Re: Does Apple miss us?

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

In article <4402rg$3r7@acme.freenet.columbus.oh.us>,
Dave Althoff <dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us> wrote:
> One comment on the way that Apple dropped the ][...
> 
> First of all, is this any different from the way that IBM dropped the PC,
> then the XT, then the AT, then the early PS/2's?

Yes.  With later PCs, you can run most if not all of your older
software.  General knowledge about the computer is relevant to newer
models (further research may be needed to learn about new features).

This is not true of Apple II software on the Mac, with the limited
exception of a IIe card on a Mac LC.  The limitations: it is only
supported on a small range of models, and doesn't run IIgs software.
Hardware is right out.

Now, if Apple (or someone else) could come up with a _good_ IIgs
emulator on a PowerMac, I would be somewhat happier with the thought
of "upgrading", as I could at least continue to use my current
software until I could get suitable Mac-based alternatives.

It does nothing to address the issue of accumulated knowledge:
practically nothing that I know about the Apple II series is
transferrable to the Mac (the IIgs and Mac toolboxes have a few
parallels, but the Mac has advanced so much over the IIgs that even
this is of limited use).

This is a major disincentive to buying a new computer.  I will have to
learn everything again from scratch.

At this point, I'm much more inclined to go for a PC (preferably a
PowerPC, once they become more stable) and use OS/2 and/or UNIX, rather
than going for the Mac, since I use OS/2 at work and I'm gradually
learning to write programs for it, and I have some familiarity with
UNIX.  A PowerPC that can run MacOS as well would be nice (current
estimates say late 1996 for CHRP, and it may be some time after that
before it is stable.)

This is quite some way off, and I certainly don't intend to get rid of
my IIgs.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand