Re: Apple IIx

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

Roger Johnstone <rpj@thinkapple.com> wrote:

> I have a copy of the British magazine Apple User, from February 1985. In it
> is an article called "Monster memory capacity on [the] way for Apple II". It
> has news of a new product announcement from Steve Wozniak, made during his
> visit to the Wellington Apple Users Club in New Zealand.

Of which I am a founding member and currently Vice President.   (We are
now the "Wellington Apple Users Group", rather than "Club", and have
been since April 1985, about a year after we were founded.)

Unfortunately I wasn't actively involved around the time Steve Wozniak
visited us, and I missed both breakfasts (at Pizza Hut).  I did see
Steve briefly when he paid a visit to my high school while he was in
Wellington.

His first visit was December 1984, and the second was late 1985.  Andy
Hertzfeld came along the second time.

There are a series of articles in our magazine covering an interview
with Woz in late 1984.  It looks like Apple User reprinted our articles.

A couple of interesting quotes that I can add.  For reference: this
interview was at the end of November 1984.  The interviewer was John
MacGibbon, our magazine editor at the time.

[MacGibbon] How far into the future are we looking for the Apple II 16
bit development?

[Woz] I can't say.  Believe it or not, there's no work going on in our
project, not design quite yet.  It's getting closer, and I'm pushing for
it.

But the funny thing is, we've had designs completed to breadboard stage
in the past for that processor [65816].  Trouble is, you have to get the
right partitioning, where everything comes together and makes sense.
The computer has to come out very sleek, very high performance, it
really has to do the job we want, easily and supportably.  You can run
up against a bunch of roadblocks, but we're working on some new ...
trying to break through now.  Because we want to present in the way that
it will be around for five to ten years.

[Prophetic statement?  The IIgs lasted in almost unchanged form for
seven years.]

[MacGibbon] Could it happen, say within two years, or is it further down
the track?

[Woz] No, no no!  If it's further down the track that's ridiculous once
the processor is here.

The trouble is, if we start a new machine from scratch now, we need new
plastics, new ergonomics, new everything.  You know we'd have to
redesign it, do all the software, do all the testing, to get it into
high volume production.  You're talking minimum of a year and a half
from now for delivery.

[November 1984 + 1.5 years = May 1986.  Not too far off.]

[Woz then mentions the possibility of doing a plug-in card based on the
65816 in a shorter timeframe.]

-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand