Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!hpda!hpcupt1!hpindwa!tribby From: tribby@hpindwa.cup.hp.com (David Tribby) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Re: So? Did the announcement happen? Message-ID: <54240032@hpindwa.cup.hp.com> Date: 24 Apr 91 17:58:36 GMT References: Organization: HP Info Networks Div/Cupertino CA Lines: 65 hzink@alchemy.UUCP (Harry K. Zink) writes... >On the other hand, see what listening to the holy words from Cupertino gets you >-- absolutely nothing as well. I've gotten a LOT out of their "holy words;" not only good technical information but some hints as to future direction. Examples: - Last year Matt Deatherage described Apple's plans for publishing Vol 3 of the Toolbox reference and the GS/OS reference. I appreciated knowing the timeframe so I could decide not to purchase the beta versions. - Dave Lyons moved from DTS to Tools development last year. Shows that Apple still has a commitment to development, not "just" support. - When Andy Nicholas was hired as a developer by Apple, he made it known that they wanted him to improve the Finder. He recently hinted that the work was done, and that the results made the current version look lame in comparison. Reading between the lines: if he finished the work, it must be into system testing, so the release *should* only be a few months away (unless significant problems are found in the system). A new Finder wouldn't be the only piece of software released, so I'm expecting a new version of the system disk. >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 I agree that the marketing of the II line has been minimal to non-existant. But rumors will fly whenever anyone thinks they can figure out what's going on "behind closed doors." >I really do not see rumors and hopes flying rampant in the Macintosh world I don't follow the Mac world closely, but have heard plenty of rumors. Are they developing a high-end Mac based upon a RISC chip? Will Apple port some of their Mac software to run on IBM systems? A couple of years ago, an experienced Apple engineer was fired because he posted some information about future products on a bulletin board system. Maybe that keeps the rumors down. >Furthermore, it's really uplifting to see sarcastic remarks like those of Mr. >Nicholas (Hi Andy!), with no substance at all. The substance I got out of Andy's message: don't believe the rumors read on comp.sys.apple2. The "Sears will carry Apple IIs beginning April 15" rumor generated a *lot* of messages from people who were outraged that Sears was chosen as an Apple outlet. Andy was reminding us not to get worked up about things that might not happen at all. >It seems to me that apple is employing a clever strategy of hiring top nothc >people like Andy, and thus effectively silencing them. Woah...a conspiracy theory: Apple will hire any good II people, then lock them away in an ivory tower *just to kill the II line*! I suppose you could read the results that way, but I see different motivations: - Apple wants the best engineers. - Once Apple hires an engineer, they make him or her work plenty hard. There's no longer as much time to post on the net. All the rumors on the net look pretty ridiculous, so there's less motivation to read... particularly when messages contain personal attacks. - As part of the Apple team, it's harder to make individual contributions visible. We know Andy is "Mr. Shrinkit" because he designed and coded Shrinkit and GSHK on his own. Dave Lyons' contributions of Nifty List, DIcEd, DaveX, etc., before he joined Apple were obvious because they had the DAL label on them. Now that they are part of a larger team, it's harder to see which part of the total system they have worked on. - If Apple treats an employee unfairly, there are plenty of opportunities for them with other Silicon Valley companies. I have no doubt that if Dave, Matt, or Andy thought their work was being buried they would be out the door. -- Dave Tribby P.S. Did I get it right, guys?