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Apple Won't Be At Macworld Boston
analog_line writes "Apple apparently is none too pleased about the decision to move Macworld to Boston from New York in 2004. So much so that they have said that they 'will not be participating in Macworld Boston.' They are also considering pulling out of Macworld New York 2003, though they say they will be at Macworld San Francisco."
Senior execs added: "Have you seen the hookers in Boston? I'm not traveling across 3 timezones for that..."
Can you blame them given current (well, the past 5-10 years :-) traffic conditions in downtown Boston?
www.christopherlewis.com
Well i'll bet they are smacking their heads against the wall right about now. But seriously ... BOSTON!?!?!
I don't understand why they would want to go to begin with. I mean, Big Mac's are pretty good, but personally, I would rather go to something like NachoWorld.
Best Windows Freeware
..Microsoft could go in their place.
Rake Free + Mac Poker: CardCrusade
It's not like Apple is doing so well that they can afford to play the role of protester. Don't they think that if they stay away from the east coast trade show because "IGN is no longer investing in New York", there might be a significant number of people on the east coast who decide not to invest in Apple? Especially after Boston lobbied hard to bring the trade show back, this is definitely a slap in the face. Apple deciding to take their ball and go home just doesn't make any sense.
Haha, what is a MacWorld without Apple exactly? I like how Apple is "important partner for Macworld". Maybe because they make the Macs?
This page was generated by a Barrel of Circus Midgets, and that is the way I like it!!!
Sony announced that it wont be participating in E3 because it's not in Japan.
Aww. I'm sure if their comments are needed they can dropdown a huge HD Screen and connect to them. "Were sorry, but Apple couldn't be here tonight. Anyways, thanks for the award and the such. Were here working on our next build of OSX, and couldn't make it! Sorry. Toodles.".
Perhaps they will go to the NY show, but be fashionably late.
From the article:
Following Apple's statement, an IDG World Expo representative said the company had no indication from Apple that the Mac maker would pull out of the show if it was moved to Boston.
Seriously, when you're doing *MAC*World, and making a major change, you'd think they'd ask Apple what they thought.
If Apple pulls out, there will still be a draw, but it will be so greatly diminished. IDG will have a hard time breaking even without all the people who would have initially come if Apple were there. There goes the free publicity/great PR/chance to get feedback from the maccies. Fairly ignorant decision on Apple's part.
Huh?
I am feeling fat and sassy
Couldn't apple and macworld have communicated about this, like, a little earlier?
Macworld must realize that the only people go to the macworld expos anymore is that apple's gotten into the habit of practically never announcing new hardware or operating system upgrades except at macworld expos. Macworld probably should have somehow figured out before now that apple was going to leave if they moved to boston, or at least apple should have piped up a bit earlier to macworld about their unwillingness to work with Boston. Someone, somewhere, wasn't thinking very clearly. Who's going to want to go to the macworld expo if Apple isn't there? Will anyone? Especially if it's in Boston. ^_^
(Just checking: where are hotels more expensive, Boston or NY?)
MacWorld without Apple just wouldn't be as "insanely great."
Seriously, IDG should have negotiated with Apple in advance (if they didn't in fact do that) because MacWorld without Apple is pointless.
The biggest press that the show gets is the keynote (Steve Job's keynote, that is). I can't think of anything that would even come close to replacing this.
Whatever Apple's reasons for not participating, as long as not participating in MacWorld doesn't mean not putting out new products, all will be well...
If Apple won't be at MW2004, then we can safely assume that no new PPCs will be showing up in the Apple lineup. Because if they were, Steve Jobs would NOT BE ABLE TO RESIST announcing it there.
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple were trying to break from the pattern of announcing all their new shit at conferences (MW, SIGGRAPH, etc). That leads to too much speculation.
But what do I know. I'm just looking for anonymous gay sex.
If you don't find the humor in this in the context of Mac's then you're just a little too dense.
Think Apple would mind if they moved the west coast event to Redmond?
How shocking that I would read something like this....sometime I question the maturity of the Apple execs (not the least of whom being Steve Jobs).
