[Macworld]

Post your comments for Macworld Expo 2010 free registration e-mails going out here

[OriginalMacRat]

With fewer vendors and the ones I wanted to visit not offering show discounts, I didn't even bother going this year... Even when a free pass.
Not even going to care about a MacWorld in 2010.

[Loren]

The ONLY way - IMHO- Expo will survive is if Apple engineers a reduced but meaningful presence-- call it a passive presence, with "bite-sized" Apple Store -like kiosks peppering the show floor, each with its own product theme, to keep folks abreast of recent developments, and maybe even sell stuff.
I never needed the Big Tent. It had a Republic of China feel to it, everything lined up for the curious robots. But the kiosks would be a spectacular-- and probably cheaper- presence. But Apple has to rethink its bipolar reasoning of All or Nothing. It doesn't need to show up big in order to be big at the show.
Then MacWorld Expo survives. It will not otherwise.

[CVBruce]

I would like the Fake Steve Jobs to give the Keynote, and the subject should be "The latest Apple new release rumors on the Internet, or the things we wish apple would release."

[alansky]

This isn't just about Apple. Adobe pulled out of the show as well, and I'll be very surprised if other big names don't follow suit. If we're talking efficient use of company resources, you can scratch trade shows off the list. Times change. Many tasks are much easier (not to mention, cheaper) to accomplish over the internet--in virtual space--than in the real world. Internet shopping is just one of many obvious examples of this principle in action.

[alansky]

How about this: What if MacWorld Expo moved to Second Life?

[KernelG]

Belkin also bailed, and they usually had a large booth. I've spoken with a Mac retailer whom IDG tried to strong-arm this year with access to free passes. They might not go next year either.

I had my own discussions with an IDG rep this year after I couldn't find a priority code near the deadline and hadn't received any email from them about Macworld (but had received all kinds of other expo spam for EforAll, etc.). They basically lied and said there were no codes. At all. After the deadline passed, I asked a friend who forwarded an IDG direct email, complete with free reg code. He just figured I'd received the same. A week after I paid, last minute codes were handed out to certain retailers, including the one I noted above.

I'm tired of IDG being generally unpleasant on every front. There's no reason for it. A Mac expo will have to be arranged by someone else for me to go next year. And I'm a veteran of the last 9 Macworld SF expos.

[fstop808]

Woz should give the keynote.

[Loren]

Woz SHOULD give the Keynote-- seconded!

[daverobeson]

Same thing happened to me. No codes until after I'd paid. (This is after I paid last year and couldn't go at the last minute.) And I ended up spending maybe three hours on the show floor. Probably be tumbleweeds and crickets next year... When they need us then, many of us won't be there.

[rlaika]

I have had enough of the unprofessionalism of IDG. Even if Apple were present next year, I would not attend. IDG quoted me one price, with free Internet access, for my hotel, and I registered with that hotel; then, two weeks before the conference, they sent an email that stated there had been some sort of error, and my room rate was actually 15% higher. When I got to the hotel, they had no notation that Internet had been figured into the rate.
I would have complained to someone with IDG, but having dealt with them before, I knew it would be a waste of my time and energy, and all I would get for my efforts would be additional stress. Thanks for another year of disappointment and frustration, IDG! Good riddance to bad garbage. you really deserve it! And Apple...way to go! You should have pulled the plug on these ripoff artists long ago.

[thevofl]

Why not move MacWorld to, um, SEPTEMBER? Get it away from CES and into the pre-holiday season when Apple is pretty much guaranteed to have some product to launch.

[neutrino23]

Simply as a trade show MWSF has probably reached the end of its life. I used to wait for MW magazine to show up to read up on what was going on with the Mac. I no longer do that. I used to go to MWSF to look for new products and show specials. I no longer do much of that. I did buy one piece of software at this show (Vertus Fluid Mask, very cool). I can pretty much find products and information and deals on the web.
MWSF is still good as a place for finding products that I didn't know I should be looking for.
I think the best chance for MW to survive is the technical program. For those of us who use Macs in our jobs there is a need for higher level education beyond demonstrating how to click through the menus. There is a need to learn how to effectively communicate with video, photography, the printed word and audio. MW could become the place to go for Mac centric professional development.

[CVBruce]

Quote

MWSF is still good as a place for finding products that I didn't know I should be looking for.

I think that this is the key. The MW Expo, is still valid for introducing you to products that you either didn't know that you needed, or products that you didn't stumble across on the internet.

Let's face it, for any given show, MacWorld or CES, you only end up hearing about a few products that make the top 5 or 10 lists. There are many products that aren't even new, that fail to gain much press coverage, but are just what you may be looking for.