Phil Schiller, watch out. Some people are so annoyed at Apple’s decision to quit the Macworld Expo that they are planning a humiliating revenge.
Lesa Snider King loves Macworld so much that she’s declared herself “mad at Apple” with a brand new call to arms web site: Silent Keynote.
“Apple is sending a message to the entire community–professionals, hobbyists, media, Mac User Groups, and even IDG themselves–that they care nothing for the community who supported them through thick and thin,” she declares.
And so: “If you’re attending the Macworld Expo keynote on Tuesday, Jan. 6, you can send a message to Apple by remaining silent during the 2009 keynote. While Phil Schiller is on the stage, let there be no applause, no whistling… just utter and complete silence.”
What do you think of Lesa’s plan? Will you join her in silent protest? If you do, and Apple DOES finally unveil that updated Newton-Pippin-Tablet-iPhone crossover that everyone’s been going on about for so long, how will you manage to contain yourself?
I can’t help thinking that Lesa’s just shooting herself in the foot here. By announcing that it will quit Macworld, Apple has already made clear that it doesn’t care what Macworld attendees think. It’s going to do its own thing, regardless.
(Photo used under Creative Commons license: thanks kradlum.)
72 responses to “Mad Apple Fans Call For Silent Keynote Revenge”
What do I think of her plan? What do I think of her more like. She’s an idiot.
She needs to get a life.
So, you think Apple really doesn’t care about it’s community ? If that is so, why are we even supporting Apple. Instead of a call to remain silent, I’d say that a call to boycott the keynote would be even better … or better still stop buying Apple products, stop visiting apple stores, apple blogs …
The point is that Apple never really cared, I know I sound like someone who’s really disgusted with Apple at the moment, but trust me, I’m not. I’m just glad that after this announcement, atleast some of the apple fans are going to think the way I do.
I would say: “Poor Phil!” Actually I’m going with TUAW here. There are some reasons that might be right to cancel that event – even if I’m also sad to see that. Anyway – there’s still the WWDC! ; )
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/12/17…
No, I won’t be silent. I didn’t spend thousands of dollars to go to San Fran to give someone the cold shoulder. I understand that people think that Apple is being rude, and I have promised to keep my own thoughts on that to myself until after the event for the good of the community, but being rude ourselves is not the answer. If you want to protest, don’t attend. Being rude to Phil isn’t the answer, particularly if he is the next in line. Do we want his first keynote to be in his memory as being hostile?
I am very disappointed as well, but I see no need to humiliate a man who is already probably sick with anxiety knowing his every move is going to be compared to Steve.
If community is so important to us as Apple fans, and Apple kills it, I will protest with my pocketbook. And yes, it is community that makes Apple special to me, but I am waiting to see what happens. It has always been a “why don’t you love me as much as I love you” relationship between Apple and its fans.
BTW, I have promised, but have not been entirely successful. I have a hot temper that needs to be cooled at times. But rude is rude. If I see others are not giving Phil any props he deserves, I will applaud twice as much. But if he bombs, well then he bombs. I don’t think he will.
Until after the event, why don’t we all just write letters to Apple in protest?
Poor Apple. They can’t do anything without pissing off either the analysts or their rabid fans. Methinks it’s better to piss on the fanboys, since they’ll be back no matter what…
As much as I am disappointed about everything this week, I think it was necessary.
— Media was over obsessing on Steve’s appearance EVERY time he stepped on stage.
— Apple got so it was difficult to top ITSELF every time a Keynote is held. (Though most times it did, when it didn’t the media was merciless).
— The stock value of the company is too vulnerable to the Media reaction to all of the above.
— Apple is one of the most successful, profitable, forward moving company in existence today, and the stock price is not reflecting that because of all of the above.
Something had to be done to:
— Begin to separate the perception of Steve and the market’s perception of Apple’s viability for the future (NOT an easy task as we Mac Faithful from early years and “Steveless Years” well know).
— Stop the hammering the stock is taking all over Steve’s health.
— Stop the rumors of new product inventions that were often so far-fetched and futuristic that even Apple couldn’t technically always live up to the mega-techo-dreamer hype. The rumor sites, and magazine product dreams created unfair disappointmentâ€â€Âeven when Apple delivered products better than others, but not living up to techo-dreams by these sites. (though sometimes Apple still managed to surprise us).
— Prepare the public’s mind to accept, and have faith, in those surrounding Steve. Hopefully he has trained them well, and we need not fear “Scully Clones” this time around steering the ship when Steve is no longer there.