Oh well, Apples loss, it's a shame Bostonites have to suffer a bit because of it though.
"The saddest words of mice and men, are not those which were, but should have been."
MacWorld reports:
By only participating in one MacWorld per year they alliviate some of these problems.
I am not saying that I think Apple will go to a year long product release cycle, I just think they are actively fighting the pre-MacWorld sales problem. I also think Apple will continue with the recent trend of releasing more and more products out of the MacWorld cycle.
Dude! I'm getting a Dell!
Um, i'm sure a lot of others are thinking this too: what other companies even support apple? Except for moterola and ibm, they haven't got much, and they're not even going to show up for thier own event. dude. wtf? So if they're not going, who is?
Life is offtopic.
/me begins to feel the ominous signs of withdrawl symptoms....
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
Given the current state of the industry - and Apple's situation in general - one would think any move that would cut the costs of hosting and attending a trade convention would be appreciated. Perhaps they dislike leaving the Big Apple for symbolic reasons?
How will Apple stay alive if it's self righteous about attending a conference centered around its won products???
According to their ad slogans, they want everyone to change...is it so hard to expect the same from management?
"she says i'm lousy conversation. as if that's supposed to help."
It moved a whole 2-hour drive away (and I doubt most attendees would drive anyway), and they pull a prima-donna hissy fit?
Damn.
Apple - Grow up. You have an immensely loyal user base, yet treat them like dirt. You abuse the community that gives you free development, you actively squash fan-motivated derivative works, you charge 2-3x as much as for comparable intel-based hardware, you engage in disgusting political maneuverings to squash (or obviate) bad press and speculation... Basically, you act just like Micro$oft, except lack the monopoly to pull it off.
Then you wonder why, with what I think most people would agree counts as a far superior OS to Windows, you have such a pitiful share of the desktop market.
Free clue - reward loyaly, ignore bad press (unless it deals with security issues, one of MS's bigger mistakes), and don't throw a tantrum whenever things don't go 100% your way. Oh, and try selling your hardware for reasonably competitive prices.
this ain't flame bait...
Steve Jobs is a flamer.. He doesn't get his way so he pouts and throws a temper-tantrom... Plz..
Tournament Management Online &
if Apple doesn't attend the biggest shows for their own products, how do they expect consumers to take them seriously?
AC comments get piped to
I will not be at the MacWorld Conference either...
What, is Steve Jobs a Yankees fan or something?
Steve Jobs is just doing his best to project a message of "no economic recovery in sight", so he can help get all of his homosexual, democrat politician-friends elected.
So the convention is held in a different city.
*WHY* is Apple having such an immature hissy-fit.
Let's see, valid reasons for Boston:
Apparently, tradition. Until 1998, Boston is where MW Expo was held for 12 years in a row
Cost - Boston has offered some pretty serious discounts on the cost of renting their convention center for this show
Valid reasons for disliking a move to Boston:
None that I can think of. Apple hasn't given a *SINGLE* reason for their desire to stay in New York.
If Apple was based in the NYC area, I could understand it... But once you're crossing from the West Coast to the East Coast, who cares if you're going 200 or so extra miles? The difference in travel cost is negligible, especially considering the cost of actually hosting the show will apparently be far less in Boston.
I'm forced to agree with the guy who got marked down to -1 Flamebait for making the comment about Steve Jobs and a baby bottle. This decision by Apple is stupid, immature, and nonsensical (especially given Apple's financial state...)
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
You can't take MacWorld out of the "Big Apple". It just doesn't fit.
Listen, I think that the Mac OS X and the current set of Macs look real darn tempting right now if I were looking at a new system, software the whole shebang as it were.
_ _
However, people need to realize that Apple is not the benign underdog against the Microsoft Evil Empire. Apple as a company is very control centered. It keeps close control over the hardware, OS, software devel for the platform as well as user experience. In some ways this makes for a much smoother overall computing experience for the users. In some other ways, it is do it the apple way or hit the highway for a Dell or whatever.
