The first thing that strikes you about this year's Online Information Show at Olympia is just how big the brand new IMS Show is. Taking up over a quarter of the floor space in the main hall, this "sister" show has put down a solid marker and looks destined to grow rapidly in future years.

The biggest stands have been taken by some well-known names in content management, EDRMS and enterprise search. These include EMC, Immediacy, Vyre, Contensis, Goss, EIBS and Magpie. Click on the image at left to see a fullsize photo of the hall.

The OI Show's big hitters were all here again – Springer, Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, Thomson and Proquest making among the strongest impressions. But there was little in the way of excitement on the stands – have the marketing departments in these firms really got no new ideas?

Both Blackwell Publishing and John Wiley were here, but on separate stands – maybe next year the fact that their impending merger will create a much more significant force in the market will be more visually evident.

The show – the biggest for information professionals outside the US - continues through Wednesday and Thursday this week.