Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!cod!rupp
From: rupp@cod.NOSC.MIL (William L. rupp)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Thoughts on //gs Sales
Message-ID: <1164@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Date: 20 Jul 88 17:08:26 GMT
References: <8807081916.AA13489@crash.cts.com>
Reply-To: rupp@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William L. rupp)
Organization: Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego
Lines: 35

I wonder whether the many Apple II users who have gripped about the Apple II
not being able to run UNIX, not having enough this or that, etc., have ever
run a business.  The facts, as I see it, are these:

	a.  Apple Computer, Inc. owes nothing to users except a reliable
	    product that does what they claim it will.  If some people
	    would like the GS to have been a better machine, that's tough.
	    Sure, it would be nice if the GS had a 10Mhz clock speed and
	    a faster windowing interface, but being "nice" does not equate
	    to an obligation on Apple's part.

	b.  The Apple II line has been a huge success, but it has been
	    surpassed technically by the latest models both from Apple
	    as well as from other companies.  Even Henry Ford had to
	    replace the Model T eventually.  There is only so much
	    improvement that can be made in the Apple IIGS without
	    spending unwarranted amounts of resources that would be
	    better spent, in the long run, in Apple's most up-to-date
	    product line.  In other words, even if massive improvements
	    in the IIGS could be made, it would be silly for Apple to
	    allocate money to do so.  Apple's future, immediate future,
	    at any rate, lies with the Mac.

When will Apple stop making Apple IIs?  As soon as they can, is my guess.  That means as soon as the II line experiences a significant decline in sales.  I
think that will not happen for a couple of years, but the end of the II line
cannot be very many years away.  For now, I imagine the top Apple people see theII as a continuing source of revenue which is better kept going.  But if the
time ever comes when Apple announces *no* new improvements or related products
for the IIs over a period of six months to a year, I would expect the
end to be not far off.  I believe GM stopped development of the Corvair
in 1966, but continued to make them till the end of the 1969 model year.
That three year period between a halt in development and termination of
production would probably be shorter for a microcomputer, say 18 months.

It was nice while it lasted.

Bill