Re: What is Second Sight?

[lorin.evans@tcs.wap.org (Lorin Evans)]

Jim Pittman in commenting on the utility of the Second Site video card said:
 
 
>Mitch [Spector] is right -- if the SS [Second Site video] card were fully
>developed and fully supported it would be terrific, and it's a
>real shame the IIGS world is too small/fragmented/indifferent/whatever
>to make it so.
 
Jim,
 
   I am interested in picking up on your comment about the Apple II world being
"too small/fragmented/indifferent/whatever . . ."
 
   I am sitting here at Washington Apple Pi (WAP) where we provide considerable
support to the Apple II school and home communities and almost all of the Apple
III world. What follows in _not_ a sales pitch for WAP, but a window to look
into how one group is trying to get a grip on its future.  Look at the Apple
III:
 
   - the Apple III community banded together to keep their computers as current
as possible.
 
   - hardware and maintenance support flows through Washington Apple Pi.
Through those same offices, the III community decides on what upgrades it
wants.  WAP created a dollar pool from which to fund the R&D which has resulted
in the following:
 
     --  a new operating system for the computer called BOSS
 
     --  software which enables the III to use the 1.44m high density disk
drives
 
     --  the III never had access to SCSI methodology.  Now it does.  Software
is now available, which, in conjunction with a SCSI card, gives the III a full
SCSI capability.  So much for the ProFILE.
 
    As the software/equipment is sold, the dollar pool is replenished and they
explore developing the next item on the wish list.
 
 
   Now, I am aware of the difference between the size of the Apple II and III
communities.  I also suspect there is a difference as well between the nature
of Apple II and III users.
 
   Readers of this feed know about things that could be:  GNO, TCP, MS/DOS
read/write, update 6.0.x etc which (might)(could) come to fruition if there was
cohesion within the community. The Apple II community is not _now_ short of the
major components that make these things possible: a large number of active
users; software developers who (are)(might be) willing to produce against
guaranteed sales;  a strong base of hardware refurbishers (Alltech, etc);
nationally distributed newsletters (Solutions II and the new GS newsletters),
and sales distrubution and user group organizations, etc.
 
   The Apple II community is not Sinclar, Commodore, TI-95, etc.  The installed
base of computer and the vast pool of software can makes the outlook for the
Apple II very different from those machines.  I see the classic signs of
denial.  Still, we don't jell.
 
   We pulled together to fund a new hard drive for one of our major archive
sites.  What was the magic then that isn't here now?
 
   In the Apple III community there is a clear understanding of the linkage
among mass, dollars, and ethics. Maybe some day . . . . . . .
 
 
                           Lorin