I'm looking at the picture and, I'm sorry, San Jose, but what you people don't know about lines is a lot. That's a clot of people milling around a doorway. There's no line there. [wiki queue]

No, I'm not blaming the consumer. I blame the Apple store. Would it have killed them to put up a piece of paper saying "Please form a single, orderly line starting here." (Helvetica 76pt for old time's sake) and a nice friendly arrow indicating the spot?

I'm not talking red velvet ropes for queue control - although that would have been nice considering how much they were about to suck out of people's wallets.

Jim (The Canuck One)

I love it!! I would too if i was him, but also if i was him, I wouldn't have to wait in lines... the lines would wait for ME!

Wegmans

Did you just LINE JUMP ME?!

aaj111

Haha.

spyker3292

I wouldve gotten a little kid to point at him and cause a scene, yelling "HEY! You CUTTED!"

michaelwiggins

Wouldn't want to burn too many calories standing in line.

Mr_Hustleufagus

The fact that he has to get in line like the rest of us means Apple doesn't love him anymore :(

scoobydoo

Woz should get a free iPhone at the very least - but should not cut in line at the expense of others. That's ridiculous.

Spoony Bard

Hilarious. Woz, you fiend!

matthewrex

This is absurd. My brother works at ILM where he was surprised to see George Lucas standing in line with employees to get his morning coffee. When my brother asked why he didn't just go to the front of the line George told him he wants his employees to respect him just as he respects them and not to be treated any different even though he owns the company. While Woz is important to Apple's history he should have common sense on how society citizens are to respect each other. By sitting his ass on a sofa for several hours and then later cut in line is disrespectful. Icon or not this incident wouldn't go over well here in Canada.

imagine-engine

Christ guys, half of you (or more) spent so much time on Apple II's that you ought to be happy this guy is still around so you can thank him for making a computer that didn't suck that schools could afford in the 80s.

dieman

@Jim (The Canuck One): looks like the line is formed going down the hallway and looks like the Woz flanked it with his entourage.

Boognish

Posse? Steve does not have a Posse! Those are just dudes saying "I'm with him"

Doesn't Lee Iacocca deserve to cut in line for a newly released Chrysler? Like there would be a line, but if there was.

Woz should have got one before Mossberg.

CEOself

Geez, let the guy go first...big deal. He probably couldn't get the iBrick activated right away anyway.

nuttykiwi

@Spoony Bard: Don't you think his vested shares in Apple stock afford him the ability to purchase outright. He should not be entitled to a freebie or a cuttsie. Also, if Steve wanted him to have one for free don't you think he would have sent him one?

Sorry Woz, what you did was not cool.

Boognish

I think he has every right to cut the line but it was not cool to hook up his posse that way... BTW, did he pay???

pastrychef

@imagine-engine: Why I love America. Success breads importance. Awesome!

CEOself

He is just engineering a new, more efficient, method for waiting in line: The Queue II+

The plus is the group of people that followed him into the store, of course. And based on this beta version, it appears to have worked very nicely for him.

Monty

There are reports the Robert Scoble did the same thing.

How do we know, from this report or photo, that Woz wasn't friends with the people whom he got in front of? Maybe he showed up early with the friends and left to rest his feet (he is awfully fat after all). Maybe the friends showed up early and said they'd save him a spot.

What's fair when it comes to line sitting?

Sneaking in line in front of people by just mosying up like you'd been there all along, like some dirtbag couple tried to do to me on Friday is sleazy, but there are gray areas for line etiquette.

When I first got in line, I was number 30, I counted as I got there. By the time the door opened, I was more like number 41. One of the people who got in front of me was my friend who I'd agreed with in advance to meet and wait in line together. She got there a half hour after I did, and maybe 20 people had shown up in that time. Was it wrong for me to let her in place? Should we have moved to the back of the line together?

Should I have snapped pics and bitched about the other 10 people who got in line in front of me? Were they really there before I was, or were their friends holding a place for them? Does it matter? Maybe it does on some level, maybe being number 30 was okay to me, but if I'd known I would end up being #40 I wouldn't have waited in line after all?

What about if you have to take a leak? Should we have lost our place when we left the line to use the toilet? After 5 hours in line I had to take a leak twice.

