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From: fadden@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Andy McFadden)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Woz giveth, Scully taketh away
Message-ID: <28361@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
Date: 1 Oct 90 00:16:26 GMT
Sender: news@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU
Reply-To: fadden@cory.Berkeley.EDU (Andy McFadden)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 93

Selected portions of a few articles.  National Enquirer-style predictions
and some second-hand ramblings from an Apple hiring rep follow.

<From: bsherman@mthvax.cs.miami.edu (Bob Sherman)
<Date: 29 Sep 90 02:20:25 GMT
<
<I have in my hot little hands a copy of the Apple 1990 Holiday Promotion
<Reference Guide, which outlines the holiday season rebate programs, as
<well as the advertising plans and programs. Guess what?? I cannot find
<any mention in the rebate plan about ANY Apple II computer nor do I see
<any mention of any Apple II wordage in the advertising plans. In fact, I
<see only Mac plans.

They haven't advertised the Apple II since the //gs came out back in late
1986.  Why start now?  Is this really a surprise to anyone?

<From: tribby@hpindwa.HP.COM (David Tribby)
<Date: 28 Sep 90 19:55:05 GMT
<
<The fall 1990 APDA catalog arrived at home yesterday. It listed a grand
<total of three new products for the Apple II:

Of course.  Apple doesn't write educational software, so there aren't any
new Apple II products.  What?  The Apple II could be used for other purposes?
That's impossible, they made sure it couldn't...

<From: q4kx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Joel Sumner)
<Date: 30 Sep 90 01:51:48 GMT
<
<Someone once said, "If my next computer isn't an Apple II, it won't be 
<an Apple."  I wholeheartedly agree.

(if I that quote wasn't mine, it should've been...)

Since there won't be another Apple II, you had better start shopping.  No,
I don't have access to secret information or new rumors.  But if they came
out with a new CPU, wouldn't they want to advertise it...?

Or maybe it's just for educational purposes.  Of course, only K-12 education,
since all those English majors in college need a 33MHz processor to print
out their papers.  And Macintoshes are SO much better suited for education,
being black & white and more expensive.

But wait!  There's low-cost color versions!  With Apple II emulators inside!

Here's my predictions:
- Apple drops the Apple //e line within six months.
- Apple offers "upgrade" paths to Macintosh(tm) technology, so that schools
  can become empowered(tm).
- Scully continues shoveling BS about his commitment to us.

The funny thing about being so cynical toward Apple Computer is that I'm so
often right.

Remember how Scully was boosting the funding for Apple II development by 20%?

Anybody interested in knowing how many Apple II people they plan to hire
from UC Berkeley?

None.  The guy my friend spoke to said that the Apple II division would
be shrinking, not growing.  The guy wasn't connected to the Apple II
division, but he IS involved in hiring people.

I realize that all this screaming and yelling doesn't amount to a hill
of Mac Plusses.  At one point I felt that if I worked for Apple, maybe
I'd be able to push the right buttons for the right people.  I've since
withdrawn my request for an interview with them... I'd rather program in
Cobol than do development for the Macintosh.

Last year Apple started to throw away the low end market they had been a
major force in for so long.  Now they want it back, since IBM managed to
sneak in out of nowhere and capture most of the market.  Amazing how the
marketing department expects to accomplish this with reduced prices on
Macintoshes (seven year old technology) with Apple II compatibility
(14 year old technology).  I wish they'd make up their minds exactly
what the "cutting edge of technology" is.

I mean, hell, if they want me to purchase the cutting edge of technology,
I'll go out and buy a NeXT...

Everybody used to be concerned about how, if we didn't stop all this
nonsense talk, people would stop buying the Apple II (the self-fulfilling
prophecy concept).  I hope people *do* stop buying the Apple II.  I realize
that I'm shooting myself in the foot, but the thought of putting a computer
neophyte through all the crap that authorized Apple dealers(tm) throw at
us is really horrifying.

Scully will continue to support the Apple II alright.  As an emulation
mode in a Macintosh.

-- 
fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden)
..!ucbvax!cory!fadden