Linards Ticmanis wrote:
Paul R. Santa-Maria wrote:You have to keep a historical perspective. The Apple II was released in August 1977. The Commodore 64 was introduced around August 1982, FIVE YEARS LATER.I was actually thinking more along the lines of original IIe vs. C64, since they came out at about the same time.
Good point <shrug> but the IIe is just what it is, an enhanced II with some built-in extras and more modernized fab process. Apple had just come back to their senses after the III fiasco, and they weren't about to blaze any significant new technologies at that time, for fear of derailing the Apple II market as well. After the III bombed, there was some uncertainty at Apple on what to do next. So, they played it safe and went back to their cash cow. They refined research already done on the Super II and viola - the IIe was born.
I might be alone in thinking of it this way - but to me, the ][, ][ Plus and IIe are natural progressions of the same architecture. They are all first generation Apple IIs because they are more alike than different.
So, to me a ][ Plus to IIe evolution is like comparing the C-64 to a C-128 - enhancements and extra capabilities to the original design, but fundamentally the same machine. The II series architecture evolved before the C-64's did.
The GS on the other hand, was a radical change. I consider the GS in all it's revisions to be the second generation Apple II. Being as compatible as it was, was it's greatest strength - and to some, it's greatest weakness.