All kinds of people in front and behind me were leaving the line and coming back after extended periods while someone held their place. Food runs, toilet runs. The lady in line just in front of me and my friend, who was there all by herself left a few times. We gladly held her place for her. Was that wrong? Would the people who entered the line while she was gone assume she was just taking cuts?

This is ridiculous, and if the lines had moved with any decent amount of speed no one would even care.

I should go read the CNET article, but did the Broussards take note of everyone in line and what they did while there, or is Woz singled out because he's recognizable and by bitching the Broussards get their 15 minutes of fame, even if it's by being cry babies.

distortedloop

@CEOself: Doesn't this happen everywhere?

Playstation

Yesterday I went to the same store, I waited for 3-4 hours in line (which wasn't bad at all). When I got in finally, all of a sudden.. behind me there were 2 of these so called gentlemen (one of them wearing a tie and suit probably at their 30ish) cut the line, but the thing is they were allowed by the apple employee. I don't know what special relationship these guys had, but surely it was very annoying.

Playstation

Woz loves 3G. Remember when iPhone 1.0 came out his biggest wish was GPS. Now he's got a good one!

altus

P.S. As I stood in line for way too long on Friday, I wondered why they don't just hand out little numbers like the bakery or the appliance parts store I went to last week do.

Something not easily counterfeited, where you can see what number you are, and estimate how long you have before your turn, then go and shop somewhere else and come back. Or maybe even a reservations system, or heck, Apple employees, just start taking names down the line and write them in order and tell people to come back later, and you'll be let in as the names are on the list. Anything to save people hours of frustration.

I know that long lines are good for publicity, but only when they're long because of demand, not because of activiation issues. [thedigitaldive.net]

distortedloop

I would be honored to be in the line that Woz cut. Doesn't hurt anyone, really. Specially when you know there wouldn't be an iPhone if it wasn't for Woz. Stop being crybabies.

raindogmx

I bet anyone in the line who knew who he was would let him in any way - what's the fuss?

I'd have snapped his picture with my iPhone, asked for his autograph, and shook his hand.

MINI Driver

Of course he linecut. The guy is a social retard. And I imagine he was in good company with all the other social retards there that day.

Cupajo

@distortedloop: "I wondered why they don't just hand out little numbers like the bakery or the appliance parts store I went to last week do."

Then the people would stand in line to get those numbers, or any other form of reservation you put up.

ara

Why didn't the store just give out numbers to the people in line? Oh right, commotion attracts customers.

ripfire

@Mr. B:

Nuff said - this whole anti Woz thing is just BS from some saddo couple further down the line

MINI Driver

During the TwitLive iPhone marathon, Leo Laporte (or a caller, not sure) mentioned that the folks in that line said they would be delighted if he would take the first spot if he showed up.

Mr. B

that doesn't look like Woz

Fierock

@nuttykiwi: Steve would pull out a gum wrapper, whistle into the phone, and activate his+everyone else's phones, a la DJ Qualls in The Core. He's THE Woz, and nooooobody beats him!

Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy

Why Woz Why? I expected more from you! That wasn't a very nice thing todo to your fans.

HawkSkater0

Just more proof that Woz is more badass than Jobs.

CutePuppyz

The CNET link has an update by Woz. He actually posted on the Talkback (aka Comments) section of the story detailing how the store had arranged for him to be in the front and those in front were OK with it. His whole comment is in the second or third page of the Talkback section.

AJ_Syrinx

Isn't he Apple god to you Apple lovers.

bryanarr

I really hope the first person in line was like "what the FU... look at that mans watch...."

chorx

So Woz is totally classless and unrefined... I should have thought that was obvious already from the fact that he was going with Kathy Griffin.

bjacobel

@ara: "Then the people would stand in line to get those numbers, or any other form of reservation you put up."

It prevents "cutting in line", and other than the initial line pre-opening, no one would have to stand in line. Walk up, get a number, see that you've got 75 people ahead of you, go get breakfast and come back. The only drawback for Apple is no long lines with news cameras and media interviewing the must-have-first crowd, but even those lines reach the point where it becomes bad press. I can assure you if the local news guys had come to the line I was in at 10:00 AM they would have had a lot of angry people to interview, and they might have even caught the two teenagers fighting and getting rousted from the line by mall security.

distortedloop

@ara: But then no one could cut lines after the numbers are handed out.

