Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!tank!gft_robert@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
From: gft_robert@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Possible Macintosh Clones??
Message-ID: <7585@tank.uchicago.edu>
Date: 12 Feb 90 19:25:05 GMT
Sender: news@tank.uchicago.edu
Distribution: comp
Organization: University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
Lines: 35

In article <3432.25d5c924@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>, pv9y@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes...
[suggests Apple license 128K roms for clones]

There are two problems with Apple licensing low-cost clones:

1) Apple could make a lot of money themselves from producing a low-cost
machine.  Now this is assuming they actually will (it is supposed to be
released this year).  Please: no flames about how they haven't; I think we all
know that.  They should.

2) A more serious problem could arise like this: Apple licenses the ROMS to
Chuck's Computer Corp (CCC).  CCC makes a really nice Plus-like machine, and
sells about half a million of them.  But Chuck's machines aren't really very
reliable; they break a lot.  Now, is Chuck the only one who'll look bad here? 
No, the Mac's reputation will probably suffer too, since after all, the CCC
computer IS a Mac.

OK, but let's say CCC gets their QC together.  But uh-oh: they either weren't
following Apple's rules, or else they just made a mistake: System 7.5 won't run
on the CCC machine.  So now: Apple has to redesign their System software to be
compatible with CCC's machines (or else screw half a million CCC customers). 
A) That's a pain, and B) it's money, money that Apple has to spend to fix CCC's
mistake.

Admittedly, these problems could be surmounted, but I think Apple should do
their own low-end machine rather than license clones.

Robert


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= gft_robert@gsbacd.uchicago.edu * generic disclaimer: * "It's more fun to =
=            		         * all my opinions are *  compute"         =
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