Long story short (which gets explained in the email below), I was offered an opportunity to go to WWDC by my work, but now the site is saying that it is sold out (for the first time ever!).
This is my last hope that either someone from Apple will see this blog, or someone who knows of a ticket will contact me. Sorry for begging, but I need your help desperately. Thanks in advance
Dear Steve -
After a year of planning, my brother and I had locked down plans for the trip of a lifetime – Nepal. Two weeks ago my boss here at Scripps Networks in NYC came to me and asked if I’d be willing to reconsider my plans.
Being a smartass, I said: “Well, what’s in it for me.”
His answer was the only one that could have rocked the world of a 22-year-old Apple geek quite this much: “WWDC” – provided I could come up with a good rationale for being our corporate envoy to the event.
My brother was cool. He knew how much this would mean to me. We cancelled our tickets and I turned to working out the tasks I would perform at WWDC to justify the expenditure.
I would build an iPhone app for the Food Network. I would also become the de facto Mobile Safari expert for my web development team. Finally my boss was sold: “Let’s do it. Buy the conference ticket.”
That’s when I went to “http://apple.com/wwdc” and saw the dreaded, totally unexpected words: “Sold out.” The first time ever, I’m told. Congratulations for that, but I say it with a heavy heart.
I’ve scanned Craigslist and eBay for tickets people who have tickets they are trying to unload. My brother, who lives in San Francisco, is asking all of his friends. I’m holding out hope that somehow, something will open up. So far, I haven’t had any luck.
Is there any way to squeeze one extra guy into the Moscone Center?
I’m not asking for a handout. Scripps is ready to pay the full price. I know the door is closed, but I’m praying it isn’t locked.
This email is a last-ditch alternative to the only other strategy that has come to mind. That would be flying to Cupertino, falling onto the floor in your office and sobbing uncontrollably until you get sick of me and find a way to get me in.
I am a total Apple geek. I’ve evangelized about Apple and its attention to detail to everyone who will lend an ear. I have converted my whole family to the platform (an iMac, a Macbook, a Mac Mini, and a Macbook Air), and every one of my friends says that the next computer they get will be a Mac. I’d like to take credit for those sales as well, but you guys have been introducing one revolutionary product after the other, and making it seem effortless.
It does me so much good to see Apple growing and expanding its reach. Every new Mac user is one less person that I have to help de-virus their computer, or help navigate the arcane 25-step process to add a printer driver to their PC. But selfishly I ask myself, “why this year?” This was supposed to be my year.
Thank you for your time.
- Eli Horne
I’ve sent that email to all of the addresses I could find that might possibly get within 1,000 yards of SJ’s inbox: sjobs@apple.com, steve@mac.com, sj@pixar.com. Obviously these could never be his personal accounts and are just monitored by high level PR people, but I figured it was worth a shot.
Pleeeaaase? I really, really would like to attend. Really.
Well, there’s always scalpers… lol
That’s actually what I’m afraid of. One ticket will come out of the woodwork, but for $5k. Needless to say, I won’t be buying that one, haha.
Check out Craigslist for the bay area man, there’s 2 of them there right now (you could always just turn around and sell the other one) OR just keep waiting and I’m sure plenty more will show up there.
There’s always the people that bought them a long time ago that’ll be trying to dump them due to last minute plans.
Also looks like there’s one on the bay.
The only thing I’ve found on craigslist so far is this, which looks like a wanted rather than a for sale.
I’ll go check out ebay. The only issue with waiting too long is that I also have to book airfare/slice out time away from the office.
Thanks for the heads up, though, I really appreciate it!
Could you have written Steve Jobs a longer email? Apparently your time is more important than his (not that he actually reads them, but still).
@scott - funny you should mention that. The original was actually longer. It was edited down to get the point more quickly, although in the future I’ll be sure to run everything by you for the final word.
Thanks!