The CAN InfoTech 2005, Nepal’s only Information Technology show, organized by Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) ended yesterday with a record number of visitor, 230000. But my visit to the show, as in earlier years, left me cursing CAN for the crowd. When I was out of the show after suffocating 25 minutes, I had a wet handkerchief (due to sweat) and a triumphant feeling that I was killed in a stampede.
Any show organizer would want crowd but isn’t it fair for a visitor to get return of the ticket-price he paid (in my case Rs. 25 – student discount). Nobody wants to go inside a packed room to suffocate and feel sweating.
Ok, I talked about stampede, so I will explain what could have happened with me. I was on my way down from the ‘educational section’ (the room with all the computer institutes’ stalls). The naroow staircase, with around 100 steps, was crowded more than anywhere else. I was literally moving, not stepping. Suddenly the lights went off, we were stranded in dark. We moved along, the light didn’t return for long (how long? I don’t know, it was still the same when I was out of it).
What would have happened if there was panic or something similar?
Come on CAN, you are not doing business, so don’t go after the number, go for the perfect show – for visitors too.