SowndOfDeth

Perhaps he bought his place in line from the first person in line. A guy at my local Apple store paid the first guy in line $200 for his spot. First guy in line took the $200 then walked down the line to about #40 and bought a spot for $100.

Rand

@distortedloop: But in the end it would just shift the line cutting and queuing to the pre-opening, how is that any different?

ara

Well, I can undestand why he would cut a line...
Hell on earth if he actually stayed in line surrounded by tons of fanboys.

But the posse... yeah, that was asshole-ish.

If that really is Woz.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

@Git Em SteveDave is a poor substitute for LindsayJoy: Well, actually, to activate it even Woz would have to do more than whistle, as AT&T would have to be involved too. By walking down the line and whistling, that would just jailbreak and unlock everyone's iPhone.

And, *poof*, like that, he's gone...

AZTriGuy

Oh come on. It's deserved! Its not like he showed up 5 minutes before it opened either. Four hours waiting is enough. I would have given him my place in line.

Kevin Doyle

@Spoony Bard: His salary from Apple, which he does nothing to receive, would essentially pay for his iPhone.

ludwigk

I think it shows really poor taste, a lack of respect for others and a disdain for society to cut line like that. I mean, he's already a bajillionaire, isn't he? Let US have something, for crying out loud!

PlayerX

And, since we're being specific about who's involved and since no one else called them out, I hope Doug and Patrice Broussard sent Woz an apology and maybe even have a friendly chat. It'd be suitable followup.

Woz's comment, for those who can't be bothered to dig, is here:

» [news.cnet.com]

Torley

It's fucking Woz, man! The guys at the front of the line probably offered to carry him in on their backs. I know I would have.

astrosmash

way to check your facts, Jizzmodo. At least the facts showed up at digg.com

This whole discussion got out of hand because of faulty journalism. How about an apology?

rstrb8r

I think it's only fair, right, and awesome to apologize for Woz for this shameful, lameful speculation which was (1) not interesting, (2) false, and (3) sloppy, jump-to-conclusions, pseudo-machismo.

I knew all along that Woz is too much of a gentleman. :)

Torley

the people at the apple store by my house made me wait in the 3g line so i could, BUY A MACPRO! They told me, "no your not, you just want to cut the line."

HawkSkater0

If no one will speak out against Woz for cutting in line, at least speak out against him for dating Kathy Griffin.

WiZZLa

I don't get it..couldn't the guy just get one directly from Apple?

Anyways I think the update on the story has been jaded, people don't want to tarnish a legend of the industry and so they're protecting him by saying that they insisted. The truth is that the guy probably did cut in line.

Internet-TV

If it wasn't for Steve Wozniak there would BE an iPhone. He has every right to cut to the front of the queue goddamit!

zooto68

I think the bigger question here is why someone as important to Apple's history as Woz was not on the Apple's internal VIP list? I don't see any reports of Steve Jobs having to wait in line to buy and activate an iphone. Jobs probably has had one for days, if not weeks ahead of the launch.

rer89

There's 1 mortgage you should be happy to subsidize, for YOUR sake.

heroineworshipper

You know, if he did skip the line I would not care. I mean you have tons of Apple fanboys that would harass the guy to no end. He'd stand and be bombarded by press. There might be a security issue. Someone who wants to hurt or kidnap Woz, who knows. I know some asshole might respond to this notion as ridiculous, but the guy is a genius, a billionaire and funny as hell. Also, as the update shows every true fanboy would have respect for Woz and would be happy to let him go in first. I mean, I know I would be thrilled to let him go in front of me! I sure Apple would have given him one but what is nice about Woz is he is not super stuck up and will go and buy one just like everyone else.

Now Scoble....wtf?

LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M

@HawkSkater0:

Thats odd. The Apple Store here specifically told people they were only selling iPhones and iPhone accessories on Friday.

Totorototoro

@HawkSkater0: Wait, you actually picked the day of the iPhone launch to purchase a MacBook pro?! It's first come, first serve just like any other day.

dink23

retraction, he apparently didn't cut, oops my bad. I'm surprised also he didn't receive one sent to him or something or get one VIP style somehow.

