Oh yeah... I did attend the 2006 ABAQUS user's conference for structural simulation. Here's a picture of one of the Cirque de Simulation (ugh) performers jumping up and down. The food at the conference was great, and they provided 3 free drinks each of the 4 nights. I learned quite a bit about what people in different industries use their software for, from diapers, to pepsi bottles, to soccer balls, and footwear. I met a lively bunch from the UK and ended up exploring Cambridge and Boston with them as well.