mediamax.com)
Stores digital photos, movies, and other files on the Web. 25GB free; $5-$30/month for 100-1,000GB.

Myfabrik (www.myfabrik.com)
Sends links to shared files stored on the Web or a Maxtor Fusion hard drive. 1GB free; 49 cents/month for each additional GB.

Pando (www.pando.com)
E-mail attachments initiates BitTorrent-based P2P transfer backed by server. Free Service.

YouSendIt (www.yousendit.com)
Sends links to uploaded files good for 14 days; designed for business use. 100MB free; $5-$30/month for more.

Zapr (www.zapr.com)
Turns any file or folder on your PC into a shareable Web link. Free service.

Orb (www.orb.com)
Lets you share digital media (photos, videos) in your PC. Free Service.