This is just another example of this corporations obsession with controling every aspect of everything having do in any way with its products.
_______________________________________________
ACK
I can't wait to see the Apple Apologists come out and defend Apple's decision. Mac fanatics are a lot of fun to talk to. They remind me of the old ladies who believe in John Edwards. I can point out a hundred times how he is wrong way more than he is right and that cold reading is a scam as old as time but they still believe that he is real.
... could hire Steve Ballmer to dance for him in his place too!
Hmmm.... you know, I would pay to see that... kinda like a spectator at a traffic accident...
Look at last years coverage of PC trade shows.
Microsoft stated that they will also not be attending Macworld, or any other conferences.
As one "not-employed-by-microsoft-random" man on the street said "Windows XP(c) is so great I don't have to go, and neither does my parent^H^H^H^H^H^H^H non-affiated company, Mircosoft (tm) (r)."
See the story Here
DJMD - The fourth man - Planetary
On time? Or has the schedule slipped 30% like the budget.
For an alernate view
www.christopherlewis.com
Ok, I live in the UK, and I seem to be missing something - I don't understand the reasoning behind this - could some Americans fill me in?
Apple HQ is in Cupertino which is already pretty far from NYC, I thought. Now MacWorld's going to be in Boston instead. A brief consultation of my Atlas reveals this is not significantly farther away from Cupertino. I can't imagine the geography is a problem - so what is the problem?
Is it just that NYC is 'cooler' than Boston? I saw how excited Jobs was to announce the Apple Store opening in NYC - is this coolness really the only reason? Is Boston a run-down dump? Is it hard to fly to? Is it a logistics nightmare? Do Apple have a big office in NYC, but not in Boston?
Or is it just an excuse for Apple to not go to the east coast MacWorld because they need to save money?
Just curious...
Tim
Too bad IDG is not moving it to Hawaii. Now I would love to see MacWorld Honolulu!
There's never enough when you have too little
MacWorld was way cool back when I was in college, we went every year, it was a blast. But that was 1992. Now we have the "internet" and MacWorld is pretty muh useless except for the KeyNote product release movie. Fuck it, just broadcast a Quicktime movie of Jobs and let people download the same demos they would get at the show. Hell from what I hear nobody even gives out free t shirts anymore. Why bother?
-- Steal Me --
And Steve Jobs RDF strikes again.
And your suprised ?
with all the retaraded lamers their this is no suprise
Aah, irony.
So I'm looking through waiting for the Big Apple puns, and I don't see any. Get to work, you guys.
riding round the world on an old motorcycle
Not sure why everyone is pissed at Apple about this...it's their *right* to participate in any or no trade events. And before you scream about abandoning the east coast...how do you know Apple won't just do their OWN show in NY or get another promoter to do the show?
Whenever my company pulls out of a tradeshow, I have to field calls for customers asking if I'm having financial problems. In Apple's case, they are the show... In other news, Apple is now looking for a new VP of Marketing...
-- $G
I've got it - there is not public transport, no taxi, no sidewalks in Boston. All execs from USA should drive themselves crossing all country.
All execs from the rest-of-the-world must rent-a-car. All Mac-World is organized as "drive-through".
People without cars are not accepted to the exposition.
Less is more !
Apple borrowed their userland from FreeBSD, but their attitude towards their users is clearly taken from OpenBSD.
assholes is two words or you have two assholes? i'm confused.
Wha...? Do you really feel wronged by this decision? Personally hurt?
You abuse the community that gives you free development, you actively squash fan-motivated derivative works, you charge 2-3x as much as for comparable intel-based hardware, you engage in disgusting political maneuverings to squash (or obviate) bad press and speculation... Basically, you act just like Micro$oft, except lack the monopoly to pull it off.
You set 'em up, I'll knock 'em down.
People who really feel that they are being treated like dirt do not stay immensely loyal.
There's no abuse of their open source ties. If you think there is, prove it.
Actively squashing fan-motivated derivative works... ok look, they were the victim of the biggest UI ripoff in history. I don't really agree with their tactics but wouldn't you be a little touchy? After what MS did?
