That was the question that the long-running tech trade show's organizers sought to answer this week, which marked the last time the event could count Apple as a participant and its chief exhibitor.

Representatives from show producer IDG Word Expo were joined by several hundred of the Macfaithful, who crowded into a hall here at the Moscone Center this week to discuss and debate the future of the event.

And IDG stressed that the Macworld expo does have a future -- at least as far as next year. The company said it's already received commitments from over 60 exhibitors, including HP, Microsoft and Intuit, to participate in next year's Macworld, set for Jan. 4, 2010 in San Francisco.

Yet IDG is weighing how the show should change now that it's lost the participation of its most important supporter.

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