Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!mit-eddie!rutgers!okstate!minich
From: minich@a.cs.okstate.edu (MINICH ROBERT JOHN)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Possible Macintosh Clones??
Message-ID: <5376@okstate.UUCP>
Date: 13 Feb 90 19:54:51 GMT
References: <3432.25d5c924@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater
Lines: 43

From article <3432.25d5c924@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>, by pv9y@vax5.cit.cornell.edu:
> I have an idea which might solve the low cost Mac problem and create a larger
> Mac market in the process.  It's a fact that a main reason why the PC's are so
> popular is that everyone cloned them and undercut IBM in price.  Apple has
> always refused to allow such competition by keeping the technology secret (or
> least closely guarded).  Think about what would happen if Apple started
> licensing the technology needed to produce a Mac+ with the 128K ROMS.  
[details of possible licensing schemes deleted
 basically, Apple licenses technology to make clones of "obsolete" Macs, while
 Apple concentrates on great new highend hardware and System software. ]

Nice idea, but not likly anytime soon. Why? Because what apple would basically
sell to the clobe makers is ROM. They wouldn't have to sell anything else.
Now, if I had a reliable source of lots Mac ROMs, I'd be rich. Why? I'd be
making clones, but not just "I'm the same as a Plus" machine. I'd make a
fast 68000 based sucker with all the standard ports, SIMM slotts, etc. I'd
include a real fast harddrive with better SCSI circuitry, maybe even some
DMA (Direct Memory Acces) circuitry on the side. I'd make it cheap. I'd be
liekyl to include a 12" monitor as standard (external, of course) with
optional big monitors. Let's see, all this should come out to about, um,
$2000. Anyone want one? I do... BUT Apple won't give me the ROMs unless I
buy the Plus to go with it. (The price just jumped to $3250. Anyone still
want one?) The TRUTH is that Apple could put together a pretty darn good
68000 based machine, but they have chosen to focus on the 030 architecture and
the Plus and SE, in Apple's eyes (that sounds strange), ARE VERY low end.
If you think about it, the Portable is the only "midend" Mac, as far as 
performance is concerned. To introduce another Plus/SE level machine without
any significant price/performance break would be stupid. I think the SE would
have to sell at around $1000 to get this p/p level. The Plus has two feet,
the its left shoulder, and its right eye in the grave. It just can't cut
it, with System 7 "quickly" approaching. Even the SE is doomed. Give it
a year or two  before everyone finds that they can't run any of their 
programs without 4MB of RAM and a lot of coffee breaks.
  Summary: a clone maker who had ANY pride would NOT make a machine that
Apple would approve of, unless of course Apple decides they want to lower
their own prices (2/3 cut would be about right) at the same time. Then the
clone maker would say "Hey, I don't have enough margin here!" Oh well,
maybe Apple will be boght out by IBM, and the Mac will become the basis for
IBM's OS/3. (Ugh, I've blasphemed the great god of the garden.)

robert Minich
Oklahoma State University (I just go here, I don't think)
minich@a.cs.okstate.edu