Re: The battle Rages!

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

CUTblakeney@home.com (Jeff Blakeney) wrote:

>5) I don't see Apple IIs as being difficult to maintain.  Since I
>started using Apple IIs in 1983 I've had one hardware failure.  A Disk
>][ drive died on me.  By the way, my accelerated IIgs does most of my
>real computer work.  My Pentium II is used for programming, as that is
>what I do for a living, and playing games.

I agree.  The Apple IIGS is such a reliable unit, it is amazing.
Meanwhile, I've had a CPU chip failure (heat) and replacement
on my PC plus a broken CD-ROM player and swap and I've
only had the PC for a few years!  My, my, no matter what folks
think of the IIGS, there is no denying that it was built to last.

Also, people seem to have a difficult time believing us when we
say that we actually use the IIGS for computer work (such as
word processing, page layout, maybe even as a fax machine
or internet terminal).  I think the main problem is that a decked
out IIGS like what most of the diehard IIGS users (like us) have
and the bare bones IIGS that others have are like two different
machines.  The decked out one is certainly much more useful.

Luckily, thank's to Alltech, decking out a IIGS at least on the
hardware side is easier than ever.  Simply drop in a Focus
and a Sirius and you are almost there (too bad no more new
accelerators).

>You might think I've wasted my time writing this reply but I feel
>obliged to let people know that not everyone is of the opinion that
>most of the posters to comp.sys.apple2 seem to be.  I want to protect
>and nuture the Apple II for as long as I can.  If that means having to
>continuously repeat the fact that the Apple II is not dead, that
>copyrights are still in effect and it is illegal to distribute certain
>software, then I will continue to do so until either people stop
>posting about doing this or I get fed up being the only one of this
>opinion here (at which point I will just deal with Delphi).

Jeff, this is where I have to disagree with you.  Most of the
posters on csa2 agree with your sentiments.  And most actually
do go out and buy something for the Apple IIGS.  It is just that
they tend to stay quite for fear of the flame wars.  I know this
because in addition to posting that "IIGS Tour" post that on
csa2 to every new IIGS user I find, I also email exchange
with them.  I'm happy to say that I've seen many purchases
of Focus drives from Alltech and other IIGS products.

Csa2 is not the sewer that some of the Delphi folk seem to
think it is.  Mostly, it is made of honest Apple II users and
new users who want to keep the legacy of the II alive.  It is
just that not all these folks care to shout above the noise.
And who can blame them?  No one wants to be caught in a
flame war.  Nonetheless if Focus drives are any indication,
there are still LOTS of people on csa2 (new ones, even) who
are interested in supporting the Apple II!

I agree with most of what you say EXCEPT the point about
how "most csa2 posters" disagree with you.  I would argue
that most csa2 readers/posters agree with you more than
you realize.