Wha'
happened?! Ah,
now that's the easy part. Simply put, I let what appeared
to be the petulant brawling of two corporations (Apple
Computer and IDG World Expo) get to me in a way that
unbalanced my presentation. I pulled the first version of
this column simply because it was unworthy, and not
coincidentally because as I predicted last week, the parties
involved finally decided to share the loot & glory this
coming January at least, thus invalidating my lead-off
premise that there would be no more Macworld Expos at
all.
But
IDG World Expo's CEO Charlie Greco's pointed threat to ban
Apple from San Francisco that surfaced last weekend
resonated harshly and got me to thinking. None of this was
uplifting, shall we say. I thought I understood Greco's
reaction, of course: by declaring it would not attend the
Boston Expo in 2004 and maybe not even Macworld New York in
2003, Apple left the man looking like a goof and ruined the
plans of scores of would-be wheelers and dealers. But
sometimes there just isn't any graceful way to break up a
relationship, and in any case, all I know about Apple's
motivation is what I read on the Internet.
I
did and do think it all a gloriously revolting yet welcome
spectacle, however. That business leaders can be such
uninspiring models isn't news, but for the sake of the
easily bedazzled, I do appreciate the educational value of
it all. (That was the "naked emperors on parade" portion of
my earlier column headline that most of you never saw.) And
it does bring to mind the larger picture...
Gillmor
nails it once again Journalist
Dan Gillmor's eJournal
is
a Weblog you should read every day if you have the guts.
Gillmor's blogging especially is a rare combination of
competence and courage that can leave you shaking and asking
yourself, "Did he really say that?" Like the following,
posted last Saturday morning in response to President Bush's
attempt to cut funding for recently-mandated SEC action
against corporate sleaze:
"The
sheer cynicism of this administration remains one of its
singular qualities. But the stupidity of Bush's actions
will be clear sooner or later.
It's
stupid because it will tell the investing public (as if
investors didn't alreay know) that the people in charge
do not believe in reform. So the investing public,
which got so thoroughly screwed during the bubble era
when the people in charge (of investment banks,
brokerages, companies and Wall Street in general) created
such a sleazy insiders' game. They won, and the rest of
us lost.
What
Bush is assuring here is more scandals, not fewer. He's
assuring that the public will become ever-more
mistrustful of Wall Street's motives. The public will
doubt the ability, if not the honor, of the cops on the
beat.
It's
sickening. Rather than truly deal with the predations of
the people who installed him in office, Bush is giving
them a pass to keep on cheating. Sickening, but no
surprise."
No
damn kidding. Why, if I were a paranoid lunatic enemy of the
state & culture, I might say that more and more this
seems to be all of a piece, a government of mad dogs &
sheep in league with visionless promoters of self-interest
and hypergreed. Frankly, I don't trust any of these mokes,
and I sure wouldn't invite a one to my birthday party. I say
wrap flannel robes around the lot and put 'em in a home. (No
TV after eight p.m. and lights out by nine.)
Slippery
slope of truth The
danger for corporations acting like the brutal, soul-less
entities they all can be is surely obvious, although
Microsoft appears to be too big to care. Apple is another
story, as this reader email demonstrates. Once the veil of
illusion (reality distorion field?) is torn, all kinds of
things are easier to say:
"John,
John, John......Has all that fresh air gone to your
head?
You
obviously, have not been in a room with one of Apple's
new Porthole Pro model Macs or you would know why Apple
is pulling out of the Boston fling. Apple cannot go to
any summer shows unless they move them to the Arctic. The
fan noise would drown out any presentation that Steve
would want to make. Imagine, no Phototshop or streaming
Quicktime demos at an Expo. No one could even hear Steve
say 'and one more thing.' And on the subject of hearing,
remember that the average age of Expo attendees is rising
faster that Bush's national debt."
See
now, this is dangerous. The "so what" factor is already in
the game, and what if this thing starts to spread? "Trade
show, schmade show. Let them eat Web promotions!" Who needs
the bother of all that setting up and tearing down? And what
about the Holy PC Snipers From Hell? That's right, TERROR IN
THE TEMPLE!!! Screw the keynotes, let's all stay home and
lock the doors. See what I mean?
No,
Apple needs to do better than that (Rodney O. Lain would
understand why). My worry is that they won't be able to,
even if they do think different, because the suction of
the sinking ship will drag them under, just the same.
Mad
dogs and sheep, ladies and gentlemen, mad dogs and
sheep.
"Grack!"
Senior
Applelinks editor and columnist John
H. Farr
invites your comments.
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