Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Path: utzoo!utstat!philip
From: philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough)
Subject: Re: Investing in a IIgs
Message-ID: <1990Sep11.083835.16994@utstat.uucp>
Date: Tue, 11 Sep 90 08:38:35 GMT
References: <37C339DF2A5F4060B8@albnyvms.BITNET> <90Sep10.200821edt.57352@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca>
Organization: Statistics, U. of Toronto

In article <90Sep10.200821edt.57352@ugw.utcs.utoronto.ca> macausla@newton.ccs.tuns.ca (Robert MacAusland) writes:
>>Message 37/41 from AppleEnthusiast                       Sep 10 '90 at 3:48 pm
>>I think at this time investing in an Apple IIgs is a bad move (yes, I am a
>>IIgs owner).

>Sadly, I have to agree 100% with this point.

Well I don't agree, although it might be wise to wait a few months. A lot
depends on what you want to do with the computer.

>>Unless there is a miraculous decision at Apple Inc. to start
>>promoting the Apple II line or even support it, the II will die within a
>>matter of two years.

This is absurd. The GS has a strong educational base from which it can draw
some breathing space. Your perspective from Ontario, where the educational
computing situation is chaotic, does not apply elsewhere. As far as support,
software support has been there all along. The hardware needs a bit of
upgrading but it wouldn't take much. Consider the following scenario: Claris
puts out a better version of AWGS( improving the communications' package
which seems very weak), the GS is speeded up to 6-8MHz, the horizontal 200
line mode is improved in order to provide a monochrome 64x400x2 mode, Claris
puts out a Mac AppleWorks, the GS becomes capable of reading/writing Mac
disks, the video mode is speeded up. This is not a long list, and would
be easy to implement. This would provide people with every reason to have
a GS at home if they want to do a bit of work which they needed to transfer
to their Mac at work and it would appeal to those people who are not looking
for a business oriented computer at home. The GS and the Mac make a potent
combination in providing a solution to education, home/education,etc...user.

>The machine is already dead as far as I'm concerned (in terms of support)

What makes you say that? It isn't a game computer, but I have plenty of
software which is interesting and useful. Support is hardly dead.

>We need backing from the company that put the machine out in
>the first place.  And we needed it yesterday.

Well the GS is due for some improvements. Hopefully these will be forthcoming.
>
>The local Commodore vendor is having their annual back to school sale and their
>products are looking better and better the longer I wait for the machine that
>should have been released in the first place.  I'm going to give Apple until
>Christmas and if nothing happens by then "Thats a wrap and I am ouuuuuuuuttta
>here"

That says it all. What you want in a computer is not what the GS is aimed at.
It appears as though you want an Amiga, which is an arcade computer(the A500).
This is reasonable. If that's what you want then you should get an Amiga 500.
I hope the GS NEVER becomes a Nintendo machine. I'm not putting the Amiga500
down, but its main purpose has been to play games( although they do have a
nice version of TeX and have a bit of a niche in the video area). The A3000
is another computer which on the surface may appeal to you. But it has very
few games, almost no educational software,etc...It also does not have the
support of any major applications' developers except in the video area. Given
that it is not much less than a MacII, I can't see the rational in getting one
at this time.

Philip McDunnough
University of Toronto
philip@utstat.toronto.edu
[my opinions]