Advice: Wait for the stock to drop some more, invest as much as you can afford to risk, and wait and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised this time around.
Picture a hologram of Steve saying “Jonathan, use the force!” to Ives, and Schiller and company after he’s gone. And someone needs to place a bumper sticker on every Apple employee car that says “WWSD?” (What would Steve do?).
The problem with Apple when Steve was gone years ago, was they tired to do the OPPOSITE of WWSD? believing they knew better. I think a lesson was well learned from those failing years.
My comment in the first thread about this being a bad idea for Apple (well, at least in the short term) turned out pretty correct. It did foster speculation on Job’s health as I said and it did hurt Apple and it was bad PR.
AAPL fell $6.57 after the Macworld announcement based on fears of Job’s health due to his pull out from Macworld.
Like I said, it’s all fine and dandy that Apple pulls out of Macworld, but to give that big announcement after years of tradition and NOT have Steve be there for the big finalé only increases negative speculation about his health.
Whether it’s “fair” or not is beside the point in the business world. Either this was a bad move on Apple’s part or Steve’s health is really failing. Either way, I’m disturbed by these recent events.
Long term? Who knows? Nobody knows and anyone who says they do is full of shit and doesn’t understand the unpredictability of long term business plans.
Thanks for the post. You’re absolutely right that Apple has made it clear how they feel, but we need to also make clear how *we* feel to Apple, IDG, and the other vendors who have supported the show for so many years. So many companies and individuals are affected by Apple’s decision that I believe it’s the very least we can do to show them our support, albeit in a non-offensive, non-threatening manner :)
Thinking that you have any ounce of control over a company of Apple’s calibur is nonsense. And how could anybody think action such as this would prompt Apple to increase its loyalty to customers?
I’m sorry, but this is silly. Since 99% of mac users cannot go to MacWorld, to say that apple doesn’t care about the community is a little egocentric. This is what we complain about when we have nothing left to complain about.
I think Lesa should pull the pickle out of her ass.
I find this kind of attitude childish in the extreme. How old is this Lesa Snider? She reminds me of those (predominantly female) cry babies who vowed voter vengeance against Obama when he won the Dem nomination. I have been a customer and supporter of Apple since 1978, starting with an Apple 2e. I have defended Apple during its madness days of Jobs’ childish excesses and tantrums. He was a genius in the making after all. But I have never felt that I had proprietary rights over the company. I would certainly never bleat like an infant denied a toy in a shop. And what will these needy, spoilt children gain if their demands are not met? Nothing. Apple owes its customers nothing more than good products, good service and excellent support. The rest is just the stuff of childish brattery. Ms Snider should go out more and meet a few people. That is the recommended way to get a life.
MacWorld (the event) is mirroring the fate of MacWorld the magazine. Like IDG and many another publisher, they are all on a bridge to a painful but inescapable irrelevance. They have a diminishing relevance to Apple today.
However, there is (arguably) scope for an Apple-organised annual love-in. There is money in such events after all and it might be a great way to get Joe the PC user into the fold provided there was added content that was irresistible even to the non aficionado.
A novel idea, but ultimately one that won’t work. Don’t forget that the reality distortion field needs its ‘generators’ who are none other than Apple employees planted in the audience to offer their own applause.
While I am disappointed my “January Christmas” is likely now canceled forever I don’t think Apple’s business decision is a ‘slap at the community.’ These conferences are enormously expensive and don’t offer the kind of ROI that Apple can get for hosting a keynote themselves. I personally don’t blame them one bit.
While I’m saddened that Steve Jobs and Apple are pulling out of Macworld, I can’t really blame the guy at all. Seriously, a huge part of Apple’s culture and luster is the unveiling of a brand new product — something insanely great. When Apple is tied to Macworld, everyone knows that Apple will deliver a cool product . . . but what’s worse, the rumor sites, which have spilled into mainstream newspaper sites, now speculate so much that at least a few people will get it right. In which case, Steve Jobs steps up on stage and announces a product that many people already suspect or believe they already know. For a guy like Steve Jobs, that has to be irritating as hell.
And as an effective delivery mechanism, it’s bound to get worse every year. Fast forward a couple of years and imagine a new Apple CEO trying to pull of a great Apple keynote . . . better to cut ties now while Steve is still at the helm.
macworld is just a trade show. who cares where apple makes it’s announcements? people have way too much time on their hands.
