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From: toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Comments from Michael Spindler (Apple COO)
Message-ID: <1990Mar23.074159.18703@spectre.ccsf.caltech.edu>
Date: 23 Mar 90 07:41:59 GMT
References: <17918.apple.net@pro-sol> <1990Mar22.150748.14500@athena.mit.edu>
Sender: news@spectre.ccsf.caltech.edu
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 31

tmyers@athena.mit.edu (Tracy S Myers) writes:

>>old stuff.  Why?  Because it's cheap.
> ^^^^^^^^^
>FYI a 16 Mhz 386SX, 32MB hard disk, 512k RAM, Hercules graphics,and a 

FYI they are not buying those systems, they are buying stuff that costs less
than half of what those cost.

Schools do not need the kind of power a $1300 system gives them, they would
rather have 3 XT Clones instead. This way they can handle more students with
the same limited budget.

Not everybody thinks >$1000 when somebody says computer. Schools try not to.

>The major mac compilers (eg,LSC,MPW) include a provision to run programs in
>a tty window.  They may not support all of the features found in 
>curses, but they tend to support a useful sub-set.  I have taken many 
>unix C programs of mine, and run them without major hassles on a
>Mac in a tty window.  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying this is
>the preferred solution. I only wish to point out that this capability
>exists on the Mac.

But does the Mac have a reasonable BASIC?

Most people are not weaned on C or Pascal, they learn BASIC which is far
better suited to 'casual' programming -- and for this reason it was crucial
to the success of the Apple II.

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu