Jason Snell Ends His Column, and 28-Year Run, at Macworld
After 28 years, longtime columnist Jason Snell published his final column at Macworld. He reflects on starting at the publication in 1997, when Apple was near bankruptcy, Steve Jobs had just returned, and the company's survival was uncertain. Snell had been transferred to Macworld after his former magazine, MacUser, folded.
Background
Jason Snell is one of the most respected journalists in the Apple ecosystem, formerly lead editor of Macworld magazine and later a longtime columnist. Macworld, founded in 1984, was the flagship print magazine covering Apple products and culture, hugely influential during Apple's early years. Snell joined Macworld in 1997 — the moment Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy, had just ousted CEO Gil Amelio, and Steve Jobs had returned to stage a rescue. At that year's Macworld Expo, Jobs even brought Bill Gates on stage via satellite to calm fears. Snell's 28-year run spans Apple's near-death, the iMac revival, the iPod/iPhone/Mac eras, and the magazine's transition from print to web. His farewell column is a landmark moment for longtime Apple-watchers, marking the end of a direct link to Macworld's old print era and the dramatic arc of Apple's history.