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One line I keep seeing is that, "You don't need Macworld, the Apple Store does the same thing", and variations thereof. I wonder about that sometimes, because to be blunt, while the Apple Store(s) can be more convenient, they're hardly able to even come close to providing you with what you get at Macworld.

First, even the biggest Apple Store is not going to have every product from every vendor you get at Macworld. That's not hyperbole, or exaggeration, it's fact. There are vendors who are "blacklisted" from the Apple Store(s) for various reasons, (Wiley Books anyone?), or vendors that just are not going to be what a typical Apple Store user wants. Go ahead, show me the massive system administration products section, or the RAID section. Not going to happen. The Apple Store is strictly aimed at the SOHO market. Need to talk to a vendor like:

Zimbra
Axiotron
Esellerate
FileWave
LANRev
LANDesk
Ettore Software
Iron Mountain
iStockphoto
JAMF Software
SoftRAID
Sun
Tandenberg?

Not at an Apple Store. Most likely,you won't even see their products. Even if we talk about products that you would see at an Apple Store, you think the sales drones there are going to know as much about it as the vendor would? (Go ahead, and ask your typical Apple Store sales drone about issues involved in integrating Zimbra with Open Directory.) No, no they will not. Where can you actually talk to the vendor? Not online. You might get an email address, and over days, eventually get your questions answered. You might get even luckier and they'll have a blog.

But that's not talking, is it? That's messaging. There's a difference. Online demos aren't talking either, especially if they're canned. Those, you rarely have someone from the company right there. Downloadable demos? Closer, but still, if you have questions, you either hope the documentation doesn't suck, or that you can get an answer back via email in time. Assuming you can adequately test the product without a significant time and resource investment.

See, all the Apple store is going to do is sell you a box. If it's an Apple box, or you get lucky, then the person selling you the box will know something about the box. But really, that's a gamble. Assuming they aren't busy as hell. Then you have to schedule a session to have them tell you about the box, and you're then hoping that they, not you have n+1 knowledge.

So please, let us dispense with the idea that an Apple Store replaces most of the show floor. It's bullshit at best.

What about the sessions. Don't the Apple Stores have classes? Well, assuming you live near one that's big enough, yes. If you're lucky, you may even be near a store that has business consultants. I have no direct knowledge of those, (I live in Tallahassee, ask me about the Apple Store...in Orlando), so I can't say how good they are.

But let's look at the sessions offered at the 5th Avenue Store in NYC, one of their "bigger" stores, from the 22nd to the 28th:

Getting Started Workshop...aka "How to use a Mac"
iPhone Workshop..."How to use an iPhone"
iPhoto Work Shop
Holiday Workshop: Creating Memorable Gifts with your Photos
Mac OS X Leopard Workshop
Aperture Workshop
Aperture Project Tutorial: Holiday Gifts in Aperture
iPod and iTunes Workshop
GarageBand Workshop
Podcasting Workshop
Logic Pro Workshop
Logic Studio Project Tutorial: Hip-Hop From the Ground Up
MobileMe Workshop
Numbers '08 Workshop
Holiday Workshop: Great Gifts for Everyone on Your List
Microsoft Office 2008 Workshop (First third party workshop!)
iWeb Workshop
Basic Web Design Workshop
Adobe Photoshop Workshop
Adobe CS4 Project Tutorial: What's New in Photoshop CS4
Data Backup on the Mac workshop
iWork '08 Workshop

That's a decent list, but there's only 2 non-Apple products on that list, and it's a bit biased towards "What's that Do?"

What about a smaller store? How about the Kansas City Plaza Store?

Here's the workshop list for the same time period as the NYC 5th Ave. store:

iPhoto Workshop
iPod and iTunes Workshop
iLife '08 Workshop
Getting Started Workshop
iPhone Workshop
Mac OS X Leopard Workshop

Huh...that's a little um...lean. I guess no one in KC uses Photoshop or Office.