@-3 times the price... blahdefuckinblah. Old hat, not true, move on.
I actually would really like to hear about the 'disgusting political maneuverings' as I have no idea to what you could possibly be referring. Are they sending letters from dead people? Do they outright lie?
and don't throw a tantrum whenever things don't go 100% your way
I could not have put that better myself.
Maybe it's time to rename it to PPCworld and remind the world that Mac is just one of PPC-based computers. Even not the best, IMHO.
Less is more !
I think Apple wants desperately to marginalize the Expos and their keynotes. They're using IDG's action as an excuse to pull out.
I have heard from an Apple Store employee (surely not the best source, but corroborated by common sense) that Apple is none-too-fond of the pre-Expo sales slowdown and the heightened expectations that they rarely achieve. They've made some pre-emptive moves already by having product announcements at special media events and in arenas definitely not Macworld Expo.
Because the pilots can't land Steve's plane there.
----------
Cheese it! It's the FEDS!
Maybe M$ will send their fake switcher there. Heck, Apple should give Ellen Fiess Steve's keynote.
Ted Kennedy was your parent post's poster.
"to the corps"? that's really bad!
Share price, moral outrage and press backlash fluctuate violently, caused by the wild rumors and expectations that always surround MacWorld.
One of these shows per year seems more than enough, given the 365-day-a-year MacWorld we have right here on the Internet.
Product introductions can be done much cheaper and at Apple's convenience (i.e. when they are ready to deliver) via a webcast (iPod, iBook)
Anyway, that's how I see it.
Don't get me wrong!
This is a mistake that Apple can ill afford.
I myself have pulled a few sulks like this when I was younger and I regretted it every time.
If they genuinely feel that this a slight to Apple and they REALLY want to show them, show them ALL, they should show up with a great pavilion and a big smile on their faces. That would piss off any alleged enemies big time.
When you get past puberty you figure stuff like this out.
It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
The Mac owns the graphic design industry, and there are way more graphic designers in NYC than there are in Boston. I know lots of people who would go to Macworld in NYC because they live in NYC. Not one of them would travel to Boston for it.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
One of the first things Jobs did on his return was move MacWorld to New York. They were considering coming back here a couple of years ago, and he single-handedly shot it down. He obviously feels strongly about it. Maybe he got thrown out of a bar in Boston once or something - who knows why he hates us here so much, but c'est la vie.
Of course, this kind of hissy fit demonstrated conclusively that he's a pud, but that's kinda besides the point, I guess...
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
In response to people who have been raising concerns as to whether or not anyone wants to travel to Boston -
Perhaps MacWorld is actually trying for some newbie walk-ins. Think about it. Who, stereotypically, uses Macs? Rich college kids who like to think they're "cool" and "hip". Where are there a lot of elitist colleges whose student base is pretty financially well-off? Boston!! What do you do if you're a rich trendy kid and you want to skip class, but Dave Matthews isn't going on tour? HANG OUT AT MACWORLD!!
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a fan, supporter, or advocate of Apple, MacWorld, or Dave Matthews, and my views are not to be taken as such.
Maybe money on Expo's are better spent on commercials? I mean people going to the expo are already into Mac's anyway, and it's more of a pep-rally. But a commercial hits people from a large cross-section... I can also see why Apple wants to get away from the expo sales slump. I'm looking at maybe buying a Mac but wouldn't do it until after an Expo. If I after do get one... Dunno..
I believe that this is not quite what it seems. If Apple were that opposed to a move to Boston, they would have communicated that to IDG quite a while ago and the move would not have occured.
Something financial/political is behind this. I believe that the amount of good publicity that will be generated by a return to their roots in Boston (The City of Boston is even spending money to publicize the return) far outweighs their leaving NYC.
The Macintosh debuted here in Boston, as did all of Apple's cutting edge technologies - Hypercard, the Newton, etc. While the temporary relocation to NY was important to help strengthen Apple's credibility amongst their media (broadcast and print) customers a return to Boston is equally important.
