The big news this week is obviously the announcement that the 2009 Macworld Conference and Expo is the last one for Apple, Inc.

WE are Macworld Expo. Not Apple.
by Matthew Higa

There have been much hand-wringing and beating of breasts over this. Many are worried, legitimately, that Macworld Expo will follow the same fate as Macworld Boston/New York. My reply is: maybe. Yes, it is certainly true that THE highlight of the San Francisco Expo is the keynote address delivered by "The Steve" and there is no doubt that the huge Apple booth looming in the middle of the hall like a large cathedral will be missed. But, other than that, what else does Apple contribute to the Expo? I mean really! Does Apple provide any instructors for the conferences? Do the majority of attendees ONLY visit the Apple booth? Did The Steve ever walk around the show floor shaking hands and otherwise maintained goodwill between the company and its loyal devotees?

What makes Macworld Expo exciting are the attendees and the exhibitors. Once a year, we renew friendships and kindle new ones. We revisit vendors who are as familiar to us as the small merchant once was in middle America. David Pogue entertains us and so do other Mac celebrities like Andy Ihnatko, Chris Breen, Shawn King and many others. Conference instructors from companies OUTSIDE of Apple teach us how to use our beloved Macs better. Parties like Macworld Blast further the opportunity to mingle, make contacts and most of all, have fun! All of this happens without assistance from Apple.

I heard it said that Apple not being present at Macworld Expo is kind of like attending a birthday party without the honored guest being present. While I can see the point of that statement, I don't believe it means that we have to let Macworld Expo die. I personally believe that the Mac community is too big and too special to not have an annual gathering of some kind. Yes, the Expo in 2010 will be different. But it need not feel different. We can still renew the relationships that we made, gawk at Mac celebs, learn new stuff about the Mac as always

Paul Kent, the person in charge of making Macworld happen will certainly have his work cut out for him next year. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to create the same magic without that huge Apple booth in the middle of the floor. But the ones who will be most responsible for making Expo REALLY happen are you and me. We are the ones that provide the energy, the buzz, the good vibes that makes Expo the "must-go" event for all of us.

So, when you come to the 2009 Macworld Expo, don't treat it as a wake. Have fun and enjoy yourself as you always have. Mingle. Mix. Make connections. While we all respect and admire what he has done to turn Apple around, we don't necessarily need The Steve to make us happy at Expo. We just need us. Because WE are Macworld Expo. Not Apple.