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From: mazlack@ernie.berkeley.edu (Lawrence J. Mazlack)
Newsgroups: net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: IBM vs. Mac debate
Message-ID: <13351@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 22-Apr-86 17:16:01 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.13351
Posted: Tue Apr 22 17:16:01 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Apr-86 05:34:23 EST
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Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: mazlack@ernie.berkeley.edu.UUCP (Lawrence J. Mazlack)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
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>
>    As Macintosh evolves, Apple maintains an excellent upgrade program. This
>    is an important consideration in business. Many companies choose IBM
>    because they know that the IBM system will be supported for some time.
>    When you bring up Macintosh, they ask "How long is it before they drop
>    the product line and halt support?". In time, Apple's reputation
>    will be such that this question wont be asked.
>

Right, they will know all right. If the future is modelled on the past, it
won't be good.

What I think that you don't understand is the concept of UPWARD COMPATIBILTY.
Upward compatibility means that if I develop software today, I can run it 
tomorrow.  It DOES NOT MEAN that you can spend more money and buy new goodies
to attach to the old box.

One of IBM's real strengths in the business market is that application programs
written 10 years ago still can be used today. They have achieved that through
(a) stability in the software environment and (b) design consistency in the
hardware environment. I know that you might find the idea of using 10 year old
programs disgusting, but producton managers don't.  They get the job done.

For an example of a company that didn't do this, you have UNIVAC. At one time,
they were a major player.

Larry Mazlack
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