Methinks this is a fine example of the downside of “cult” dynamics. People such as LSK care not for Apple or what’s best for Apple, they care only for themselves and what’s dear to them.
I’m sure that Phil is nervous enough as it is. To humiliate him when he probably has very little to do with this would mean that anyone doing this would be considered a**h***s in my book.
Much better would be for everyone who is mad to go to Cupertino next year during what would be during MacWorld (if it’s cancelled or maybe a month before if it’s not) and have a protest out in front of the Apple campus. That might be a lot more effective. Imagine Apple having to call the police because of Apple users. Imagine the headlines. I’m sure Steve Jobs would be pretty embarrassed about that. And THAT’s who made the decision to stop going to the conference. Not Phil.
At the end of the day, Apple is a business. It was back then and it is now. Macworld is just an added expense.
..and let’s all hold our breath until we turn blue in the face – that’ll teach them.
childish…
Cowicide, I very much disagree. Media and investment reactions to the Expo has been getting out of control in the last few years. If Steve drops a few pounds, talking heads say he has cancer. If he puts on weight, they say he’s about to have a heart attack. Because the [insert product here] didn’t have crazy, top-secret, against-the-laws-of-physics features created in the minds of silly, speculative bloggers, it must be a terrible product and should be boycotted. The sstock would run up so much on unrealistic expectations that it would inevitably drop after the announcements – even when the announcements are for great products that add billions to Apple’s income.
Apple has a fiduciary duty to act for the benefit of its investors. And pulling out of Macworld and relying instead on more focused, controlled, low-key product announcements is good for its investors. If the stock drops on this announcement, it’s mere panic selling. The value will be made up in the coming months by smarte, more stable value investors.
Plus, you suggest that Apple basically HAD to continue attending Macworld to avoid any ridiculous speculation… which means it would be locked in out of fear. I think we all know that fear is not something that motivates Steve Jobs… the guys has a huge pair of big brass clackers, and advice like yours is just the type of advice he likes to ignore.
The company’s done an extremely good job over the last eight or so years. That’s not changing. The P/E is lower than it’s been since the stock was at $8, thanks to being pulled down by the broader tech sector and by panic sellers like those from yesterday. And the reported income from iPhone sales is only starting to build steam, thanks to the subscription accounting model. I believe this is a great time to be long Apple,* Macworld or no Macworld.
*(with the caveat that the entire global economy might, of course, disappear, in which case it’s a bad time to be long anything.)
this Lesa is just trying to make herself important with a stupid stunt. The whole Mac trade show game has been dying for a while, this was just the last step. Apple wants do things on their timetable and their turf. think about it. they don’t have to pay anyone to step up an announcement in their own space, they can release things on their own schedule. they can save tons just filming an announcement that goes out over the internet and perhaps is done in front of a few dozen media types. take that money and put it into their product and services to benefit us.
also, on the Steve thing. again for months he has been pulling up other people to show everyone that he’s not the only brain in the game. this is just the final round. Apple has become a company where the value isn’t in the products or the services, but rather it ebbs and flows based on the color and texture of Steve Job’s latest bowel movement. something is seriously wrong there.
if folks really want to show Apple that they care about the company and not about the celebrity icon they have turned Steve Jobs into then they should NOT be silent. but rather treat Phil just like they did Steve. Give him the same support, the same love, the same clapping and cheering they would give his news if Steve was saying it.
I don’t think that embarrassing our favorite company in front of the world will be good for it either. Imagine the stock price drop after that.
Second that Ryan
Sooooo…
No big run up of expectations.
No wild speculation of crazy, impossible new products.
No big stock price drop.
No Apple presence at an event 0.001% of Apple product users go to.
Boy, I’m just mad as hell…
Everyone look at me steam…
*Yawn*
Or maybe if everybody is clapping wildly through the whole keynote, he won’t be able to deliver it. And so there would be no new products from apple. And if everybody did it with every keynote, there would never be any new products, and then apple would die, and it’s Lisa’s fault.
Or whatever.
Ryan, beat me to the punch, this ostentatious grandstanding is egocentric to say the least. Hell I’d love Macworld sooooo much too, if I could go there every year on someone elses tab.
The whole Macworld in January never made sense, its getting so that everyone postpones their xmas apple purchases, for fear that 1 month later it will be made obsolete by the “oh and one more thing” announcement.
