Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!mips!pacbell.com!ucsd!ucrmath!alchemy!hzink
From: hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: So? Did the announcement happen?
Message-ID: <414@alchemy.UUCP>
Date: 21 Apr 91 22:18:32 GMT
References: <8934A47D6BDF205A45@MACALSTR.EDU>
Reply-To: hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink)
Organization: Alchemy Software Designs
Lines: 56

>In <51564@apple.Apple.COM> shrinkit@Apple.COM (Andrew Nicholas) writes:

>>>--> It's the 15th - and as the various rumours have said: this is when
>>>Apple is supposedly going to announce the End Of The Apple II Line...
>>>Along with the release of the Apple IIe card for the Mac LC. Along with
>>>the (dream on) rumour of the Apple II being flogged through SEARS. No

>>What is even more boring is watching people on the network speculate about
>>the Apple II and BE ABSOLUTELY WRONG TIME AFTER TIME.
>>Well folks, its now April 16th,and we (Apple) aren't selling the Apple II line
>>through Sears, and we haven't (and aren't going to) discontinued it.
>>See how much listening to rumors like that gets you?  Absolutely nothing.


On the other hand, see what listening to the holy words from Cupertino gets you
-- absolutely nothing as well.

I just find that these rumors only start *because* of the obvious lack of 
support and/or confusion on how to market two product lines (yeah, right 
Jane..!) on the part of apple.  I really do not see rumors and hopes flying 
rampant in the Macintosh world - of course, they don't have to; System 7.0 
was announced over two years ago.  New CPU platforms appaer regularly enough to
not necessitate rumors (So, how's the '040 tower coming along...).

The apple II world is another story - strict secrecy of all events and goings 
ons.  I don't know why apple is so open about the Mac, yet secretive about the 
Apple II - afraid Nintendo is going to clone the GS and sell it for cheap!  In 
my opinion, such secretive attitude only reflect an attitude of confusion 
and/or stealth - and that is why rumors keep abounding.

Maybe if apple were to develop a more honest approach to the apple II, we 
wouldn't need any rumors.

Furthermore, it's really uplifting to see sarcastic remarks like those of Mr. 
Nicholas (Hi Andy!), with no substance at all.  It might bne nice for them to 
know that they are working on awesome stuff, thinking what stupid fools we are 
for doubting all-mighty apple, yet does it really matter if any awesome things 
surface after everybody has already moved on?  How many software companies 
still develop actively for the Apple II gs?  How many have abandonned it?  If 
the number of the latter is larger than the other, you know you are in trouble.

It seems to me that apple is employing a clever strategy of hiring top nothc 
people like Andy, and thus effectively silencing them.  It is interesting that 
time after time people that have contributed greatly to software and support 
for the apple II have been hired by apple (seen as a sparc of hope), only to 
see all creative endeavors of these people locked into apple's ivory towers.  
Also, interesting to see that those same people are now critical of the same 
people that they used to be part of.  I guess a big salary and living in Ivory 
towers has that effect on some people (Hi Matt!).


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