Re: What is the quintessential Apple II?

["mdj" <mdj.mdj@gmail.com>]

Charlie wrote:

> With great fear and trepidation I must note that it seems your belief that
> using compatibility as a criterion is dangerous is because the IIgs wins.
> Emulators don't because they are not very hardware compatible.

Personally, I think the IIgs is less compatible in it's standard trim
than a IIe is. For example, the disk controller firmware has issues
with certain software titles. Many communications programs or  programs
that print will not work due to the IIgs serial ports not using 6551
ACIA's.

Of course, both these issues are fixable, but on the IIe, you don't
need to fix them ;-)

> Compatibility is the only criterion (mentioned so far) that can be tested
> objectively.  Others like color, feeling, closeness to Woz, etc. are very
> subjective.

Okay, I'll bite :-) Since we're trying here to define the
quintessential Apple II, a qualitative measure, the only objective
criterion is consensus. And I assure you, your assumption that your
objective criterion carries more weight than the myriad of subjective
ones offered will proved incorrect.

;-)