Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!ucsd!ucrmath!rhyde
From: rhyde@ucrmath.ucr.edu (randy hyde)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Apple's Non-Support of the GS
Message-ID: <9034@ucrmath.ucr.edu>
Date: 3 Oct 90 16:26:25 GMT
References: <9010022021.AA10969@apple.com> <9017@ucrmath.ucr.edu> <5681@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Organization: University of California, Riverside
Lines: 57

At one time the Apple II made Apple a lot of money.  Apple supported the
machine.  Now, the Macintosh is making them more money-- for whatever reason
including they decided to "kill" off the Apple II.  So What!  Apple does
"owe" Apple II users anything.  They owe their stockholders a lot more.  They
need to maximize their profits.  They make much more profits from the Macintosh
than they do from the Apple II line.  Who besides some strapped for cash
school districts are buying lots of Apple IIs these days?  A big complaint
around here is that Apple does not advertise the machine.  Advertisements are
for those who've not yet bought the machines.  How is advertising the machine
going to improve *YOUR* life any?  Perhaps a few more people will buy the
thing.  What does that do for you?  Are you so insecure in your decision to
purchase this machine that you feel you need several others to buy one as
well, if for no other reason than to make you feel like you didn't make a 
mistake?  Please don't hand me the line about more machines=more software.
Software developers today are strapped for talent and cash.  They are trying
to decide whether to put their resources into Mac, Windows, or OS/2 development.
Apple will *NEVER* sell enough GS machines to be able to attract high-quality
applications for the GS.  Perhaps a few more games would be written.  But
Apple has no interests in repeating Atari's mistakes in this arena (they do
not want to be perceived as a game company, that would hurt Mac sales, which 
today *IS* their bread and butter).  My final question is WHY does Apple
have to support the machine.  Other than a few ads, I don't see too much in
these complaints.  Apple, in the past five years, has supported the machine
much better than they had the ten years (okay, eight) prior.  Finder, GS/OS,
Appleshare, etc., these are right up there with DOS, UCSD Pascal, and ProDOS.
The SCSI adapter and video overlay cards are much more interesting than any
other hardware device Apple has built for the II other than the language
card.  *WE ARE GETTING SUPPORT FROM APPLE!*  Your problem is that you look at
what's available for the PC or the Mac and you say "I want that on my GS too!"
Sorry, that ain't ever gonna happen.  If you want those neat things on a PC or
a Mac, go buy one of those machines.  If you want neat software or hardware on
the GS, write or build it yourself.  If you honestly think there is a market
for such things, start your own company and get rich selling the stuff.  The
paucity of support for the GS is not because no one has tried, it's because
no one can make money doing it (even game manufacturers would have problems
with the GS, witness all the piracy posts here).  I'm sorry for going off on
a tirade like this, but when I first bought my Apple II back in 1978 people
weren't crying to Apple to support the machine, if we wanted something we
wrote the software or designed the hardware ourselves.  I wish people around
here would start doing the same.  One sentiment that I whole-heartedly agree
with is this: Current technology has *NOT* pushed the GS to its limits yet.
If you're willing to write in 65816 assembly, you can do many wonderful things
with the machine that others have yet to achieve.  Just don't expect Apple to
do this work for you.
Two final comments: I own a Lobo Max-80 which I still use every once in a
great while.  It does the job I expect of it (the job I bought it for).  I'm
not crying to Lobo to "support" this machine (they're out of business, so I
couldn't even if I wanted to).  Likewise, my GS does the job I bought it for.
If I want something else on the GS, I'll write it myself rather than cry about
it.
(2) Don't ask *ME* to support *YOU*.  I've already paid my dues in this dept.
When you write as much software for the Apple II line as I have (probably
around 400,000 lines of code over the past 14 years) then you can get on my
case about not supporting the Apple II.  What have *YOU* done to support
the Apple recently besides complain?
*** Randy Hyde O-)
Flame off.