Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site oddjob.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxn!ihnp4!gargoyle!oddjob!mrl From: mrl@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) Newsgroups: net.micro.mac Subject: Re: mathematics of support pricing Message-ID: <1295@oddjob.UUCP> Date: Tue, 15-Apr-86 00:48:28 EST Article-I.D.: oddjob.1295 Posted: Tue Apr 15 00:48:28 1986 Date-Received: Wed, 16-Apr-86 03:50:27 EST References: <2008@decwrl.DEC.COM> <106@kesmai.UUCP> <13041@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> <3472@sun.uucp> Reply-To: mrl@oddjob.UUCP (Scott R. Anderson) Organization: University of Chicago, Department of Physics Lines: 58 Summary: In article <3472@sun.uucp> chuq@sun.uucp (Chuq Von Rospach) writes: >> In point of fact auto makers do not do this. When a model is abandoned, they >> usually establish a 10-15 year supply of parts for it. Ditto when an auto >> mfg goes out of business. It is still possible to buy Kaiser and Studebaker >> parts. > >Have you looked at prices for parts for abandoned models? In my earlier days >I owned a Chevy Corvair (definitely an abandoned model). When I had to >replace a rear brake tail lens (a 4 inch piece of molded plastic, color red) >the Chevy dealer was happy to do so. For $35 each, with a three week wait >while they figured out which warehouse it was in. I hate to tell you this, Chuq, but my Corvair is still running fine, and it's a '65! And I can get tail lenses for $5. How do I do it? Well, I certainly don't go to a GM dealer. It just so happens that Corvairs were popular cars. And enough people like them and continue to drive them that independent suppliers have sprung up to supply all of those Corvair-specific parts like exhaust pipes, transmissions, etc. Some parts (such as tires, fan belts, oil filters) are commonly available because they used by other cars as well, and some (such as entire engines) are scavenged from "parts cars". I get all of these items from a mechanic who does nothing but repair, restore, and race Corvairs. I think the analogy to computers is pretty close: you can already get replacement CPU's, memory, disks, etc. from vendors other than Apple; things like ROM you could scavenge. All it takes is enough people who like a particular computer to generate the means to maintain them, and not by the original manufacturer. For example, I have seen ads from people who repair so-called "orphan" computers such as the Osborne. There is one major difference between computers and cars, though, that makes it unlikely that people will hang on to their old computers, and that is that the technology is changing so fast. So, while I still drive a 21-year-old car, not many people are going to have Commodore 64's in a few years. It's just too cheap to get something quite a bit better. In twenty years, the Macintosh may be passe, and only collectors will own them! >This is all beside the point, really. What is the point is whether or not >Apple is 'doing right' by its customers. People who buy machines and then >expect Apple to give them upgrades free are unrealistic. You have to >ignore the current price of the machine in your calculations -- if you >waited until now to buy it, you would have saved money, but look at all >those things you wouldn't have gotten done. Call it 'rent', call it >whatever, by buying the machine then you got use out of it. I have to agree. I think Apple is providing a service by supplying upgrades. If you don't want it now, well, you still have a useful piece of equipment (though no longer at the cutting edge :-), and there will be alternatives to repairing it to make it last longer. And a few years down the road, the price of the current upgrade will probably buy you an even better computer. -- Scott Anderson ihnp4!oddjob!kaos!sra