In fact I’m planning a contrarian protest at Macworld, for all those people upset at how she spells “Lisa”!
That Lisa (or, as per her high-faluting’ preference, Lesa) really sucks! What b.s.! Remain silent? Better she should shut her big mouth.
Yes, I, too, am going to applaud twice as hard for Phil during his keynote address. He certainly merits it. And I’m thrilled that I will be there to see him and listen to him deliver it.
CULT.
apple is a corporation, out to make money for investors..
some people still dream of the 70’s apple, and buy into
the marketing that “we are you”…apple is the new microsoft.
Whether or not you agree with Lesa and her Silent Keynote movement, the fact that she felt compelled to start it — and the fact that it has stirred strong emotions on both sides of the issue says volumes. Clearly there are a number of Mac users and Macworld Expo attendees that feel Apple has turned its back on them, and they are looking for a voice to speak for them. Her site may be that voice for some, and if so, great. The comments here show that there are people that disagree with her stand, and that’s OK, too. Apple’s announcement created an emotionally charged issue, so good for Lesa for finding a way to express how she feels without suggesting people sneak eggs into the keynote, and good for everyone else that’s expressing their feelings on Apple’s announcement without resorting to name calling and mud slinging.
Come on people this is a good thing for Apple and us.
So stop whining and deal.
I think you all didn’t get the point. Apple retires from expo to his own Apple stores and “unique” App store. This means subtracting the Mac community purchasers resource from the 3rd party companies and resell this resource to the 3rd parties themselves on the App Store for 30% fixed fees. Actually the iPhone market is totally controlled by Apple who decides for access and fees. And this concept is going to be extended to the upcoming NoteBooks market too. Be ready.
In other words, any 3rd party who wants to access to the consumer Apple market must pay 30% of its revenue to Apple and must not release products in competition with the Apple’s one. See e.g. the app Podcaster which has been rejected from the App Store, then Apple implemented those features in its podcast system. Apple is eating itself, I mean, it’s eating the 3rd party of its echo-system which for years has contributed to the growth of the Apple market bringing innovation to the platform. And it is closing the door.
I think that Mac purchasers resource is not exclusive property of Apple. It belongs either to Apple and to all the 3rd parties who contributed to the growth of the Apple echo-system. Apple can’t claim to be the only proprietary of this resource and sell it to the developers. But it does.
Also, I suppose that Phil Schiller is the responsible who turned Apple into a typical multinational (like Vuitton), creating the myth Apple as a “luxury-consumer brand” with its own stores and private clients, producing computers even more similar to PC, creating the “unique” App Store (which gets 30% from the developers), transforming the independent software houses into mere concessionaires… I think it’s not a case that he will replace SJ at the MW…
“Think different” is over. It was the SJ’s motto, who is over too. The Phil Schiller’s motto is “Think money”. And that’s and will be the new Apple.
“Goodbye stranger, I loved you…” ;-)
oh for frak sake, stop being petulant children and accept that the world changes – every day – including Apple. and the slowly but very surely collapsing convention/expo paradigm/business-model.
NO ONE has any idea what’s REALLY behind Apple’s recent announcements re: MacWorld 2009 & 2010, but it would seem their direction is clear, and as usual all you MacFanBoys/Girls will likely eventually realise this is a “good thing” afterall.
pulling this ‘Silent Keynote’ stunt is just plain rude to Phil Schiller, someone whom I don’t believe from the echo-chamber commentary any of you have anything much against.
if you’re PO’d with Apple’s announcement, say it to their face 1to1, instead of petulant childish stunts like this.
and if silentkeynote.com had the balls to allow comments i’d have said this there instead.
Boo hoo! I’m a big idiot baby who can’t see the wood for the trees! I want Steve to keep doing Macworld forever because I love it so much! Steve’s ruining my favourite week of the year by not taking part in IDGs crappy show! I don’t want Apple to do their own annoucements! I want everything to stay EXACTLY AS IT IS FOREVER!!!!
BWAH!!!!
hi i down loaded skype 4.0 beta 2 or 3.o? but my bit defender showed not skype but instead -pu cc c application name the blanks are squares the letters c have park above them and the installed version says cjor- it does not say skype 4.0 i’m not to smart but i feel like my skype is highjacked and i am new to skype and my bitdefender cannot update it always says 1 issue pending does anyone know of this i did let skype add plugins should i have not done that does anyone smart out there thanks nick
Just like germans when hitler killed himself hahahahahahaha