Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars!kaleb From: kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Apple OS 7.0 - Cost? Message-ID: <2444@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> Date: 21 Dec 89 22:24:20 GMT References: <1989Dec21.210721.9191@uncecs.edu> Sender: news@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov Reply-To: kaleb@mars.UUCP (Kaleb Keithley) Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. Lines: 33 In article <1989Dec21.210721.9191@uncecs.edu> egapmh@uncecs.edu (Paul M. Hudy) writes: > > On a tangential note, I would like to see some discussions con- >cerning the relative merits/drawbacks (for consumers & developers) >of Apple's approach where you give away the OS and charge high >prices (if you listen to some netlanders) for the hardware versus >the MSDOS approach where the OS always cost, but the hardware is >relatively cheap. For example, is the reason you are paying high >hardware costs in the Apple world, the free OS? > >Paul M. Hudy I remember a time in the MS-DOS world where the Hardware was expensive, and you still had to pay for the OS. In fact, if you want to play OS/2, the hardware is still reasonably expensive, and the OS is even more expensive than it used to be... Hmmmmm. What happens when we get to OS/3. Not to mention, if you want to play UN*X, the hardware gets even more expensive, and the OS gets even more expensive. Now, what happens, when you start with a $3000 VGA equipped 20Mhz 386, add $100 DOS, $225 Windows/386, and then go try and find some real applications to run?? As opposed to paying $3000-$4000 for say, a Mac SE/30, don't have to buy an OS, don't have to buy some 'Clunky' add on windowing package, and you can actually buy applications that work on this system. I'd say it was worth the extra $500. So now it's time for me to put my money where my mouth is and actually buy the Mac of my dreams, or a close substitute. I'll say this, though, it has been a lot easier for me to piece together my MS/DOS system over the years, then it will ever be for me to get into a Macintosh. Some day Mac prices will come down enough to where I could actually buy one. Sigh.... Chewey, get us outta here! kaleb@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (818)354-8771 Kaleb Keithley