Remember the rumors that Apple was contemplating moving their West coast outing to LA for that reason.
Apple still has strong educational and bio-tech/research links here as well as a mature media industry that resides here - Boston has long had the reputation of being the place where you get your start in print/ film/video production and the place where people come to after they've established themselves to set up their own independant companies.
So, I say, wait a bit. Let the politics unfold. If you want Macworld to return to Boston with Apple's support - let your voice be heard. Compose a well reasoned letter as to why they should return to Boston. Snail mail may be best way to get your message heard, maybe not. But remember that Steve Job's baby had its coming out party here and that Boston knows how to put on a damn good show!
McHummer
Actor/Macintosh Specialist
I'll have grounds
More relative than this: the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.
Hamlet. Act ii. Scene 2
Hit your lines and say your marks. - Lee Marvin
You are a huge loser^H^H^H^H^H nerd.
Have you noticed all the wonderful Apple propaganda from CmdrTaco in the last few weeks? I guess he wasn't around long enough to know that Apple would produce a good product only to shaft its users later on with inferiority and higher prices. Oh well live and learn 'Taco! :) Hope that laptop is holding up well because it ain't getting much faster any time soon!
Ho Kooshy Fly
Excuse me, I'm not certain what universe you live in, but it's apparently one with substantially nicer highways than we have here on the northeastern seaboard of North America on planet Earth.
From Manhattan to Boston is a minimum 3.5 hour drive, and that's assuming pretty much perfect driving conditions across I-95, I-91, I-84 and the Mass Turnpike, and a complete absence of speed traps so that you can take the entire trip at 90mph.
Since those criteria are basically impossible to meet (especially at any time other than 2am -- just getting out of Manhattan and onto I-95 can take up to 2 hours during business hours), the actual time tends to be more like 4.5 to 6 hours.
News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters? Like hell.
Rule Number 1:
Never, I repeat, NEVER give the Slashdot crowd a setup line like this!
It's ok. The Red Sox are gonna win it all next year anyway. Then Boston won't need no stupid MacWorld.
New York is crawling with members of the publishing/creative crowd - Apple's primary business market. When MacWorld comes to town, they buy up a few hundred billboards, subway walls and bus sides, and delight in creating a fruity buzz around town. Then they get a bunch of folks from their target market who can just pop down to the Javitz for the afternoon and drink some Kool-Aid. There are parties at night where everybody is dressed like Steve.
But this is 2004 - if Apple's Switch campaign hasn't gotten them out of the slump of being entirely dependent on the publishing/creative crowd for their business customers by then, then they have much bigger problems. They're acting like it's happening tomorrow and Switch is doomed to fail. The subtext of their fit is, "Macintosh is not worth driving to Boston for." They need to learn how to act like winners.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
honestly i think it will cost most companies about the same to exhibit at either city. yes, IDG gets the Boston space for free, but whena ll the costs are added up to the individual companies that make up the show, it's not cheaper.
Boston is not a cheap city to live in or visit. it will cost a lot of atendees about the same for either place... maybe more since NYC is more in the middle of the east coast megalopolis. and a lot of the visitors are from NYC itself.
there is no way theyw ill have the numbers of people show up in Boston as they have been having in NYC. nothing against Boston, but it's a fact.
from a psychological standpoint NYC is considered the peak of the east coast. a mark of success. to retreat back to Boston seems like they are going back to the old days.
then, as posted above..... NYC was hit hard last year. they can still use all the support they can get. why pull out on them now?
as a resident of neither city and somebody that visits both a few times a year..... i think it's crazy to pull out of NYC. i can see Apple's point. i would think NYC is their strongest city on the east coast.... why make them travel 250 miles to go to MacWorld? Why make Philly and Baltimore/DC people travel an EXTRA 250 miles? it doesn't make sense (except the money factor for IDG).
I don't think any trade show organizers are going to be willing to go up against IDG and try to compete with MacWorld, at least not at the same time.
Anyone remember the whole LinuxWorld / Bazaar fiasco? Both were great shows, but honestly, third party companies don't have the cash to make appearances at two closely related shows that happened around the same time.
