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WWDC 2002 Information

WWDC 2002: Last chance to save some money

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference is probably the best place to get the latest technical information on new Apple hardware and software while meeting with hundreds of other Macintosh developers and systems analysts. The Macintosh developer community is a relatively small close-knit group and networking at WWDC offers an excellent opportunity to learn from others experiences. The biggest problem though in attending (especially for small independent developers) is the cost. The standard price of $1595 plus travel expenses can be a significant hurdle for a developer just getting started. Well, there are ways to get in a little cheaper.

Early-bird discounts

Every conference offers what are called early-bird discounts and WWDC is no exception. This year, registering by April 14 gets you a discounted price of $1295. Not bad, if you know for sure that you want to go and need to save a little money in the process. Of course if this were the only discount offered, we wouldn't have much to talk about.

Getting Started Bundle

This year Apple introduced their new "Getting Started bundle." This packaged seems designed to take advantage of the influx of new developers to the Mac community since the release of OS X. The bundle includes admission to the WWDC conference, along with a Select membership in the Apple Developer program (Retail value $500). The package price is $1695,, a savings of $100 over buying the packages separately. The package also includes a one-time discount on the purchase of a new Macintosh (an incentive designed to help developers with old equipment upgrade to OS X). The value of the discount depends on what you are buying.

While this may not sound like much, select membership in the Apple Developer program includes the following benefits

• Apple Developer Connection Select Mailing

The Developer Connection Select Mailing is shipped to Select members each month, and includes the Developer CD Series. The CD Series provides a wealth of technical resources--system software, development tools, developer documentation, and more.

• Two Technical Support Incidents

Select members receive two incidents of technical support from Apple's Worldwide Developer Technical Support engineers.

• ADC Software Seeding Program

Members of the Select Program receive pre-release software and have access to the Download Software area of the ADC Member Site. Each Select membership includes five ADC Software Seed Keys that are assigned to the owner of the account. The owner of the Select account may then transfer the additional ADC Software Seed Keys to other Online members at his/her company. The ADC Software Seed Keys are valid for the duration of the original owner's membership. As long as you own a valid ADC Software Seed Key, the Download Software area may be accessed as often as needed. Select members also receive Seed CDs for major Mac OS releases and periodic snapshots of the Download Software area.

• Access to ADC Compatibility Labs

Select members have access to the Apple Developer Connection Compatibility Labs two times a month, pending availability, to test new software or hardware with Apple's latest products.

• Three Select Member Discount Keys

Select members receive significant discounts technical, business, and marketing services the Apple Developer Connection has negotiated on your behalf. These opportunities include discounts on magazine ad space, discounts on product development and support services, and much more. For a current list of ongoing programs available through the Apple Developer Connection, please visit our Business and Marketing pages. New discount programs are also announced in the weekly ADC News.

This is a decent package for developers just getting started in the Mac world. The conference provides a good technical introduction to the Mac, while the Select ADC membership helps keep you updated with the latest software and tools.

So make your plans now and save yourself some money while attending one of the most significant Macintosh technical conferences. One final note. While not specifically a discount program, those interested in the higher level ADC premier membership should be aware that it comes with one free admission to WWDC.

WWDC is Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference and is scheduled for May 6-10, in San Jose, CA. Register early and save money.

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