DTI's two user-groups, DTUG and InPUT have combined as DTIConnect, and will hold a first conference online on September 15-16.

The virtual event – for which DTI charges an attendance fee of US$9.95-$49 – will allow every customer to attend in the face of restrictive travel budgets. Objectives of the new group include sharing and exchanging information about DTI systems and providing a channel of communications between users and the edeveloper.

As a user-group, DTIConnect will also focus on best practices, new ideas, and industry needs. A DTIConnect transformational team – with members from both DTUG and InPUT – has been working to bring together a strong conference, while also creating the new group.

"We will have a new board of directors, two people from each of the old groups," said Janet Woods, chief information officer, St. Petersburg Times. "We believe we have taken the best organizational approaches from each group to form a strong new group that, as its name implies, will foster user and vendor connections that help us all survive and thrive."

Don Oldham, chief executive officer, DTI, will begin the conference with a keynote speech for all attendees.

"This year, in today's economy, a virtual conference makes perfect sense," said Steve Nilan, vice president, marketing, DTI. "We expect to have greater international participation which will lead to a global exchange of information and ideas. Knowing we can accomplish this in an online environment is exciting."

Details from www.dticonnect.org.