Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1exp 11/4/83; site ihuxn.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxl!houxm!hogpc!drux3!ihnp4!ihuxn!mort From: mort@ihuxn.UUCP Newsgroups: net.micro Subject: Re: PCjr post-announcement predictions anyone? Message-ID: <405@ihuxn.UUCP> Date: Sat, 5-Nov-83 22:38:25 EST Article-I.D.: ihuxn.405 Posted: Sat Nov 5 22:38:25 1983 Date-Received: Tue, 8-Nov-83 03:36:29 EST References: <422@houca.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il Lines: 59 I found yor article fascinating and quite true. (By the way, being an indexperienced NEWS user I am sorry if any stray messages have found their way onto the system.) Being an Apple II owner, I have a few comments to add to your predictions: All of us Apple II owners were nervous before the announcement of the Apple //e early this year. Fears of incompatibility made us think that perhaps the Apple II+ would become obsolete. As it is now apparent, Apple is sticking to its old design, with a few nice improvements. What Apple basically has going for it now is a solid reputation, immense software support in games, business, utility, and appplications programs, lots of hardware support, superb third-arty documentation, and over a million usersNotice that so far, the Apple II and its variations have been the only "successes" at Apple. The Apple /// was a flop from the beginning. Bad documentation, bugs in the system, and lacking software support were among its shortcomings. Its not a bad computer, but it just doen't have the bestselling character- istics of the Apple II. It is compatible, but on its own there is not that much that it can really do. I believe that with the introduction of the Lisa recently and the future introduuction of the MacIntosh, Apple will pull out of the Apple /// market as quietly as it can. The //e is another Apple sucess story, but again it is just a redone Apple II with lower case, 64K, and a host of other small improvements. The Apple II has a while to go before being obsolete. Compare the new Apple //e revision B 80column 128K computer with double-hires and 16 color graphics to the old Integer, 16-48K, Monitor (Old) Rom that could not use hi-res graphics from its half-baked BASIC and divided 3 by 2 and got 1, and you'll see what improvements have been made. The Lisa is another story. The Lisa is the first computer that was worked from the ground up: Absolutely no attempt at compatibility with Apple's previous models. At $10,000, and now at $7,500, it is a bit overpriced, even though there's over 800K on each of the 2 floppies and there is 1 megabyte of on-line memory. Lisa's sucess lies in third-party development of expansions and software. The computer has great potential, but the price shold be hacked to $5000, at least so it sells and doen't create bad publicity for Apple. We are all waiting anxiously for the MacIntosh, which is more than I can say for the IBM Peabrain with the chicklet keyboard that compares to the TRS-80 Color Computer. An inside contact of mine at Apple is the chief advertiser for the Mac, and says that the machine will be a hit. It is supposed to be have a 32-bit microprocessor, but everything is hush- hush at Apple. He wouldn't even say if the machine was compatible with the II, but I got the impression that it won't be. Your message to Apple is a good one: Wait until the shakeout is over and then introduce a cheap Apple //e, like, say, under $500 base price. What does it cost Apple to make it? I hear $350. I have faith in Apple, and I am looking forward to their new products. Jonathan Dubman (Son of Mort Dubman) P.S. I am interested in your responses to this article.