January 6th, 2000

[Show Floor] MACWORLD Expo - MACWORLD Attendees Offer Glimpse At Mac Market's Health by Bryan Chaffin It has been said by many that if you want to take the pulse of the Mac market, walk the floor of MACWORLD Expo. If our experience is any indication, then Apple is healthier now than at any time in its history. Booth after booth has been jam packed with people excited about checking out the latest Mac offerings. Large and small companies alike have been dealing with overflow crowds throughout the day. Better yet, these crowds have been made of happy people, which is not always the case with trade show go-ers. "Man, look at all this stuff," said Joseph Lorenzo of Seattle, Washington. "I have been going nonstop since Steve's keynote and I haven't scratched the surface." FireWire and USB oriented booths have been doing particularly well. Iomega was drawing crowds of more than 150 people with their Jazz band and product giveaways. Palm, Microsoft, Adobe, and other Mac powerhouses were also hopping. The Mac Observer Spin: Trade shows are often considered market barometers in many industries. In the Mac world, attendance decreases during late 95, 96, and 97 were often heralded as obvious sings of Apple's impending death by industry pundits. We expect to see those same mainstream influences decrying the health and vitality of Apple today, but we aren't holding our breath. MACWORLD Expo SF Special Report