Re: Apple Computers-collector's items?

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article gabrielr@ucla.edu (Gabriel Rossman) writes...
>
>what really blows my mind is that apple didn't discontinue the worthless
>things until c. 93. It saddened me that schools would by more obsolete
>technology when they could get a less obsolete mac color classic w/ a IIe
>compatability card for the same price.

    I'll refrain from replying to your comment about the Apple IIe being a 
"worthless thing", though I would agree Apple's failing to discontinuing that 
model until late 1993 was a mistake. Clearly Apple should have discontinued 
the Apple IIe shortly after the introduction of the Apple IIgs in 1986. Since 
the GS was backwards compatible in terms of most software and hardware, while 
at the same time added state-of-the-art features in an Apple II, there was no
longer a need for the IIe. Continuing to manufacture it caused overlap and
confusion, as well caused software vendors to split their efforts in having
to choice whether to write 8-bit or new 16-bit software. Schools at the time
were spending money on Apple IIe CPUs when for the same price, or very close
to it, could have bought Apple IIgs's.

    As almost to mock the more powerful IIgs (which was purposely ignored
and left crippled, as it had great potential to threaten the Macintosh) 
Apple discontinued it a full year _before_ finally discontinuing the lesser 
Apple IIe.

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca