• Record attendance created crowding and bad lines with rude handlers–need to manage this better
• Minimize session conflicts within the same track
• Add a web development track (RoR, PHP, MySQL, Apache, PostgreSQL, etc.)
• Add a design and pro apps track (Photoshop, Final Cut, Logic, etc.)
• More sessions in IT track (advanced email services, database optimization, network monitoring, etc.)
• Liked the marketing session–more options on PR, co-marketing, developer profiles, etc.
• Better discounts at company store–same as employee offers?
• Offers on new hardware annoucements–give attendees the chance to buy one new machine at cost
• Announce campus bash entertainment ahead of time and have buses run later
• Better snacks during the day (like we used to have in San Jose)
• Food continues to be bad, but this year we just experienced some of the great places in town–either get some of those places to cater or just drop food altogether (keep snacks and beverages though)
• Bring back O’Reilly and Movie Night
• Heard rumors of venue change–not sure where would be better
• Don’t print and distribute schedule insert cards until sessions are announced
• Make the name appear on BOTH sides of badges to make security happy
• Bring back door prizes (like the 50 free PowerBooks)
• Since my flights always leave late, would like to see Friday afternoon sessions return
• Let all attendees have access to the ADC seed (so Leopard preview can be updated for non-Selects)
• Add all presenter and Apple contact information to the WWDC site; create opt-in attendee directory

WWDC keeps attracting more people, but the trend has been to offer less each year. I hope it doesn’t slide too much–it’s still my favorite tech event of the year…DK

Today was the last day of WWDC 2006 and I’m currently at SFO waiting for my flight home. Security was no problem and we have another two hours to wait before our flight leaves. I bought the $10 day pass for internet access to pass the time and just filled out the online feedback survey for the conference (lots of feedback for them this year–more on that later).

We attended all three morning sessions, then walked over to Town Hall for lunch. I had Faith’s warm Smithfield ham and cheese toast with poached egg sandwich, which was really tasty, but small. After lunch, we walked over to the Embarcadero and re-traced my running route up to Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. I took a ton of pictures and will upload them to the photo section when I get home.

After a chocolate ice cream cone at Ghirardelli’s, we waited about an hour to take a cable car back to the other side of town. We stopped at Macy’s Marketplace to pick up some Boudin sourdough bread loaves, then walked down to Mel’s Drive-In for dinner. Picked up the bags at the Marriott, then hit the road in a crazy cab ride to the airport (why is it that cab drivers get to drive as fast and reckless as they want and never seem to get pulled over?). We had a pretty great week: perfect weather, wonderful food and lots of learning opportunities. It’s going to be a busy few weeks at work with all of these new ideas…DK

The week is flying by quickly. Yesterday’s schedule was jam-packed with things to do. Dinner at Roy’s was great and we went to see Clerks II afterwards at the Metreon. Today, we had breakfast at the Marriott, attended the morning sessions, then walked over to Tommy’s Joynt for lunch. I had pastrami on sourdough and soaked in the unique atmosphere of the place. Now I’m finishing up the afternoon sessions before boarding the bus to the campus bash in Cupertino…DK

This morning I took the advice of the hotel concierge and ran a five mile out and back that went along Market Street to the Embarcadero and up to Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf. The iPod voice said my half-way point was right in front of the ticket booth for the boats to Alcatraz. It was a beautiful route on a beautiful day…DK

The food today was great: sesame chicken at the House of Nanking in Chinatown for lunch and a hot open-faced turkey sandwich with fries and vanilla milk shake at Lori’s Diner on Powell for dinner.

Tomorrow will be a bag lunch at the conference while listening to a Pixar presentation, then dinner at Roy’s on Mission Street. Can’t wait for that desert: Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Souffl?©…DK

Didn’t know much about this until today: iTunes U

It’s only open to U.S. and Canadian non-profit universities right now, but I can see all sorts of ways this could be used at the high school level by an organization like HSRA. I’m going to hound the product manager again to see if we could be a test site for the K-12 segment. Here are examples from UC Berkeley, Duke and Stanford…DK

We arrived at about 7:15am to get our credentials and get in line for the keynote, which was much better organized this year. Everyone was seated early and the Steve Show started right on time. After reading today’s story in the Wall Street Journal about the timing of Steve’s options, I was curious if he would spend as much time on the financial performance of the company as he usually does at WWDC. Nope–only a quick mention of retail store numbers and overall Mac unit and market share growth. Come to think of it, no mention of iPods at all today, either. (more…)