Re: OS For IIGS

[pubpc1@library.ucla.edu]

Randy Shackelford wrote:
> In article <640tm3$q7f$1@News.Dal.Ca>,
> Tony Cianfaglione <ab616@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote:
> >   True, Microsoft isn't hurting financially.  What astounds me is how
> >Apple is moving to eliminate all of their clone makers.  Didn't they learn
> >anything from the mistakes of Sony and Betamax.  The more companies
> >building copies of your product, they more your 'format' and OS is going
> >to be used?  This is why PCs are so abundant in the world.
> 
> But the problem is that cloners weren't expanding the market any, they were
> just taking sales away from Apple. It's hard to want to put R&D into something
> and license it out and have people hurt your profits while making their own
> and paying a pittance in license fees.

Not expanding the market?  PowerComputing had the fastest PowerPC MacOS
machines.  Umax addressed the Mac's hardware shortcomings by borrowing
from the PC design handbook and had a price/performance ratio close to
that of PC's.  Motorolla had the first CHRP machine.

Each of the clone makers made _better_ products than Apple.  In trying
to protect the hardware, Apple is going to kill the only viable
alternative OS platform to Windows.  Think about it: until Compaq came
around and gave IBM a run for its money, the PC designs were always
inferior to Apple's (then the II series' IIe and IIc).  Until clone
chips came around and gave Intel competition, Intel's chips also
languished.

The MacOS platform _needs_ the superior hardware of the clones because
it is competing against PCs, which Apple can't control.  Killing the
clones may decrease competition for Apple Macs, but it will be a
detriment to MacOS.

> 
> It's neither here nor there for me since I wouldn't consider buying a clone.
> None of them have the fit and finish nor the quality of the real thing.
> --
> Randy Shackelford
> shack@frii.com

That's got to be the most lame-headed reasoning.  I used to have
a Laser 128 computer as a portable companion to a IIe.  The IIe
died long ago, but the Laser keeps on going (although it is now in
the closet since the GS replaced it).  My experience has been that
the clones are often _better_ in quality.

I do like Apple's "GS" design, though (which later showed up in
most Macs: look at their ventilation lines).

-Scott G.