Gabriel Ricard
Aah, irony.
Damnit hell damn crap. I just used up my last mod point when I read this one.
dubstop, You would have had a +1 Funny from me..
bah.
=-Jippy
I've never seen Dell or Linus at any of the Linux conventions I've attended. What the hell does Apple do but assemble the boxes and write the operating system? They don't make the applications or the user community that surrounds them, the community makes that themselves. What the hell do they need Apple for?
But then again, I guess for Mac fanatics this is like the Vatican saying there won't be Christmas this year.
They need to quick licking Steve's boots. This is the perfect opportunity to begin standing upright.
The $45 million dollar loss that people keep linking to comes from one-time charges, mostly Apple writing off investments--and when you have over $4 billion in the bank, losing $45 million is nothing. Had they not taken the write downs, they would have had an expected profit this last quarter.
This has NOTHING to do with hissy fits and everything to do with:
a)Not looking like they are abandoning NYC.
b)Apple knows that when they are in NYC, they have the ear of the media. Moving to Boston is not in their interest as they will get less ink.
c)When those costs are figured, suddenly it seems like an excuse to get out of/cut down on the Expos.
d)Wean people off of the Expo release/disappointment death cycle, which screws up their product flow.
e)Concentrate their money not on the Mac Geek Faithful but instead on Regular Folks Who Might Switch.
You look at all this, and it's a slam dunk...it's too good an opportunity to pass up.
Possibility: maybe Apple will take the money it saves and instead go to PCExpo, and make a stand for the Mac there. I can imagine this happening, as they'd get lots of press for showing up and would strengthen their committment to expanding the base.
Why would apple want to move from the Big Apple??
~ a low user id is no indication I have a clue what I'm talking about.
Then why aren't they joining the likes of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas?
You want "flashy splash", NYC isn't the place to go - It's all about Vegas.
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
Go ahead, piss on the people that support you.
Does nobody else see this?
Apple always gets their way, IDG will simply be "Fuck", yet comply and this will all be over.
nt
Apple wants MacWorld in NYC because the money is in NYC. Boston's no small town but it's no Big Apple either.
Why?
As a former Mac Fanatic, and currently attending school in Boston, I would have loved to attend a Mac World Expo in Boston. In fact, when I was reading it in the newpaper, I was actually excited...but now I guess it's not gonna happen.
Which is why Apple's withdrawing from its usual pansy orbit and taking its machines to a whole new market segment that *really* understands high performance:
NASCAR!
Steve Jobs is said to have decided that Apple will pull the ultimate switcheroo - dump its installed customer base for one "that knows the value of a unisex Led Zeppelin halter top." There seems also to be something to accounts that director Errol Morris has vowed that if he is asked "to shoot one more commercial featuring ovulating 14-year olds who can't turn on a PC," the documentary filmmaker will "hang myself."
The revised appearance schedule reflects the growing sense of testosterone at Apple in the wake of its industry-dominant Switch campaign, feeding rumors that a new product, the Masculintosh, is in the wings.
Macworld in Boston: laughable.
Macworld in New York: oh please.
Macworld in Daytona: fuggin' A!
I'll never understand why Apple seems to go out of it's way to alienate it's supporters....
Let's face it, New York City is the creative and cultural capital of the USA so Apple's core markets are all here: the press, publishing, musicians, artists, fashion, etc. You just can't compare with Boston which has NOTHING like this to offer.
Just a few blocks from Jacob Javits Center you have major television stations like ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN... all who can simply walk over and check out the show and follow up with live broadcasts within minutes. Also Wall St and the stock/financial markets are always curious about Apple and interested in interviewing Steve Jobs.
I went to 2 of the last Boston shows and it was a disaster having to take busses between 2 buildings, not to mention driving around Boston is a slow nightmare! Boston might have a lot of schools (good for the cheap education market) but then you go out and everything shuts down around midnight, BORING!
