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From: toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Apple ][ threatened again?!?
Message-ID: <1990Feb24.053907.4257@spectre.ccsf.caltech.edu>
Date: 24 Feb 90 05:39:07 GMT
References: <332@mtune.ATT.COM> <1084@batman.moravian.EDU>
Sender: news@spectre.ccsf.caltech.edu
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 47

>> From the latest (20 Feb 90) MacWeek:
>> 
>> "...Apple has been pursuing a carefully planned three-pronged
>> strategy to shore up its Mac product line with new compact and
>> modular models WHILE ALSO PHASING OUT ITS APPLE ][ BUSINESS, (emph. mine)
>> according to sources close to the company."

I read that article, and some of the technical details didn't match up.
They mentioned "NuBus" and "Processor Direct" and "one slot" in the same
sentence with no much else, and you can't do both with one slot.

NuBus costs way too much to put it in a 'low end' machine.

The MacWeek editors are IMHO trying to get a rise out of Apple one way of the
other. Apple has two choices:

1. Drop the Apple //. Build emulation boards for 'low cost' macs.

This won't work. It will be too expensive compared to buying a real //, and will
piss off the Apple // customer base, who will probably go Amiga or IBM just to
spite Apple, and also because they still can't afford a decent Mac.

2. Save the Apple //. This is very possible, and Apple's best chance in the low
end is a three product strategy:

	a. low cost mac, or at least keep trying.

	b. push the //c+, and refine it into market niches like an AppleWorks
portable, and a diskless K-12 Appletalk workstation.

	c. give us a real //gs.

They have the technology and the money to do all three of these (the low cost
mac will probably take longer though).

There is no excuse. Apple has to start providing REAL value in their products
and not just a spiffy interface that is programming hell.

Or they will lose the low end utterly to tandy and amiga.

And the high end to DOS clones with new versions of windows. Microsoft is
working their asses off to close the gap.

And then Apple will have nothing left.

Todd Whitesel
toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu