SoCal RUG meeting: Jan 21

[Richard Gaskin]

Trevor DeVore wrote:
 > I seem to recall that you've attended the MacWorld Expo in the
 > past.  Have you found this to be a beneficial conference in
 > regards to learning about new technologies, networking, etc.
 > or has it been a bust?  I was hoping some Rev people would be
 > there so I could meet some of them but it appears they won't
 > be there this year.

I think it's a healthy sign that RunRev is joining the ranks of Adobe, 
Macromedia, and even Apple themselves in selectively sitting out a 
MacWorld or two.  Exhibiting at trade shows is an expensive undertaking, 
more so coming from the UK (not to mention dealing with US passport 
control -- oh, the stories I've heard), with very few companies showing 
any positive ROI for the effort.  With RunRev spending the winter in 
Edinburgh I'm watching the bug list drooling for all my favorite 
requests to be implemented. :)

Trade shows in general are in rapid decline, mostly due to the Internet: 
  it's so easy to get product info these days.

Where trade shows remain valuable is the one thing that the Internet 
can't do:  face time. Still a big part of being human, and massive 
wateringholes like MacWorld or WWDC bring together a lot of smart, fun 
people who otherwise might find it hard to justify the travel.

I have too many apps to ship this quarter to let me out of the loft long 
enough to get up there, but I know Bill Vlahos and others are going -- 
maybe someone could coordinate a Revver's dinner, perhaps near one of 
the fun parties.

And of course there's a second great reason to go to MacWorld:  both SF 
and Boston have some really fine restaurants.  At WWDC a bunch of us 
xTalkers had a really nice meal not far from Moscone -- there are so 
many good places to choose from, but my only tip would be:

- Choose a place a couple blocks from Moscone, as the ones really close 
tend to get booked.  Chinatown is great that way, as are any of the 
wonderful Italian restaurants in North Beach.

- Make reservations.  Macworld is a big show; we got lucky with a party 
of 8 during the much smaller WWDC, but with MacWorld it's a whole 
'nuther ball game.

Flight tip:  if you fly into Oakland you'll avoid the madhouse that is 
SFO, and after a brief shuttle to the Colliseum station you can catch 
the BART into downtown for just $3.75.  Sure beats a $35 shuttle, and as 
a fellow Angeleno you can marvel at how civilized it feels to visit a 
city that actually uses its trains (which I guess is all of them except 
LA <g>).

--
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Media Corporation
  __________________________________________________
  Rev tools and more: http://www.fourthworld.com/rev