It's time once again for Macworld Expo in New York on July 18th through July 20th, and I'm dying to see if this show marks the pivotal point for Mac OS X that Apple has been predicting. For that to be true, we'd need to see a Mac OS X 10.1 with improved performance and many of the obvious interface holes plugged, and frankly, we'd need to see it running by default on a sexy new Mac that makes people want the total hardware and software package. Even more important will be strong support from the Macintosh developer community in the form of carbonized applications and, hopefully, software that offers functionality unique to Mac OS X. Steve Jobs's keynote on Wednesday morning will undoubtedly attempt to set the tone for the show, but the rest of the exhibitors will determine whether Mac OS X has arrived or if it remains useful only within a reality distortion field.
<http://www.macworldexpo.com/>
TidBITS Events -- I'll be walking the show floor at the Jacob Javits Convention Center along with Contributing Editor Mark Anbinder, and we hope to see plenty of TidBITS readers and hear what you think of the show. As always, I also have a few public events that I encourage you to attend - it's always great to meet people in person and put faces with the email addresses (though I wish the Macworld Expo badges had email addresses as well as names - I often recognize them more readily).
On Wednesday, July 18th at 2:15 PM, I'll be giving a 90 minute conference session on "Backup, Archiving and File Transfers for Mac OS X" (Room 1E10/1E11) with Craig Isaacs of Dantz Development and Leonard Rosenthol of Appligent. Backup in Mac OS X is problematic, so if you're wondering about the best ways to protect your data and recover from hard disk crashes, I encourage you to attend this session to learn about the pitfalls and the best ways around them.
<http://www.macworldexpo.com/content/workshop- subC-track2.shtml#track_C08>
On Friday, July 20th at 11:00 AM, I'll be at the Peachpit Press booth (#855) answering any questions you have about Eudora and Internet email and passing on little-known tips about using Eudora, not to mention signing copies of my Eudora Visual QuickStart Guide. Do come by with questions during this time - the act of signing one's name in a book isn't particularly interesting on its own, and I prefer answering challenging email questions.
<http://www.tidbits.com/bookbits/ staff.html#eudora>
Macworld NY Netter's Dinner -- Al Tucker is once again organizing a Macworld Netter's Dinner on Wednesday, July 18th, with everyone meeting at 6:00 PM by the doors leading out of the Javits Convention Center. Details of the location and food weren't available as of this writing, but Al's been finding better locations and food each year. Pre-registration via Kagi is required, so make sure to visit the Netter's Dinner Web page for the details. See you there!
<http://avalon.rockefeller.edu/nettersdinner/>
Macworld Expo Pocket Show Guide -- Along with the New York edition of Vindigo's Palm OS restaurant guide, it's always worth grabbing a copy of Palmtop Publishing's Macworld Expo Pocket Show Guide. It's a small Palm OS application that provides a searchable database of exhibitors, booths, workshops, and session topics. The paper-based show guide isn't nearly as convenient or easy to use when you need to find a booth number quickly, not to mention the fact that it's a lot larger than Palm OS-based handhelds. According Palmtop Publishing, you should be able to download the Macworld Expo Show Guide later this week at the URL below, and there will also be several "hot spots" at Expo itself (such as the MUG Lounge in room 3D04) where you can have the show guide beamed to you.
<http://www.vindigo.com/>
<http://www.palmtoppublishing.com/macworldexpony />
Macworld NY '01 Events List Online -- Some things never change, and the indefatigable Ilene Hoffman has once again been gathering events for the Robert Hess Memorial Macworld Expo Events List. If you'd like to see what there is to do at Macworld Expo in New York this year, check the list for public events and parties. If you're hosting an event of any sort at Macworld Expo, make sure to submit it for the free publicity. As always, we encourage anyone planning parties to read our "Macworld Geek Party Guide" from TidBITS-415 for tips on throwing successful trade show parties.
<http://www.ilenesmachine.com/partylist.shtml>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/04694>
Have a great time at Macworld and in New York City, and we hope to see you there!