Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!lynx.northeastern.edu!davidbrierley From: davidbrierley@lynx.northeastern.edu Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Apple II Obsolete? Message-ID: Date: 3 May 90 22:20:21 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 32 A lot of discussion has gone on here recently about the worthiness of the Apple II line. Some have claimed that the II series is "outdated." Outdated is definitely a relative term and its meaning depends upon what it is being compared to. When compared to the Macs the IIs are outdated, but if people wanted a computer to do what a Mac does they'd get Macs. The II is not outdated when compared with what people use it for: word processing, hacking, educational programs, telecommunications, and even games. The average home user probably does not need the ultra-high-resolution graphics or speed of the Mac, so why pay a fortune for one? Apple, Inc. has itself acknowledged that the II is not obsolete - it spent a lot of money in legal fees and took a lot of risk in suing Franklin didn't it? I'm sure Apple continues to spend a lot of money on lawyers to make sure Laser doesn't come too close. It seems to me that Mr. Sculley knows that, in the right hands, the II could be a killer product in the low-end domain. While on the subject of Laser, it seems that Laser's sales are expected to overtake sales of Apple's II products. Not bad for an "obsolete" platform. Perhaps Apple needs to seriously consider why Laser is succeeding where Apple is failing (i.e. price? built-in features?). Apple had better do this pretty quick, since Laser could release its GS equivalent as early as December! This could be quite a threat since Laser tends to produce compatibles that traditionally have more built-in features than its Apple equivalent. Of course the platform may not be up-to-date, but the use of up-to-date software can more than compensate for that. Appleworks 3.0 is an example. To summarize, I'd say its not the 6502/65C02 that's obsolete; rather, it was Apple's method of marketing it that was obsolete.