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From: bmarlowe@bonnie.ics.uci.edu (Brett Marlowe)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: New IBM Threat
Message-ID: <26AD3B56.18704@ics.uci.edu>
Date: 25 Jul 90 06:25:26 GMT
References: <0aeR7uK00VQp084=UH@andrew.cmu.edu>
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In <0aeR7uK00VQp084=UH@andrew.cmu.edu> jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jeremy G. Mereness) writes:


>Up until now, I haven't been giving all that much thought to the
>Rom04 GS rumors, mostly because I have been disaointed before.

>Now, though, I hope and pray something comes out in the Fall, because
>IBM has announced the PS/1 line, based upon a fast '286 and sells for
>between 1 and 2 grand complete. It doesn't have a serial port (from
>what I read in PC magazine) but does come with a built-in modem. This
>machine was specifically designed for the "home market" and comes with
>an easy to use, mouse-based interface under VGA graphics.

	From what I've heard the machine has some serious deficiencies:

	There are three expansion slots all of which are already used
        by a disk controller, the modem, and something else (it
        escapes me).

	The machine has 512K of RAM for which there is no immediate
        method for expansion.

	The processor is a 10MHz 80286

        It DOES have full VGA graphics (1024 x 768)

	It costs $2000 list price.

	The biggest gotcha though is the power supply for the computer
	is built into the *monitor*

>This is the closest thing yet to a machine in direct competition with
>the Apple //GS, product-description wise and market-wise. And the GS
>can't compete with this thing at its current configuration. We've been
>loyal to our machine, both to its and our credit. But now the gavel
>falls on Apple's neglect. If something doesn't happen soon, IBM will
>swamp the market with these things, just like they did with the
>original PC.

	The big question is why buy a computer that locks you in to
IBM hardware when for less than $1000 you can buy a full blown AT
clone?

	With IBMs past record in the home market I'm not worried yet,
but that is no excuse for you guys at Apple to shelve any upgrades for
the IIGS :-)

>You guys at Apple, I am concerned and worried. Any comments, no matter
>how cryptic, would be appreciated.

>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>|Jeremy Mereness                  |   Support     | Ye Olde Disclaimer:    |
>|jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu (internet)  |     Free      |  The above represent my|
>|a700jm7e@cmccvb (Vax... bitnet)  |      Software |  opinions, alone.      |
>|staff/student@Carnegie Mellon U. |               |  Ya Gotta Love It.     |
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------


	Everything I heard today was second from someone I work with who is very up on the IBM market and he was unimpressed to say the least.
--
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Brett Marlowe          bmarlowe@bonnie.ics.uci.edu     Apple // Forever!!
A senior in mathematics and Information & Computer Science at the University
of California, Irvine. I said it, so I'm responsible for it not them! So There!