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Apple Businesses

Apple Won't Be At Macworld Boston 311

Posted by CmdrTaco from the change-of-plans-here dept.
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."
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Apple Won't Be At Macworld Boston More

Apple Won't Be At Macworld Boston

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  • further comments (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:28PM (#4472215)
    Senior execs added: "Have you seen the hookers in Boston? I'm not traveling across 3 timezones for that..."

  • Big Dig? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Christopher_G_Lewis ( 260977 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:30PM (#4472232) Homepage
    Can you blame them given current (well, the past 5-10 years :-) traffic conditions in downtown Boston?

    • Re:Big Dig? (Score:2, Informative)

      by Jucius Maximus ( 229128 )
      They probably realised all of their big announcements would be leaked by someone before the show and thne they would have no reason for being there.

      It's happened a bunch of times in the past few years.

    • Re:Big Dig? (Score:5, Informative)

      by dubiousmike ( 558126 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:34PM (#4472296) Homepage Journal
      The convention center has a pretty much direct road (pretty new - still says "authorized vehicles only, but cabs and pretty much everyone else, uses it to get to the airport. This road is also accessable from exit 18 on 93 which is just south of Boston) to the airport, thanks to the Big Dig.

      My understanding of the article from Boston.com, is that their not attending their own party could have to do with IDG (convention organizers) no longer "investing" in NY.

    • Re:Big Dig? (Score:3, Funny)

      by Latent IT ( 121513 )
      Clearly you've never driven through New York. ;p

      (Where it's being moved from)

      • Re:Big Dig? (Score:2, Insightful)

        by ivan256 ( 17499 )
        Clearly you've never driven through New York. ;p

        Clearly you've never driven in Boston. It makes driving in Ney Your seem like a dream come true.
        • Clearly you've never driven in Boston.

          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.

        • Amen!!! I hate driving in Boston...I think suicide is safer. New York is a dream...nice pretty grid (mostly).

          I'm not sure about the T, but with the subway, I wouldn't even bother driving in NYC. Last time I went to Javits it was subway - easy.

    • Re:Big Dig? (Score:5, Funny)

      by bigpat ( 158134 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:41PM (#4472387)
      2004 is a year after the big dig will be done. bigdig.com [bigdig.com]

    • Re:Big Dig? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by smithmc ( 451373 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:10PM (#4472751) Journal
      Can you blame them given current (well, the past 5-10 years :-) traffic conditions in downtown Boston?

      Traffic, schmaffic. Even with the Big Dig, I'm not sure I'd say the traffic is much worse than downtown Manhattan. And, while admittedly I haven't driven in NYC since 9/11, I can't imagine that it helped matters any. Oh, and the major airports in NYC aren't connected almost directly to downtown by a nice convenient new tunnel, now, are they?

      Besides, Boston's just as nice a place to have a convention. It's a very walkable city (attendees can follow the Freedom Trail after lunch and get some exercise), good transit, and John Harvard's, too. ;-)
    • So... Apple doesn't want their convention to be in the Big Apple?
  • 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.

  • Maybe... (Score:3, Funny)

    by name_already_in_use ( 604991 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:32PM (#4472266) Homepage
    ..Microsoft could go in their place.

  • Can they afford to do this? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by guidobot ( 526671 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:32PM (#4472268)
    It's not like Apple is doing so well [eweek.com] 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 [boston.com] 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.
    • I agree. I think this is childish on part of Jobs et al. They need to consider the business ramifications of this decision.

      If they didn't, I want some of what they're smoking, it distorts *THEIR* reality.

      -Cyc

    • Re:Can they afford to do this? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by dubiousmike ( 558126 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:37PM (#4472328) Homepage Journal
      Well, my take on it is that perhaps Apple needs to keep spending money on their "Switch" campaign which seems largely targeted toward newbies.

      Newbies don't go to MacWorld (generally speaking) or any other trade show for that matter.

      This paralells your link that Apple isn't doing so well.

    • Re:Can they afford to do this? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Nomad7674 ( 453223 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:52PM (#4472531) Homepage Journal
      I am not sure this is really what everyone is saying it is about. It is easy to forget, but New York City was the site of the 9/11 attacks. Every movement of a major trade show, event, concert, etc. is going to be noted, criticized, and pushed through the New York Press which is read by the majority of the world. Since obviously the New York Press would be against a major trade show like MacWorld moving out of New York, it would likely cause a lot of bad press for Apple. And it is a lot easier for Apple to simply not rock the boat right now. I suspect that if IDG had waited another year before making the announcement, Apple would have been a lot more open to it. Right now, they don't want any bad press, if they can avoid it.

      My two cents.

      • 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).
    • 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 [yahoo.com] 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!

  • Macworld (Score:4, Funny)

    by mojowantshappy ( 605815 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:32PM (#4472271)
    Haha, what is a MacWorld without Apple exactly? I like how Apple is "important partner for Macworld". Maybe because they make the Macs?

  • In other news... (Score:5, Funny)

    by CySurflex ( 564206 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:33PM (#4472272)
    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.

  • Are they insane? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Latent IT ( 121513 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:33PM (#4472277)
    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.

    • Re:Are they insane? (Score:4, Informative)

      by guidobot ( 526671 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:37PM (#4472325)
      Apple never mentioned anything about this [com.com] until after the deal was made. They knew all along it was happening, and the rumors were flying around weeks ago. "Apple remains an important partner for Macworld and IDG World Expo has been in discussions with Apple officials for some time about the move back to Boston," the representative said. "Since we just heard of Apple's position, we can only speculate about their reasons, which may be driven by their financial situation."

    • Re:Are they insane? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Ian Wolf ( 171633 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:20PM (#4472842) Homepage
      Everyone and their brother knew that Boston was lobbying hard for MacWorld and that IDG was all for it. Apple certainly DID know before the deal was inked and they didn't say a word. BUT this way, Steve gets to show us all how powerful he is.

      This is a classic, "I'm gonna take my ball and go home." I suspect little Stevie Jobs said those exact words many times.
  • 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.

  • no G5s or PPC 750s, then (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Faggot ( 614416 ) <choads.gay@com> on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:34PM (#4472299) Homepage
    If Apple won't be at MW2004, then we can safely assume that no new PPCs [slashdot.org] 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.

    • Re:no G5s or PPC 750s, then (Score:5, Insightful)

      by jgalun ( 8930 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:46PM (#4472444) Homepage
      I think you're exactly right. I think this decision is based on a couple factors that have nothing to do with the move from New York to Boston:

      Apple has very little in the way of new products to announce for a while. 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. Sure, there'll be a new iApp or two, maybe some bigger monitors, or minor speed increases in existing lines, but that's hardly a very big deal.

      People make such a big deal out of keynotes since Jobs came back that when there isn't anything big to introduce, there is a decent amount of bitterness in the Mac community. Jobs does not want to be in the position of creating bitterness by giving more keynotes with nothing to introduce.

      Jobs has been trying to break the connection of product announcements with keynote speeches anyway. When everyone expects there to be big introductions at the keynote, people stop buying Macs before the keynotes, in case a product line is refreshed. This makes it hard for Apple to clear out inventory - why buy an iMac in June if you think a new one will be introduced in July?

      MacWorld shows may no longer be as important as they used to be, anyway. Most hard-core Mac users - the kind who would pay for a ticket to the keynote, or pay to travel to New York/Boston - have Internet access and read MacCentral, MacRumors, etc. So it's not like Apple needs the convention to reach these people. Besides, this audience is basically loyal to Apple regardless of what Apple does. On the other hand, Apple does want very badly to attract new users - the switchers. The money spent attending MacWorlds may be better spent on more TV ads targetting PC users.

      • Re:no G5s or PPC 750s, then (Score:5, Interesting)

        by swb ( 14022 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @05:53PM (#4473742)
        Most hard-core Mac users - the kind who would pay for a ticket to the keynote, or pay to travel to New York/Boston - have Internet access and read MacCentral, MacRumors, etc.

        We have problems getting travel approved to fix actual problems these days, or to do field office upgrades that are already paid for (eg, recycled hardware, paid-for software licenses, just needs installation/integration on site).

        Junkets to trade shows (networld, macworld, etc) have been off the menu for a couple of years now, I wonder if they'll ever come back. They were more about schmoozing and boozing than meaningful learning anyway, so you miss a free vacation.

        I wonder who goes to them now and why.
      • 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

  • Big Apple vs Bean Town (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:35PM (#4472302)
    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?

  • Slump (Score:4, Insightful)

    by dolo666 ( 195584 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:36PM (#4472320) Journal
    Maybe they are refusing to participate to save money?
    MacWorld [macworld.com] reports:
    The slump in the high-tech industry hit home as Apple announced a $45 million loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2002.

  • Product release schedules (Score:5, Insightful)

    by stevenprentice ( 202455 ) <stevep&gocougs,wsu,edu> on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:37PM (#4472335)
    Apple has always fought with sales droughts before MacWorld shows. People anticipate new products and don't want to buy the current products until they know what's coming.

    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.

  • 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?

  • Ironic, isn't it? (Score:5, Funny)

    by jinx90277 ( 517785 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:40PM (#4472369)
    According to their ad slogans, they want everyone to change...is it so hard to expect the same from management?

  • Boo-freakin'-hoo (Score:3, Insightful)

    by pla ( 258480 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:40PM (#4472370) Journal
    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.

    • Re:Boo-freakin'-hoo (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      dude, mad props if you can drive from NYC to Boston in 2 hours.
    • It moved a whole 2-hour drive away...

      Yeah, if you average about 110 mph and don't take any piss breaks.

    • Get some perspective (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Apple - Grow up. You have an immensely loyal user base, yet treat them like dirt.

      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.

  • I mean you've got to wonder what exactly the point of having a MacWorld is if Apple doesn't plan on showing up. Yeah their are lots of 3rd party vendors with cute gadgets and software but with the Steve Jobs keynote I think alot less people are going to care...

    Yeah yeah yeah I realize that other people may not feel the same way - but I think that alot of this is due to Apple's strangehold on the desktop PowerPC platform. I mean if Apple isn't going to be announcing anything is there a point to even having the show? Because the bottom line is that without Apple's involvement nothing else done on the Mac really matters...

    J

  • Boston not their key demographic (Score:5, Funny)

    by ohboy-sleep ( 601567 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:41PM (#4472382) Homepage
    Apple, in their neverending effort to corner the education market, decided to skip this years Macworld stating "Boston isn't much of a college town".

  • Special Guest Host (Score:3, Funny)

    by dubiousmike ( 558126 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:45PM (#4472440) Homepage Journal
    Welcome to MacWorld.

    Tonight, appearing in place of MacWorld is....

    Commedian Carrot Top.

  • RE: MacWorld Conference (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:47PM (#4472466)
    I will not be at the MacWorld Conference either...

  • Secret grudge against Boston? (Score:3, Funny)

    by Mark Gordon ( 14545 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:47PM (#4472467) Homepage
    What, is Steve Jobs a Yankees fan or something?

  • What the hell? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Andy Dodd ( 701 ) <atd7NO@SPAMcornell.edu> on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:49PM (#4472488) Homepage
    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...)

    • Re:What the hell? (Score:3, Informative)

      by dubiousmike ( 558126 )
      The cost to stay in the Boston area is considerably less than that of NY.

      From comments made in a similar article on Boston.com [boston.com], it seems that perhaps Apple wants to keep money rolling into NY.

      Personally, I think that much of Apple's marketing efforts are targeted towards newbies and tradeshows aren't attended heavily by newbies.

    • Perhaps Apple was just looking for a way out of doing two conferences a year and this was a good opportunity for them.

      I don't think it warrents calling Apple or Jobs stupid or immature.

    • Re:What the hell? (Score:3, Insightful)

      by NickV ( 30252 )
      Doing something big in New York City is more of a marketing thing than anything else. Face it, it's a BIGGER deal when anything is New York City.

      Boston just doesn't carry that kind of weight all over the US or the world. You don't make as big a splash in Boston as you do in NYC. Everything is higher profile. Why do you think everything costs more in NYC?

      Apple didn't build their flagship super-expensive store in Boston. They built it in SOHO. I've been to a few apple stores, and the one that opened in SOHO wasn't just another apple store... it was an event. A serious major super event that made the front page of apple.com. Why? Because it's New York City.