NYC might be more expensive but it's worth it and at least the food and the hotels are better. We have the best Broadway shows, bars, clubs and a real nightlife. Plus there are many more major creative businesses in New York with a lot more serious money to throw around. NYC ROCKS!
Steve Jobs is a very smart man and he was right to move the show to New York. IDG are just playing politics and being cheap. Well I certainly won't be taking a 5 hour train ride up to Boston for MacWorld ever again.
I used to visit New York, but then I found Boston! Did you know that Boston has a subway system so you can get around town? There's also an airport, so you can fly in for a conference like MacWorld(R) Expo(R) in your Boeing(R) jetliner!
It's so easy to get around, too! Just pay your cab driver whatever he wants.
We all know it's because Ellen Feiss can't get her fix in Boston as easily as she can in New York.
Think Secret Article
I use to work for a printing company and anytime we had to deleiver to Javitt center, our truck driver had to to bribe at least 2 people in order to get anything unloaded within 3 hours of arrival. The union contracts also forbid drivers from doing unloading themselves. This is only one aspect of the place, I'm sure there are plenty more reasons for moving to Boston.
It looks like it is a decision that Jobs or his team feels strongly about.
Apple tries to get into the center of the biggest cities to influence more people. Sony's Metreon stores are probably a similar tactic.
The news.com article states that the show was held in Boston for 12 years, before moving to New York in 1998.
If you look at Apple's Stock Chart their business shot up starting in 1998.
Here's a brief timeline:
1997
- Steve Jobs becomes an advisor at Apple Computer.
- Steve Jobs becomes interim CEO (for life)
1998:
- Apple phases out Newton.
- Apple discontinues support for all 68000- and 68020-based Macs, and most 86030-based models.
- iMac introduced, largest model rollout in the industry.
- Mac OS 8.5 ships, first Mac OS release with no 680X0 support.
- Apple had their first year with four profitable quarters since 1985.
It was a very good year.
Apple also has plenty of cash to survive a rough market: $4.31B
I know Boston's a big city but after all, New York's the Big Apple!
Being from Boston I can say that there are many good reasons why you wouldn't want to have a convention in the UNFINISHED and run by the IRISH MAFIA convention center.
Maybe Jobs is an ULSTER UNIONIST.
They may be crooks, but they are our crooks.
that's why they prefer San Francisco.
would think any move that would cut the costs of hosting and attending a trade convention would be appreciated.
Apple doesn't host MACWorld.
Typically, having a large, public gathering that is well covered by major media outlets is something you want when you're a struggling company.
Casual Games/Downloads
Apple has been looking down upon Macworld NY for a while now. Disliking the move to Boston is simply an excuse for Apple to back out of MacWorld NY without looking like a jerk.
I would imagine that it is hard to "wow" folks on a set date every six months. People expect to get blown away by a Jobs keynote, however, that's kind of hard to do when a product isn't quite ready or a when a product is ready for sale months before Macworld.
Apple really been having a hard time syncing up with MacWorld dates during the past year so. MacWorld keynote have been fairly week, and Apple has been announcing and releasing a lot of products at "Apple Events," which they can schedule at any given time.
It'll probably be a hell of a lot easier for Apple to wow folks once a year at a set time, and at random Apple expos the rest of the time. But, nevertheless, it sure does look bad for Apple to back out of a huuuuuge trade show dedicated to them. At the very least they could show up and release a press release telling people not to expect new Apple hardware/software at they show. I think Apple should stick with Macworld, however they should inform their users, the press, and investors to concentrate on Apple events... not MacWorld expos.
"Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
If MacWorld is moving from New York to Boston you can count on these things....
Rude, inconsiderate jerks collecting for discussion at the bottom of the escalator.
A know-it-all-I-am-better-than-you attitude
Constant arguments on semantics when you know you've gotten your point across. New Yorkers argue for the sake of argument, not persuasion
Tomatoes in your clam chowdah
More goddamn Yankees hats
If NY is so good, why do you live in Boston? Go away, you talk funny.a bunch of fucking idiots. How much of a pussy do you have to be to announce something like that? Oh, boohoo, it's not in New York. Give me a fucking break! Some Apple exec was probably sad that they wouldn't be able to visit the little boy's school that they like in NY, and so they decided to be babys and cry about it. What a dumbass company. After hearing about this, I really hope that they go out of business. If you're too fucking lame to go to a user meeting that your CUSTOMERS have setup, then you don't deserver to be around much longer.
