Last week, I attended my first Macstock Conference just outside Chicago. I realize that Windows users are wondering “why should I care about a Mac/Apple-focused conference.” The simple answer is twofold:

First, you can learn tips that may apply to the software you use on your Windows’ Machine.

Second, the conference was more than just about “using Apple Computers.” (And, well, you may even find yourself wanting to switch operating systems or realize the one you are using is just right for you.)

The group of over two hundred people is clearly enthusiastic about their Apple devices. I am not saying that they are crazed computer geeks glued to their devices in the basements of their parent’s homes. The Macstock attendees were an eclectic group of professionals (and I was not the only lawyer there!), artists, and academia. It’s obvious the attendees really enjoy using their Apple devices at home, school, and work. They not only want to share their knowledge, but they want to help others achieve their own goals through the use of (Apple) computers and software.

Macstock accomplishes this through a series of presentations. Each of the two days started with short or mini-presentation for some of the afternoon sessions. There will be some concurrent sessions each afternoon - so the morning mini-sessions provide a preview of which afternoon session you want to attend. The afternoon sessions will be a “deeper” dive of a particular topic. So the morning sessions will give you a flavor of what to expect and ideally help you choose what courses you want to attend in the afternoon.

The sessions varied on topics. I enjoyed all of the sessions I attended. But from a practical matter, I preferred and learned more in those sessions that were more “granular.” It helped to watch how things were done more so than those that focused a little too much on the final product. In those less instructive sessions, it was still neat to learn what you can do with an (Apple) computer. I hope in the future the organizers will encourage their speakers to provide more details on how they get their work done. 

During the conference (including the presentations), participants were helping one another with their unique problems. I even had a computer hardware question answered during a live podcast! Thank you Dave Hamilton and John F. Braun of the Mac Geek Gab Podcast! (And a special shoutout to David Sparks and Stephen Hackett of Mac Power Users Podcast! I had my fanboy moment watching their 500th podcast recording at the conference!)

The Macstock conference has been going on now for its fifth year. The history behind Macstock is rather amusing: It was a convergence of the MacWorld conferences ending and someone outside of Chicago inviting a few people out for a barbecue to talk about Macintosh Computers – about a hundred people showed up (to the shock of the host’s wife). 😊

I plan on going back next year. I learned some new skills, enjoyed meeting new people, and made a couple of new friends. This conference is perfect for the “novice” and “intermediate” user. As an “advanced” user, I too learned a few things that will help me out with my computer usage (both Windows and Macs). Regardless of your skillset, you’ll have a great time at this conference!