Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!munnari!murtoa.cs.mu.oz.au!ditmela!diemen!tasis!ben
From: ben@tasis.utas.oz (Ben Lian)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Mac pricing and the future of the Mac
Keywords: Obscene profits, planned obsolescence, lengthy diatribe
Message-ID: <864@tasis.utas.oz>
Date: 19 Mar 89 08:27:30 GMT
References: <12101@reed.UUCP>
Organization: Elec Eng & Comp Sci, Uni of Tasmania, Australia
Lines: 49

In article <12101@reed.UUCP> wab@reed.UUCP (Bill Baker) writes:
>
>In article <919@fornax.UUCP> mcdonald@fornax.UUCP (Ken Mcdonald) writes:
>>Sigh.  I just don't understand why Apple does this. . .
>
>Why?  Scully's profit sharing and stock option package, that's why.
>
>>but the logic board upgrade alone from a Mac II to a Mac IIx is more
>>than $2,000!  Come on now, Apple, what's going on!?  You made your profit
>>off of me when I bought the II, and I wouldn't mind paying you a reasonable
>>profit on the board either, but $2000+ isn't just profit, it is an
>>indication to customers that Apple doesn't care a sou for its customers
>>after the sale is made.  I mean, what am I supposed to think about buying
>>Apple machines in the future when I say to myself, "If I buy this machine right
>>now, I can have full confidence that Apple will try to price any future
>>upgrades completely out of my price range."  Not very confidence-inspiring.

[Rest of diatribe deleted.]

Too right!  Whether or not Apple and Scully really think this way about
marketing the Mac line, this is the impression I get too.  Now here's
my strategy:  I'm going to get rid of the Mac Plus while I still can get
some money for it, take a loan out to acquire a IIcx (and humouring Apple
one last time), then toss out the IIcx for a NeXT when the software for
it matures in about 1 to 1-1/2 years' time.  I'll bet you that NeXT has
really got Apple worried, eh?  Just as commercial companies aim to
maximise the profit of the shareholders, you should aim to maximise what
you get out of the good money you pay for a PC.  To heck with allegiances
if another company produces a better machine, and there is good software
for it as well.

BTW, I don't know if NeXT is going to be able to hold their pricing on
their machine.  The $6,500 announced for their base configuration is
almost too good to be true.


-- bl




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Benjamin Y H Lian             ACSnet: ben@tasis.utas.oz
Dept. of EE & CS              ARPA  : ben%tasis.utas.oz.au@uunet.uu.net
University of Tasmania        BITnet: munnari!tasis.utas.oz!ben@
GPO Box 252C                          uunet.uu.net  (I think)
Hobart, Tasmania 7001         UUCP  : {enea,hplabs,mcvax,uunet,ukc}!
A U S T R A L I A                     munnari!tasis.utas.oz!ben
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