by , 11:00 AM EDT, September 5th, 2000
An e-mail was sent out today by a group claiming to be The Expo Protest Team. Apparently, some organization is planning on protesting during next week's keynote speech at the Apple Expo 2000 in Paris. The group claims that Apple must be made aware of their poor treatment and, "...growing arrogance and its failure to recognise the loyalty of its most loyal users who stuck by the company through the dark years."
The protest is going to come in the form of a speech given by keynote attendees in the middle of Jobs' own keynote speech. The group hopes to have a host of members in attendance, thus if one person is removed (as they are sure to be) another member can continue the speech, thus presenting the protest in its entirety.
Below is the full text of The Expo Protest Team's e-mail:
Dear All:
You may or may not heard of the planned protest at Apple Expo in Paris later this month, but I am writing to you to outline the reasons for this protest and in the hope that you will be able to help.
The protest is over three main issues
1. Apple's general treatment of its fans/customers and in specific its legal strong arm tactics against various websites and individuals.
2. Apple's treatment of its European customers and in specific its UK customers. For example the cancelling of the UK Expo on numerous occasions and the cancelling of localised versions of the OS.
3. Apple growing arrogance and its failure to recognise the loyalty of its most loyal users who stuck by the company through the dark years. Apple needs to realise it is in a unique position within the computer market, in as much as it has fans as well as customers. Apple needs to adapt the way it deals with these people and find some other way of dealing with them other than sending in the lawyers.
Apple and in particular Mr Jobs, need to be made aware of the growing discontent within the Mac faithful. Apple is becoming arrogant again and for its own sake or should I say for his own sake, need to be made aware of how strongly we feel.
The nature of the protest will be peaceful, no throwing of rotten apples here. The intention is to interrupt Steve's keynote with a speech outlining our grievances, the speech would be split between as many people as possible so that if one person is ejected another can continue the speech, thus delivering the speech in its entirety. This is where we need some help, we need the Mac websites to publish this story and our appeal for people who will be in Paris for the Expo, and are prepared to take part, people wishing to do so can contact us on this email address.
Thank you for your time
The Expo protest team
No further information is available, but we suspect this is not the last we will hear of The Great Apple Expo 2000 Protest.
Although many have questioned Apple's most recent tactics in dealing with an assortment of issues, from iMac look-a-likes to loud mouthed rumor sites, it is important to realize one thing; Apple is in the business of making money. Period. Their near fanatical devotion to their customers in the past almost led to the company's downfall, and it is Steve Jobs' sometimes strongarm tactics that have Apple in the position that it is in today. The company is financially healthy, they are manufacturing great products, and they are able to hold international expos such as the Apple Expo 2000 due to this financial success.
While the methods do not make everybody happy, we can all be thankful, as Mac users and lovers, that we have an Apple to praise or bitch about at all.