What a bunch of rejects.
It's actually MAcworld, not MACworld - some sort of a cworld conference in MA.
Sure, there will be a PowerBook revamp soon, but let's face it, until a new PowerPC chip comes out, Apple basically has nothing that exciting to introduce
If you're addicted to CPUs, I guess. Most of the interesting stuff coming out of Apple has nothing to do with processors.
- Scott
Scott Stevenson
Tree House Ideas
It's not like Apple is doing so well that they can afford to play the role of protester.
If Apple was the only one having problems selling computers, you might have a point.
- Scott
Scott Stevenson
Tree House Ideas
It doesn't matter, people who don't like Apple's attitude can just switch to alternative suppliers of Macintoshes and buy OS X from someone else.
No they can't, but at least Apple provides the industry with another viable consumer platform. There's no money right now in making yet another x86 OS.
This industry would suck without Apple. It would also suck without Linux.
- Scott
Scott Stevenson
Tree House Ideas
Perhaps Steve Jobs is afraid of Radeon Leaks?
Or was that Radon?
Oh, Wait...
Have you read the moderator guidelines? Well, have you, PUNK? (and I want a Karma: Gnarly option)
Apple has been acting like a Wannabe lately. They wanna be like Microsoft. Their tactics seem familiar, but they lack the clout for their decisions to really matter to most people.
Hint: Before you turn customers away, make sure you have more than enough of them!
"Thank you folks, I'll be posting here all week, don't forget to tip your moderators!"
Bring MacWorld to Philly!
must... stay... awake...
... Boston's not a big college town."
Maybe Apple simply doesn't need a major publicity event like MacWorld because they have Apple Stores in major cities. They've actually launched new products in "special media events" before, and it's probably in their best interest to stagger product releases anyway. It would also save them a great deal of money if Steve does his spiel in Cupertino and broadcasts to the mini-theaters in all the Apple Stores.
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Open Source Shirts
"Like ra-aain on your raindance ceremony. . ."
-- @rjamestaylor on Ello
No wonder the fucking towel heads hate America.
Fuck now they hate Aussies too.
Fuck off mac lusers.
* First, as others have stated, NYC is both the media and financial centers of the USA if not the world. This exposure is something that Boston simply cannot provide. (I love Boston as a city and personally can't stand the Javits Center, but Apple's not going to do a trade show just because it's more convenient to do so -- they want to see the $$$.)
* Second, Apple has just dropped a TON of cash into their "flagship" Apple store in NYC's SoHo (and continue to do so given the rents in that area.) The revenue lost from not having that week's income would be significant (not back-breaking, but it would seriously hamper the SoHo store's profitability.) For Apple SoHo, MWNY week is better than Christmas. I'm sure Apple's financial projections for this store included more than just two MWNYs. If the show's in Boston, what are they going to do, pack everybody into the CambridgeSide Galleria? More likely a lot of those sales will be lost to MicroCenter and the like or just simply lost.
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Personally, I always thought the old Boston shows were much better than anything NY has produced so far -- I've been to three shows in each. The attendees in Boston seemed younger and more excited to be there rather than the more jaded professionals in the NY crowd. From a user's perspective, I'd love to see MW back in Boston, but from Apple's financial perspective, it doesn't make as much sense as NY does.
Why Apple didn't express this opinion BEFORE the deal was complete is a real head-scratcher, though. Perhaps they were just looking for a way to drop a second US show entirely without looking like the bad guy. IDG just gave them the excuse they needed.
- MacWorld likely to return to Hub
- IDG World Expo's Charlie Greco Appointed to Massachusetts Lodging Association's Stamas Commission
- Shows wait for Hub move
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
There is no gravity...the earth just sucks.