Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrcae!hubcap!gatech!ncsuvx!mikes
From: mikes@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu (Michael Steele)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Apple II Future
Summary: Re: Apple IIGS future
Message-ID: <2393@ncsuvx.ncsu.edu>
Date: 15 Dec 88 20:12:33 GMT
References: <memo.68595@lynx.northeastern.edu> <1327@cod.NOSC.MIL> <469@ur-cc.UUCP>
Organization: NCSU Computing Center, Raleigh, NC
Lines: 32

> In article<1327@cod.NOSC.MIL> rupp@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William L. Rupp) writes:
> >I can't see Apple making the IIGS *too* powerful, otherwise it would
> >be a viable alternative to a Macintosh.
> 
> ...The Mac happens to be a very powerful machine.
> It was just not designed with the hacker in mind (like the original Apple).
> The Mac has introduced a number of new things to the personal computer
> market. (Most notably the graphical user interface.)
> 
	I agree!  I bought a GS because I wanted a Mac interface SOMEtimes
	and a Apple II interface others.  I think it is part of the reason 
	why the Amiga has done so well in the hacker market: it's ability 
	to have both interfaces (and of course it's "hackability).  The
	reason the Mac is so widely used by Real computer users (as 
	opposed to novices) is due to the wide range of powerful software.
	   Although the GS doesn't have as great a selection of powerful
	software (Appleworks GS is changeing that) ie Cricketgraph, Excel,
	Word, Full Write, Pagemaker, Illustrator, etc it has the hacking
	ability inherent in the II line.  It has the easy toolbox
	programming of the Mac for High level programmer too.  The only
	thing the Gs lacks is speed.  There is already a math coprocessor
	card out, so I'm not worried about that, but 10 Mhz would give the
	Mac a run for it's money.  With the 68881 coprocessor card running
	on a GS we used programs from Byte? and ran some tests.  The Gs was
	4 times slower than the Mac II on most of the Math runs.  4
	TIMES!!!!  and it's considerable cheaper.  If Sculley does what he
	promises, the II line is moving up.  Given a Mac emulator card, the
	II will replace the Mac Plus and maybe even the SE making it the low
	end Mac with a HACKING ability!

					Mike Steele
					(NETOPRMS@NCSUVM.BITNET)