Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!ALBION.BITNET!SASQUATCH From: SASQUATCH@ALBION.BITNET ("Kevin O. Lepard 629-5511 x6668", 517) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple Subject: (none) Message-ID: <8903181257.aa27040@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> Date: 18 Mar 89 17:57:00 GMT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Organization: The Internet Lines: 106 >When next week's MacWeek comes out, read it. If the rumors I've heard >recently around here are correct, it's going to generate a lot of heat >on comp.sys.apple. > >I hate to say this, Jeremy, but I think your nightmare may be coming true. > What are these rumors and why should I give them any more credence than any of the other "Death of the //" rumors I've heard here? I know that you work for Claris (from your SIG). Are you admitting to inside infor- mation? >> My example of Softswitch was to demonstrate what could be done with the >> Apple //GS's hardware. [...] >> Why didn't Apple write something like this or pursue this idea? Especially >> since the idea was inspired by an Apple product "Switcher" that for a time >> was shipped standard with Mac Pluses? > >There are no Andy Herzfelds for the GS, that's why. If Herzfeld hadn't been >around, the Mac might be in the same dump the GS is in now. > >[Oh Lord. Look at the flames coming. Where'd I leave that asbestos suit?] This isn't a flame, but it looks to me that there _are_ such people around for the //s. Softswitch _DID_ get written, Apple just didn't do it. There is a great deal of excellent software out for the Apples, including the GS. In fact, most of the most useful software I use is shareware that I've picked up from this network. TIC, ECP, ProSEL and the _huge_ number of _very_ useful utilities that com ewith it, Shrinkit, BinSCII, the Executioner, Yahtzee (sp?), Cheap Paint, the list continues for a very long time. Apple may not be producing the software that you want to see, but other people are. I personally don't care if Apple produces any decent software, as long as other people are doing it. And even if the Apple // falls off the face of the earth tomorrow, I still have a system that does a _lot_ of very useful things very well. >> I am under enormous pressure here at CMU to give the machine up, that it is >> a dead machine, that there is no point in developing anything for it. This >> comes from students and salespeople at the computer store that operates out >> of the Apple University Consortium. Many of them do not even know what a >> GS is.... Why? > >Because Apple doesn't push AppleII's at universities. The idea (and I've >heard this from several sources) is that as far as education is concerned, >Apple II's are for the K-12 market. College students need Macs, because >(I presume) Apples just aren't powerful enough to fill the needs of the >average college student. > >Gee. Quite a self-fulfilling prophecy. > > Well, to be blunt, Apple is so full of BS on that that I don't even know what to say about it. I don't think that there is anything here a Mac user can do that I can't. You couldn't give me any Mac that exists. (Actually, you could, but I'd just sell it.) I don't particularly like the Mac interface and am not particularly impressed with the software that uses it. If I ever give up on the // series - which isn't likely in the near future, I'll probably either go to an Amiga or an IBM compatible. But it won't be Apple who is getting my money. >> I just want to know why, and then I will shut up. I cannot ignore these >> issues being where I am, and each day without anything new only makes me >> more confused about Apple's faith and intentions. I don't see how these >> concerns are unreasonable. If they are, tell me. > >Answer: $$$$ Apple IIs don't make enough money. $$$$ > I don't know exactly how the // compares w/ the Mac in terms of profit, but figures I've seen posted here suggest that is is _very_ profitable for Apple and that they won't be ditching it soon just because it is so profitable. If someone can prove me wrong on this, I will admit error. In this case, however, I don't expect to be eating my words. :) > I don't really care why. Internal politics, economics, Jean-louis Gassee's > horoscope, the failure of Woz's US festival, ANYTHING could be the reason. > >I'll< shut up when I see >results< from >Apple<. > >On the other hand, it may be too late. c)^K I don't really expect results from Apple anymore. To be fair to all the Apple II DTS people on the net, I am sure that they and others are doing their best for the // within Apple, but from where I sit, it doesn't look like anyone is listening. (If you guy's _aren't_ doing your best, ya better keep it real quiet, or you'll be publically lynched on this list :) On the other hand I and others have been getting them from people like Andy Nicols (sorry if that spelling is wrong), David Lyons, Don Elton, Glen Bredon, Tom Weisshar (spelling again), Dave Whitney, and everyone else who takes the time to post answers to questions here and elsewhere, produce quality software, etc. And the hardware improvements still come from companies like AE, Checkmate, etc. As long as folks like this are around to support the Apple //, I imagine that I will be too. >-- >Jeff Erickson \ Internet: krazy@claris.com AppleLink: Erickson4 >Claris Corporation \ UUCP: {ames,apple,portal,sun,voder}!claris!krazy >415/960-2693 \________________________________________________________ >____________________/ "I'm so heppy I'm mizzabil!" -- Krazy Kat Kevin Lepard Bitnet: Sasquatch@albion.bitnet Disclaimer: I'll deny it all in court anyway.