Re: Prototype Apple IIc - Help!

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

PMond writes ...
> 
> Don't the IIc+ protos have 3.5" drives? This one has a 5.25 and I just
> opened it (carefully!) and found a hardwritten label over what seems to be a
> BIOS chip with a date of Nov 30 1983.
> Nevertheless, thanks for the additional information. Hopefully the Apple II
> police will let me keep this unit. ;)


     The dating and 5.25" drive would indicate a //c.

     There are millions of computers and other pieces of equipment floating around
as surplus with all sorts of "proprietary property", etc. labels, warnings, etc.
attached. All of this stuff was not stolen; mainly, it was just dumped.

     The intent of such labeling is, generally, to protect design secrets. For
something like a personal computer prototype, a proprietary "design secret"
usually means little once the product is released. Once the product is released,
the secrets that matter are not secrets any more.

     The argument that, just because your //c is a prototype, it must have been
stolen is unconvincing. There is too good a chance that, after release of the //c,
it became the property of an Apple employee who later sold it. The "Mark Twain"
machines is a famous example.

     Unless your machine's description and serial number is included in some theft
report filed with the police, your claim of ownership looks pretty strong. Plus,
you now have some indication that //c prototypes may not be all that common!



Rubywand