      Apple wants the flashy splash that is New York. Everyone wants the flashy splash that is New York for a big event. That's why NBC, CBS, ABC, MTV and CNN all have shows that feature New York news/live shows with NYC and it's crowds as the backdrop. That's why Tiffany, Cartier and Toys R Us built their world-wide flagship stores in NYC.

      Face it, there's a certain something about NYC... maybe it's becasue it's the cultural capital of america (and don't argue it's not... it's got more museums and the largest public library in the world) or maybe it's because it's where all the richest people are located (per capita, Manhattan's average income is a little over $100,000/person) or maybe it's the density.

      I don't know why, but NYC carries a weight behind it and Apple sees this weight clearly. Most companies do. Boston is a great town, but it doesn't carry the clout that NYC does (frankly NO US city does).

      • If that is the case (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Andy Dodd ( 701 )
        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.

    • Re:What the hell? (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ek_adam ( 442283 )
      Apple is big in DTP. New York is publishing central.
  • You can't take MacWorld out of the "Big Apple". It just doesn't fit.

  • Control freak = Apple (Score:3, Interesting)

    by ACK!! ( 10229 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:51PM (#4472509) Journal
    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.

    ________________________________________________ _

  • I don't get it... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Tim Browse ( 9263 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @03:54PM (#4472556)
    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

    • Re:I don't get it... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Tim Browse ( 9263 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:10PM (#4472749)

      Aha...I have thought of an answer to my own question - perhaps Apple are annoyed because the first they heard about the 'Switch' was when it popped up on iCal after IDG published their updated calendar? :-)

      Tim

      "And so I was in Boston, but it was like, really busy...all the cabs were beeping their horns...it was like...beep beep beep beep beep...and then I fell over, and, like, half of my keynote was gone...and I was, like, huh? Boston devoured my keynote. It was a really good keynote. And then I had to write it again, and I had to do it fast, so it wasn't as good. It's kind of...a bummer.

      So the next year we did it in New York, and it was so much easier. I'm never going back.

      My name's Steve Jobs, and I'm an iCEO. Can you pass me that rattle? I think it's mine."

    • Yoiks! (Score:4, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:27PM (#4472916)
      Ok, I live in the UK, and I seem to be missing something

      Rule Number 1:

      Never, I repeat, NEVER give the Slashdot crowd a setup line like this!

  • Hawaii (Score:2, Funny)

    by FaasNat ( 522755 )
    Too bad IDG is not moving it to Hawaii. Now I would love to see MacWorld Honolulu!

  • Why Have MacWorld? (Score:2, Insightful)

    by captpiett1 ( 7076 )
    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?

  • big apple (Score:2, Funny)

    by chimpo13 ( 471212 )
    So I'm looking through waiting for the Big Apple puns, and I don't see any. Get to work, you guys.

  • Apple's Choice (Score:4, Interesting)

    by FugiMax ( 181273 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:01PM (#4472642)
    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?

  • The Real Reason (Score:3, Interesting)

    by wcbrown ( 184278 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:09PM (#4472745) Homepage
    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.
  • 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.
  • 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...

  • Testing the Waters (Score:5, Interesting)

    by mchummer ( 580167 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:20PM (#4472836)
    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

  • So what? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by 0xdeadbeef ( 28836 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:41PM (#4473108) Homepage Journal
    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 [wired.com] 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.

  • Some clarifications. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by mikedaisey ( 413058 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @04:41PM (#4473109) Homepage

    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.

  • NYC Trade shows are a pain (Score:4, Insightful)

    by asv108 ( 141455 ) <asv@@@ivoss...com> on Thursday October 17, 2002 @06:04PM (#4473817) Homepage Journal
    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.

  • too hard to wow folks every six months (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Aqua OS X ( 458522 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @07:07PM (#4474278)
    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.

  • OOooh!!! I know, I know... (Score:3, Funny)

    by A_Non_Moose ( 413034 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @10:44PM (#4475658) Homepage Journal
    Perhaps Steve Jobs is afraid of Radeon Leaks?

    Or was that Radon?

    Oh, Wait...

  • that's New York City? (Score:3, Funny)

    by marhar ( 66825 ) on Thursday October 17, 2002 @11:36PM (#4475932) Homepage
    as in the "Big Apple"?


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