The tickets are always going to be on sale at a bad time somewhere in the world.

Alternatively - this ensured everyone in the community got a ticket, because everyone was calling everyone to let them know that tickets were on sale. Not great for the isolated developer - but, with only 4500 or so seats available - somebody is going to be left out.

Edit: Okay - perhaps "everyone" is a bit of a reach. Let's just say there was a _bias_ towards people in the community, as their friends and colleagues started SMSing them and calling them to purchase tickets. Though, there will clearly be an east coast / european bias this year - perhaps that was deliberate?

They picked the time in a way that it was night across the Pacific (where nearly no one lives). That way it was a bit late in Japan and a bit early on the West Coast.

The world doesn't start and end with the West Coast, especially not for Apple (and those on the West Coast are the best connected anyway, the most likely to learn quickly about the WWDC).