Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!att!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!darkstar!ucscb.UCSC.EDU!unknown
From: unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Computer capabilities
Message-ID: <10461@darkstar.ucsc.edu>
Date: 29 Dec 90 12:52:28 GMT
References: <930@redford.UUCP> <60103@microsoft.UUCP> <10807@ucrmath.ucr.edu>
Sender: usenet@darkstar.ucsc.edu
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz; Open Access Computing
Lines: 80


In article <10807@ucrmath.ucr.edu> rhyde@ucrmath.ucr.edu (randy hyde) writes:
>Apple doesn't give us new system software: How about the latest 5.x?
	Hey, I will say that ANY new system software is better than 
none, but it seems the Mac gets improvements in bigger leaps and bounds,
AND is preannounced, going against their "we do not discuss unannounced
products" line. Can you say hypocrisy in action?

>Apple doesn't give us new hardware: How about the video overlay and SCSI cards?
	I will also say you are right on this one.. But the video card is
CERTAINLY not something everyone needs. I can say NOTHING bad about
the SCSI card though.. Great improvements and keep the price the same.
GREAT JOB APPLE ON THIS ONE!

	But I think that no new Apple II CPUs when there's a Mac-a-week
says something..

>Apple doesn't give us new applications: How about hypercard?
	I'll agree with you on this one. I don't really know what
applications Apple -should- make, other than the system software. There
are a few that Claris could make, but even that isn't a big deal.. I
want THIRD PARTY companies to make software!

>Apple doesn't try to sell the GS anymore: I dunno about this year, but last
>year the GS was the top selling machine in unit volume.  Perhaps they don't
>have to *try* to sell it, it sells on its own.

	Now this is the main one I was going to bitch about from the start.

	Am I correct in assuming that in this category, you are SEPARATING 
every single Macintosh variety? If so, I really don't consider that a fair
statistic then! We all know that many of the Macintoshes have slight
differences between them (relatively speaking), and it isn't quite fair to 
talk about them all individually.

	If not, I'd also honestly like some kind of sources for that 
statistic!

>Apple doesn't advertise the machine: why should they? It sells on its own.

	See my complaints for the above answer. I don't believe it's 
selling that well, precisely (sp?) because Apple isn't advertizing the 
machine.. (which in turn causes many people to still think it's an 8 bit
machine and make judgements on it with incorrect information).

>Apple hasn't given use a new Apple II machine recently: What kind of machine
>could they build that would be a major improvement over the GS (much like the
>GS was over the //e?)  Until the 65c832 becomes a reality, AND if it offers
>substantial improvements, I doubt we'll see a new Apple II.  For those who
>think the 65c832 is too little, too late, let me point out that I was
>thinking the same thing about the 65c816 in 1985.

	Faster main CPU.
	Better resolution. (I don't know the whole specs of it, so I might
be putting my foot in my mouth.. But it seems REALLY screwy to have 
mini palettes in 640 mode where you can have 4 different palettes for
each of 4 pixels... Seems reminiscent of the funky color "features" in
the original hires)
	Those two are the main improvements I'd like to see. Anything else
would be icing on the cake.. (such as more sound RAM, -built in $10 of
parts for stereo-, and probably other things I can't think of now).

>invite you to go purchase a PC jr. or even an IBM PC/XT and tell me about

	It's really really weird.. In some ways Apple and IBM are sort of
"switching places".. Not that I like IBM computers now (I still dislike
them, admittedly for a bunch of nitpicky aesthetical reasons such as function
keys, which I find to be the stupidest thing ever. I mean, I don't even NEED
a mouse.. CONTROL S for save or OPENAPPLE S for save make a hell of a lot more
sense than F3!)..

	But it seems Apple is abandoning its roots (meaning home computers,
not even specifically the Apple II here), yet IBM realizes there's a home
market and makes the PS/1!

	So "Apple's becoming bluer every year" and "IBM's becoming more
multi-colored every year"...
-- 
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