4 ms·

I was at the first one (though not named WWDC yet) in 1986. In the old days this was the funnest week of the year, as you got to talk with everyone and you lear

I was at the first one (though not named WWDC yet) in 1986. In the old days this was the funnest week of the year, as you got to talk with everyone and you learned a lot from the random discussions. I went two years ago and everyone sat/stood in long lines using various devices and no one talked anymore. I think watching the videos is enough now. That first one BTW had 300 people representing virtually all the Mac developers in the entire world, meeting in a single ballroom at the Fairmont. Nowadays you have 5500 people that barely fit into Moscone West.

joezydeco 12y ago
Do you remember the invitations? I received one around that time that was elaborately constructed out of layers of paper and looked like a floppy disk that fit in a 5" envelope. It was amazing how much effort went into that stuff.
eludwig 12y ago
I went to one of the early ones, back in '87 or '88. While we were there, they gave us a copy of the game Alice, that one of the original Mac team had written. I still have the game and the box! http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Alice.txt http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Alice.txt
joeblau 12y ago
All of you make me wish I wasn't 5 years old at that time :).
- oomkiller 12y ago
  There is plenty of stuff going on now that you have a chance to be a part of and contribute to in a big way. One day you'll be able to tell your own "back in my day" stories.
  - joeblau 12y ago
    So true. I feel like now is an extremely exciting time in technology.
- coldcode 12y ago
  As fun as it was I don't miss that time at all. But you never know where things will go in the future which makes it more fun.
hanley 12y ago
> everyone sat/stood in long lines using various devices and no one talked anymore This is my experience with most conferences now unfortunately. Even when I try to talk to people who are waiting in line they will talk a little and then go right back into their phones.

joezydeco 12y ago

Do you remember the invitations? I received one around that time that was elaborately constructed out of layers of paper and looked like a floppy disk that fit in a 5" envelope. It was amazing how much effort went into that stuff.

eludwig 12y ago

I went to one of the early ones, back in '87 or '88. While we were there, they gave us a copy of the game Alice, that one of the original Mac team had written. I still have the game and the box! http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Alice.txt http://www.folklore.org/StoryView.py?story=Alice.txt

joeblau 12y ago

All of you make me wish I wasn't 5 years old at that time :).

oomkiller 12y ago
There is plenty of stuff going on now that you have a chance to be a part of and contribute to in a big way. One day you'll be able to tell your own "back in my day" stories.
- joeblau 12y ago
  So true. I feel like now is an extremely exciting time in technology.
coldcode 12y ago
As fun as it was I don't miss that time at all. But you never know where things will go in the future which makes it more fun.

hanley 12y ago

> everyone sat/stood in long lines using various devices and no one talked anymore This is my experience with most conferences now unfortunately. Even when I try to talk to people who are waiting in line they will talk a little and then go right back into their phones.