Notes from COMDEX

[Niel Loeb <76451.631@CompuServe.COM>]

     For those of you who don't know, COMDEX is the big computer convention
held a number of times a year around the world.  It's two main shows are
twice yearly in Las Vegas and Atlanta.  It's really for manufacturers,
wholesalers, and retailers to see all the new computer products.  As an
example of how important it is to the industry, Bill Gates usually speaks,
along with people like the CEO's of MCI, AT&T, etc.
     I live in Atlanta and had the opportunity to go this year for the
first time.  I'm just an Apple II user like you, so what I could see and do
relating to our wonderful machine was limited.  Here's my report.
     Looking at the directory of companies, I see only a few of interest.
Hewlett-Packard has printers we can use and a drawing I can enter to win a
free printer.  Their reps ignore me because my name tag says "GUEST" and not
"DISTRIBUTER," "RETAILER," or whatever.
     I pick up a flyer at the National Cristina Foundation.  If you want to
get rid of any computer equipment and help people with differing abilities,
call them at 1-800-274-7846.  They will tell you how much the equipment is
worth for you tax-deduction purposes and tell you how to send it to them.
Mailing costs are tax-deductible, too.
     Computer Hotline is a magazine that's just ads for buying and selling
used computer equipment.  In the Apple/Mac section, I see ads for
The Apple Resource Center, Pre-Owned Electronics, and a couple of others who
show Apple II stuff.  You can reach the magazine at 800-999-5131.
     At the Ziff-Davis booth, I get free copies of Computer Shopper,
Netguide, and Home PC magazines.
     Finally... Apple.  They have a very simple setup, with just a bunch of
different systems set up and running-- and one rep at each station.  I enter
a drawing for a Dodge Stealth, find out that starting at Mac System 7.1,
Macs can read and write ProDOS disks, and pick up an Apple Product Guide.
The Product Guide is great.  It lists all the features and specs on all
Apple merchandise.  It seems to be for the show only (i.e. not available
in stores).  Believe it or not, one of the features listed under
"Disk Storage" for Power Macs is reading, writing, and formatting
ProDOS disks.
     Well, that's it for COMDEX.  Yes, I was disappointed, too.  Next year,
I'll go just to get the free mags and enter the drawings.