IM2005? Maybe Next Year.

Last week, several of my colleagues from Factiva and I attended the IM2005 awards along with 1,300 of our closest business friends. The intimate affair, held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London was one of the many awards ceremonies in the IT industry. If you've never been to such a black-tie industry event, picture the Oscars -- but without the celebrities, or the press, or the sexual energy, intrigue, anticipation, dynamism, humor, well you get the picture.

The IMmies (I just made that up) didn't have Billy Crystal, but it did have Barry Cryer, who was said to be back by popular demand. Uh, huh. The IM Web site says he's quite the go-to guy in British comedy, having written for "practically every top U.K. comedian". Maybe his humor just doesn't track well to an American's ears, but I'd have to say some of it sounded more like Borscht Belt, circa 1955, than something written for hip dotcom professionals.

And hip it was. When a project called "Mapping Access Land in England" sweeps the night, winning two awards, you know you're with the "in" crowd.

Oh, did our sleek, hip product, Factiva Insight: Reputation Intelligence win in its category "Product of the Year"? No, but we were up against 29 other products (none of which I'd ever heard of). Hats off to Njini. (Who?)

Well, it is an honor just to be nominated. And the spiced confit of Norfolk duck was good. And I'm usually more of a Long Island duck guy. We missed out on the dancing afterward, as we did split right after the awards portion (16 awards in 30 minutes! definitely not the Oscars) and high-tailed it to Factiva's holiday party. We arrived 4 hours into Factiva's 9-hour fete without a trophy but were welcomed back with glasses raised. We're all winners.