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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!microsoft!fluke!kurt
From: kurt@fluke.UUCP (Kurt Guntheroth)
Newsgroups: net.micro
Subject: Re: Why would anyone buy an apple?
Message-ID: <694@vax2.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Sep-83 12:17:05 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax2.694
Posted: Wed Sep  7 12:17:05 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Sep-83 17:35:55 EDT
References: <2427@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Everett, Wash
Lines: 37

[Intense flame warning]

Wait a minute.  A keyboard with its own microprocessor?  Isn't this the same
apple which cannot generate all the ASCII codes (like ']' for pascal).
Maybe thay fixed this looser and didn't tell me.  Anyway, the apple keyboard
should hardly be mentioned when talking about positive features.

144K RAM?  All at once?  Not likely with a 6502.  Maybe there is 144K of
total memory, like RAM with ROM laid over it.  Well that hardly counts.
Maybe there is separate memory for the 80 column video.  Can you access it
directly?

Disk drives and controller boards?  Big deal.  Almost any computer with any
sales volume has several manufacturers of disk boards.  (The tur(n)key CP/M
systems like osborne being the big exception).  Atari has it.  Commodore has
it.

Other processors you can plug in?  Well that IS nice.  It is not unique
though, and soon several other (cheaper) computers will have this too.  The
commodore 64 already has a z80/CP/M board.  The new atari computers will to
I am told.

80 column video?  Nice.  It would be a lot nicer if it were built in, which
it is not.  Apple has some of the most expensive 80 column adapters I have
seen.  In fact most apple peripherals are very expensive when their function
is considered.  How come an 80 column board for the apple costs $250 when a
virtually identical (in chip count and type of controller) 80 column board for 
the vic-20 costs about $70?

If I wanted to run spreadsheets I'd get a cp/m system (osborne/kaypro/morrow).
Something with a good keyboard and built-in 80 columns.  If I wanted to do a
lot of heavy programming or big business stuff I'd get an IBMPC or maybe a
fortune 16/32 (something with a REAL processor).  If I wanted to play games
I'd get an atari or maybe a c-64 (we'll see if they get some good games).
Apple has good games now but they are loosing market share fast now.

I agree:  Who wants an apple.