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From: asd@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Kareth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Mac is software - why not on NeXT?
Message-ID: <5974@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 6 Nov 90 22:21:31 GMT
References: <1990Nov6.114141.3280@csc.anu.oz.au> <1990Nov6.160855.864@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Purdue University
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Cc:

In <1990Nov6.160855.864@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> q4kx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Joel Sumner) writes:

>Simple, because then Apple would lose a HUGE market share.  Look at the IBM

This is true.  They might even be put out of business if they didn't
do something about their prices

>clone market.  IBM allowed other people to manufacture the BIOS and other
>components of IBM systems, so people did the obvious thing, buy the separate
>parts and make their own.  IBM's share of the PC market fell something like 40%

#include "std/disclaimer"

Yes, but what we must consider also is how big that market is.  Would
the numbers of IBM's being sold be what it is now if they hadn't let
others manufacture their own?  If IBM had done the same as Apple does,
would they be selling as many machines as they are now?  I doubt it
very much.  All the competition has engineered a dramatic decrease in
prices for PC's, along with a very quickly increasing abilities.  If
IBM had been left to do it, you'd see exactly what you see at Apple,
very slowly maturing machines with HUGE prices on their heads.  You
can go out and buy very decent, and FAST systems quite cheaply for
PC's.  Now if Apple had done this, we'd have Macs that are
inexpensive, and have twice-three times the power that there are now,
and there would most likely be an increase in the numbers being sold,
and even if Apple did loose their market share, they'd be forced to
make better machines, at better prices, and would most likely be
selling much more of them.

>'reverse engineer' the Mac Toolbox, go ahead.  Apple can't do much.  But that
>is a pretty ridiculous project.  (Look at how few companies produced Apple II
>clones.  2.  Only one is now still around.  Laser)  Therefore, the only real

Actually, there was Franklin, Laser, and I hear there is a clone in
the Soviet Union of the II's.  I've also heard that cloning is VERY
big over in southeast asia, and that you can get whatever kind of
Apple II that you want there, CHEAP (this from someone who was there).
Of course, I don't think they are quite on the legal side. :)

-k