Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!emory!gatech!mcnc!uvaarpa!rucs!rucs2!medlin From: medlin@rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu (Roger Medlin) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: The Fate of the Macintosh Message-ID: <1991Mar22.170902.878@rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu> Date: 22 Mar 91 17:09:02 GMT References: <1991Mar22.154811.8691@rucs2.sunlab.cs.runet.edu> Organization: Radford University Lines: 88 >lets consider the LC, about 3 or 4 MIPS and around $1000 (educational price) Yes, a cute little machine (a Macintosh II warmed over with 1 expansion slot) which retails for roughly $2300 (no math co-processor), and I would venture to say that Apple's fate with Macintosh will rest more with the retail price than what the few, the proud, the starving college students can buy it for. It will be what the general public things (can afford to buy) which will make or break Apple in the end (IMHO). >>considers that (in theory) a software emulator could be (fairly easily) >>derived which would allow the NeXT to run Mac Software, it is questionable >>if Apple does not have a serious problem on their hands. >Well I am a cs major and this is not at all an easy thing to do in fact rather >difficult, and very legal considerations to be considered. Well, poor choice of words (fairly easily) on my part with regard to this. What I mean is that as software emulations for the Apple ][ and MS-Dos world are already available for the Macintosh, I presume that it will only be a matter of time before someone tries (successfully) to emulate the Mac, though I concede the Mac is in some ways more complex which might make the task more difficult. >>If you ask me, all someone would have to do is copy the Macintosh ROMS, >go to jail ..... I concede anyone caught doing this will at the very least need one really good lawyer to help them out in court, but theoretically, it is possible for someone to copy and use them in the creation of a software emulator, and then for the same person to post the emulator into the public domain and still remain anonymous (Internet Security isn't 100%) And, it would be tough to deny (that inspite of Apple's protest, etc.) that such an emulator would mean vastly larger sales for the NeXT world and fewer sales for the handsomely priced Macs. (Trying to keep every Joe and his brother from having a copy of such an emulator (even if illegal) would be at best wishful thinking)... >> >It is more than a symbolic gesture, an LC is far cheaper than a big blue >windows speed not deamon. When the new mac 68040's are released then >the 68020 machines will go down even more as well as the 68030's Yes, but IBM and Compact are not the only competitors. There are a whole slew of third party vendure making high powered 386's and 486's which RETAIL (hey, that's what Joe Consumer pays, huh? ) for around the same price as the Mac LC. And, as partial as I am to the Macintosh (truly), I have to admit that even Windows on a 286 looks pretty tempting when compared to the Mac Classic--nice machine, but soooo slooowwww... >NeXT machines are fast and look good but just wait till you try and find some >software to run on that speed deamon. Giv the NeXT another year atleast before >you put any money into it but don't expect to run your mac software on it. Granted, Apple's software advantage is the only thing which may keep them (and the Macintosh alive for the next few years). I for one hope the Mac and Apple are around for a long time to come, but I also remember what happened to the Apple's other success (the Apple ][). Rather than concede that the technology was dated and price it accordingly, Apple lost a piece of the PC market to the clone makers (e.g. Laser, & then later again Franklin) where they should have had easy profits (hey, how hard is to build an Apple ][--kinda like putting together LEGOs). And, where they did not lose in the hardware market to the Apple ][ clones, they lost an even worse battle as millions of people moved into the MS-DOS camp (hey, even I admit MS-DOS has many advantages over Pro-DOS). Now Macintosh is admittedly a vastly superior computer which cannot be compared to the Apple ][ in all ways, but its fate might just as well be sealed (I hope not) in the same fashion if Apple does consider their long term strategry's carefully. Just remember, Apple is the same company which countered the challenge of the Amiga (and its sound and graphic capabilities) with the Apple ][gs. Even for an Apple Fan like myself, I have to laugh (still) at that GS ! One other thing. We already know there are Software Emulators which allow the Mac to run PC (DOS) software (e.g. SoftPC). How long will it be before NeXT has the same thing allowing the entire DOS world to fall into their camp ? With a (admittedly) very illegal Mac emulator floating around, the Apple Macintosh might fall upon extremely hard times...