Re: The Apple ][ was crap

[Lord of the Flies <python@ux1.cyberenet.net>]

In comp.sys.cbm Greg Buchner <nobody@wavetech.net> wrote:
> In article <3b4d7bc0_1@news.eticomm.net>,
>  Lord of the Flies  <python@ux1.cyberenet.net> wrote:
> 
>>  However, both he AND Gates knew
>> that it really wasn't Jobs' OS at all: Ya see, Jobs had already stolen it
>> from Xerox in the first place.  What a funny story!  Well, at least that's
>> the way that that _Revenge of the Nerds_ documentary told that story
>> anyway.
> 
> Yep, everybody keeps on repeating this and eventually everyone will
> believe it.

Is this to say that perhaps this story has more or less a note of
"legendary-ness," an "urban legend" of sorts?  I wouldn't be terribly
surprised if that were true.  That documentary, as I mentioned in another
string on CSC, is certainly not "the whole truth" about the history of
computers.

> Apple paid Xerox in stock to be able to go into Palo Alto and look
> around and get ideas.

I think I once heard someone say, "All's fair in Love and Business."  =)

> I don't remember how much the stock was, but Xerox eventually did
> sell it for a pretty good profit.  Management at Xerox thought they
> got a good deal, but the people at Palo Alto probably knew better.

The people most certainly knew that they were onto something.  They were
sent to an isolated cabin as in an artistic retreat back in the days when
that sort of thing was more appreciated.  It was an old-fashioned
computer "love-in," and you bet that they had a steady supply of grass,
too.  And after weeks or more of mind-expanding brain-storming came a
revolutionary creation.  One that would eventually change the world.  Only
not in the way that was expected.

Jobs came snoopin' about (filthy bastard!) and picked up on what they were
onto as well.  And in much the same way as CBS gained industrial
intelligence from Gene Rodenberry about _his_ baby and then made _Lost in_
_Space_, Jobs took the knowledge back to Apple.  Meanwhile the suits at
Xerox said to the valuable work-force that had been at Palo Alto, "What da
hell is this?!  This isn't good!  What can you even do with this, ya
morons!?  It isn't worth anything!  It'll never actually go anywhere!
Jezus!  What a waste!"  But secretly they said to themselves, "Ah well,
maybe not a total loss.  We'll dump this pile of crap on Jobs at Apple.
Can ya believe what he's willing to pay?  He he he, what a sucker!"

You know that Xerox execs. are kicking themselves in the ass to this day.
And they say that if you travel close enough to the Xerox Home Office
(during business hours only), you can hear the faint, echoic sounds of
shoes kicking, and the howls that eventually follow.  <thud> "OW!"  <thud>
"OW!"  <thud> "OW!"  <thud>...

> Greg B.
-- 
				---The Lord of the Flies
				   (AKA, Python)
				   python@eticomm.net