Faslane

faslane

Give him a free phone but, tell him to get to the back of line and wait to activate it. ;-)

Cutting isn't cool. Good way to get your ass kicked, I'm sure not everyone there knew who he even was.

Faslane

faslane

@dink23: It was the only day that both myself and my dad (who will be helping me pay for it) could go to the apple store for the next 2 months.

HawkSkater0

thanks for updating the story shitheads. This is the sort of bullshit "Journalism" that makes people thing blogs are jokes. Learn from this mistake and do not do it again. It makes you look like fools.

thesupermikey

Wizard of Wozzzzzz. Lol. He cracks me up on Kathy's show.

Adex2491

dude! i was gonna go to valley fair just to play with display models n figured id wait! i made a huge mistake i cudda met the WOZ!!! dammit.

mastermatt63

@Jim (The Canuck One): Why is it important to you? Try and relax.. take a chillPILL! BE COOL DUDE! Calm down GUY! Jeeez, HOSTILE a little perhaps? MY GOD.

Stacky Botrus

Space saved...right....

I guess I would have gotten beaten by a crowd because unless there's a decent payoff, then his ass can wait in line like the rest of everyone else waiting. "Cutsies" has never been allowed, ever since kindergarten.

DashTheHand

Dash, at other stores, people who would have trouble standing have been able to sit elsewhere. At another event, I was offered the opportunity. Woz isn't as young as he used to be, I don't mind his taking advantage of that.

The Broussards may have arrived after he did, and after he moved to his place to sit. I'll assume it's an honest mistake. I don't expect people talking about their experiences to be acting like professional journalists, checking sources, etc.

But I'm mildly disappointed in the Giz for not checking more (though kudos for correcting the record when the facts were known) and really disappointed in CNet for not correcting the story (leaving the headline intact and only a minor addition of a comment).

Gadgetdon

Oh who cares...honestly?

This obsession giz has with all things woz is bordering on unhealthy (if its not there already).

Give me a break!

Inygo

Wow, great reporting! Whoever wrote this story needs to check with Leo Laporte. He had Woz on his 24 hr iphone coverage and they both talked about whether or not Woz was going to get the phone and stand in line. Woz said he was going to go to that particular store as he did last year and that he was invited to be there and be the first in line! Maybe if you ask Leo nicely he just might replay that segment for you folks so that you can actually do some real reporting instead of creating a story when there is not one there. But I would bet that you or the folks at cnet don't give a hoot about finding the truth. It is much easier to spread unfounded rumors. Ask Leo if you don't believe me. Or are you chicken?

marius45

This is NOT what happened. The Apple store employees and the other people waiting in line said that it was fine. We need to keep in mind that without Woz, there may never have been an iPhone. He has done nothing wrong. He was originally planning on going to the store at 10 PM the night before but was told that if he came the next morning he would be able to get an iPhone. The next morning at 4AM he arrived and went to the back of the line. He was then told by the Apple store employees that he could come and sit, away from the line and wait. He was hesitant but went anyway. The people waiting in line had NO problem with this.

g15

@thesupermikey: Blogs are not journalism, they are not news. They are rumor mongers and opinion pieces. Some of them throw in a breaking news story, but most just repeat stories they found someplace else. There's nothing wrong with that, but as a reader of them, you need to understand what exactly you're reading, and how it fits into the real world.

distortedloop

[news.cnet.com]

Spoony Bard

I am satisfied with Woz's answer. I sure as hell would have let the man cut in front of me if he came at 4 AM.

Spoony Bard

No one said anything not because of who he was but simply because Apple fanboys are wussies!

Bluesk1d

If woz wasnt aloud to cut the line then he could just fire everyone in the store and tell everyone waiting in line to go home! But Woz is probably way to nice of a guy to do that.

HawkSkater0

Woz, being very rich, is a prime kidnapping target. His security company (I assume he has one) is probably unhappy at his being at a known public place for any length of time. I'm also guessing that his "posse" probably consisted mainly of bodyguards.

aj_robins

He has done it before when the iphone first came out my friends dad was waiting in line outside of west field mall and because of the apple store being in side the indoor mall he gave everyone number cards they could wear in line to make sure when they ran to the store they could have the right place in line. However he kept the number 1 for him self so he could cut in line.

laxdjames