Now, let's take a look at Macworld Expo. I'll be kind, and start with the Users Conferences:

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US901: Bugs & Fixes: Real World Mac Troubleshooting
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US911: Back to My Mac
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US921: Mobile Me - Inside Apple's New Online Service
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US927: The Complete Guide to Backing Up Your Mac

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US931: Running Your Mac Lean, Clean, and Mean
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US941: Best of Mac OS X Hints
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US951: Ask the Editors!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US902: Photoshop Uncanny Realism
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US912: Creating Dynamic Interfaces with Flash and FileMaker Databases
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US922: The State of the Art of Digital Photography

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US932: How to Get Great HD Results
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US942: Creating Digital Portfolios
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US952: Digital Art Pioneers and Trendsetters

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US903: Office 2008 for Mac Power Users Techniques
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US913: iWork and iLife for Small Business
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US923: Increase Your Software Sales Now with Global eCommerce

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US933: Keeping Safe on the Internet
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US953: Take Your Small Business to the Next Level with Leopard

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US907: Regain Features of iMovie HD in iMovie '08
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US904: TV, Mobile TV and the iPhone
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US917: Hollywood Tricks for Home Movies
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US914: Using Visual Thinking & Design to Transform Your Next Presentation
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US924: InDesignSecrets.com Tips, Tricks, and Techniques

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US934: Graphic Secrets for Creative Pros: Photoshop CS4 and Beyond!
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US943: Photoshop CS4: From the Outside
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US944: The Designers Role in Sustainable Practice
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US957: iLife Secrets
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US954: Music Composition and Performance with Apple Tools

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US905: Mac OS X Leopard.....the Purrrrrrfect Cat for your Classroom
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US915: Communication and Content Delivery in the 21st Century: The Very Best of Podcasting in the Classroom
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US925: Leveraging New Media in the Classroom: iPod as an Educational Tool

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US935: The Google Universe: Tools for Educators
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US945: 21st Century Literacy: iLife and Digital Storytelling in the Classroom
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US955: Keep Control of Your School's Leopard

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US906: DVD Montage on the Go
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US916: Five Ways to Work More Efficiently in Photoshop
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US926: Introduction to Shooting RAW

Thursday, January 8, 2009
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US937: The Passionate Photographer - Embracing Aperture 2.1 for Your Photographic Life
11:00 AM - 12:15 PM US936: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Workflow for Digital Photographers
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US946: Exploring Panoramic Virtual Reality (VR) Photography
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM US947: Getting the Best Out of Your Images
3:00 PM - 4:15 PM US956: Aperture in Nature & Landscape Photography

Now, let's be a little less kind: Creative Safari

Friday, January 9, 2009
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CS1: Beginner Digital Photography
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CS2: Advanced Digital Photography Day - On Assignment in San Francisco
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CS3: Digital Video

Let's turn the screws a little tighter: Hands on MacLabs:

Monday, January 5, 2009
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LB: Getting Started with AppleScript
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LC: iMovie 101: Video Production for Educators
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LE: DNS Management
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LF: Tap Into Something More: Using iPod touch in the Classroom
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LH: iTunes for Audiophiles
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LI: GarageBand 08 in Education: Remix Your Media

Tuesday, January 6, 2009
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM LJ: Hands-on iWork
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM LK: UNIX Scripting for Mac OS X
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM LL: Tap Into Something More: Using iPod touch in the Classroom
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM LM: Hands-on iLife
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM LN: Automator Workflow Creation
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM LO: iChat and Video Streaming: Open Student's Eyes and Ears to the World

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LP: Make Your Color Behave
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LQ: Final Cut Studio 2 - Studio Workflows
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LR: Hey, I Have Something Important to Say! Using Podcasting in the Classroom
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LS: Hands-on iWork
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LT: Running Your Wireless Network Safely & Reliably - Tips on Best Tools
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LU: Create Collaborative Learning with Google Tools in Education
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LV: Hands-on iLife
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LW: Using InstaDMG
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LX: Create a Global Learning Perspective with Google Tools in Education

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LAA: iWork in Education: Images, Impact, and Interaction
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LAC: Automating Active Directory Integration
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM LAD: Geocaching in Education: Exploring Your World with Google Earth
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LAE: Final Cut Studio Overview
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LAF: Build a Better Workflow with Photoshop
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM LAG: Learning to Network & Networking to Learn: Beyond the Tools

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LAI: MacForensics
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM LAJ: OS X Server in Education

Time for the Knives: Two-day Power Tools sessions, (Disclaimer, I'm helping give the TNA session on Wed/Thurs.):

Series 1
Monday, January 5, 2009 - Tuesday, January 6, 2009
PA: Aperture
PB: InDesign CS4 for the Practical User
PC: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2
PD: System Imaging & Deployment
PE: Introduction to Final Cut Studio
PF: AppleScript
PG: Mastering Directory Services
PH: Final Cut Studio 2 In-Depth
PI: Getting the Most Out of Office 2008 for Mac
PJ: Teleworking 2009: A Technical Guide to Being & Managing a Remote Workstaff

