Attendees at the conference will also get the opportunity to meet ZDNet UK's experienced staff of writers and editors, alongside key figures from the UK's tech scene.
Among the highlights will be Ole-Bjorn Tuftedal, the chief technology officer who led the Norwegian city of Bergen's decision to replace existing core Windows and Unix systems with Linux. ZDNet UK readers will remember that Bergen plans to install SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 running on HP Integrity Itanium 64-bit servers, and to migrate the city's educational network from 100 Windows application servers to Linux. Although you can read about Tuftedal's thinking here, the conference will give you the opportunity to ask your own questions and see him share a stage with Microsoft's head of platform strategy Nick McGrath and IBM's Adam Jollans to debate whether Linux really is ready for the desktop.
The conference will also address subjects such as cutting-edge e-business, wireless/mobile security and hacking, voice over IP, software licensing and everything to do with 3G. ZDNet UK's readers have told us that these are their most important issues: we're bringing together industry leaders and pioneering technology users to discuss them.
CNET Networks editor-at-large Esther Dyson will be quizzing Tesco.com head of e-commerce John Higgins and WebEx vice president Tony Gasson on how to make cutting-edge e-business work.
Phil Holmes, the chief technology officer of BT Exact will be there with Skype chief executive Niklas Zennstrom, Cisco director of operations Nick Watson and Ken Munroe, managing director of Secure Test, to discuss the readiness of voice over IP for widespread rollout.
If you care about how to save money on software licensing, you'll have a chance to pick up some tips from Stephen Heard, director of commercial services for the Office of Government Commerce, and from Jim Reed, the head of IT purchasing at Rolls Royce.
You can register here for the conference, and for the CNET UK Awards dinner which will be held that evening. Places for the conference cost £125 plus VAT until 31 August, after which the price rises to £265 plus VAT.
