Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop
From: sysop@stech.UUCP (Jan Harrington)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Apple memory upgrade backlog
Message-ID: <483@stech.UUCP>
Date: 23 Mar 88 11:45:17 GMT
References: <76000153@uiucdcsp>
Organization: Scholastech, Inc., Waltham, Mass.
Lines: 40

in article <76000153@uiucdcsp>, gillies@uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu says:
> Nf-ID: #R:entropy.ms.washington.edu:793:uiucdcsp:76000153:000:891
> Nf-From: uiucdcsp.cs.uiuc.edu!gillies    Mar 17 12:42:00 1988
> 
> 
> An AP article yesterday in our local newspaper tried to explain the
> skyrocketing memory prices.  The Japanese are voluntarily restraining
> production to raise the price of chips.  Only TI an Micron Technology
> still make large DRAMs in the U.S.  The article asserts that:
> 
> 1.  TI an Micron are simply absorbing windfall profits in the U.S.
>     I think Motorola has finally decided to re-enter the market.
> 2.  The Japanese are absorbing windfall profits in Japan, and will
>     probably plough the money back into R & D.
> 3.  The shortage resembles the Japanese automobile voluntary
>     restraints.  It's likely the japanese will move into high-end
>     chips (CPUs?), as they did with cars.
> 
> I think DRAM technology is inelastic, like petroleum.  It takes years
> for the market to react to a steep rise in prices, because maverick
> competitors must invent new high-density chip designs to compete.

From what some of my graduate students tell me, the DRAM shortage is
affecting mini computers as well as micros.  

Oh - Apple tells me that there will be a 3-4 month wait on the 1 meg
SIMMS I ordered for my Mac II.  Holy cow!


Jan Harrington, sysop
Scholastech Telecommunications
UUCP: ihnp4!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop or allegra!stech!sysop
BITNET: JHARRY@BENTLEY

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