Series 2
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - Thursday, January 8, 2009
PK: Photoshop
PL: Total Network Awareness: Tools & Techniques
PM: Mac OS X Server - Behind the Box
PN: Dreamweaver
PO: Mastering the Adobe Creative Suite
PP: Learning Flash CS4
PQ: FileMaker
PR: Presentation Magic with Keynote
PS: Advanced Illustrator Techniques

Fuckit, blood on the ceiling time: The MacIT Conference:

Administration
Make no mistake, Macs are making headway into every type of organization around the world. As organizations grow their Mac population, proper administration techniques must follow. This track focuses on how best to manage, troubleshoot, and maintain Mac OS X with particular focus on remote administration, deployment of Mac OS X using open source tools, and excellent troubleshooting methodologies.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM IT801: Lucid System Administration
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM IT811: Remote System Management

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT821: Advanced Apple Remote Desktop
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT831: Using Python for System Administration
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM IT841: Mac OS X Laptop Deployments with Puppet

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT851: Mind Mapping Your Mac
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT861: Enhancing the Learning Experience in an Educational Environment with Virtualization
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM IT871: Q&A with Administration Track Speakers

Storage
Using Apple's Xsan storage solution allows organizations to store vast amounts of data and create workflows designed around very specific tasks. This track focuses on the setup and maintenance of Xsan, setting up and troubleshooting Promise RAIDs and fibre switches, and managing workflows such as Podcast Producer and Final Cut Server.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM IT802: Planning an Xsan Deployment
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM IT812: Advanced Xsan Configurations

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT822: Optimizing Promise RAIDs
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT832: Providing Large Scale Backup Solutions
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM IT842: Supporting Final Cut Server

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT852: Special Announcement Session
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT862: Xsan Case Studies
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM IT872: Q&A with Storage Track Speakers

Imaging
The first step to a successful Mac deployment starts with the image. Often times third party software needs to be added, tweaks to the system are required, and remote management enabled and setup. Once the image is created, how do you go about testing that image and what polices are put into place for maintaining it? This track answers those questions.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM IT803: Managing OS X Clients with or without Open Directory
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM IT813: Creating Installation Packages

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT823: System Image Creation Techniques
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT833: Optimizing System Image Testing
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM IT843: System Image Deployment Techniques

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT853: Windows Deployment on Mac OS X
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT863: Post Image Creation and Automation
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM IT873: Q&A with the Imaging Track Speakers

Enterprise
Nowhere has the Mac's growth been more apparent than in the enterprise space. Fortune 500 businesses, governments, hotels and cruise ships-just to name a few. This track deals with several aspects of placing Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server in the enterprise such as iPhone integration, understanding how to setup and troubleshoot DNS on the Mac, collaboration services such as Wiki and iCal, and heterogeneous solutions for integration.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM IT804: Macs in the Mix: Systems Management Best Practices for Cross-Platform Environments
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM IT814: DNS Demystified

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT824: Deploying Wiki Services
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT834: Deploying Podcast Producer 1
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM IT844: Deploying Podcast Producer 2

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT854: Enterprise Scale iPhone Management
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT864: Building Enterprise-class and Virtually Fail-safe Database Services on the Mac
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM IT874: Q&A with Enterprise Track Speakers

Security
Regardless of the operating system, computer and network security are a continuing part of an administrators daily life. This track tackles some of the more important areas of security with respect to Mac OS X. Sessions included iPhone and Mac OS X data forensics, network monitoring with Open Source tools, proper use of the Common Criteria Tools, and much more.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM IT805: Using Common Criteria Tools with Mac OS X
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM IT815: iPhone and Mac OS X Forensics

Thursday, January 8, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT825: Using Mac OS X Server's Firewall
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT835: Preventing & Recovering from Laptop Theft
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM IT845: Effective Access Control with Directories, Services, and Share Points

Friday, January 9, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM IT855: Open Source Monitoring with Hobbit
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM IT865: How to Secure Mac OS X Using Sandbox
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM IT875: Q&A with Security Track Speakers

Okay, so can we put to rest this line of crap that you can somehow replicate Macworld Conference & Expo at the fucking Apple Store? You can't even come close. The Apple Store is not even in the same fucking room as what you get out of Macworld Conference & Expo, so just stop with that line of crap, okay?

Oh, and if you're wondering: YGBSM: You Gotta Be Shitting Me, the motto of the Wild Weasels.

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