Re: Apple 2 Where/How much

[labelas@hotmail.com (Labelas Enoreth)]

Ok, some small thing in me is screaming out to not jump into one of your
agree-u-ments, but I need to say something, not sure if I'm siding with
someone but...and I'd hate to think I'm being presumptuous as I haven't
been here any large amount of time and spend more time asking questions
than posting...

For one, both of you do the apples-and-oranges thing waaaay too much.
Whenever there's something like this, one of you brings up something that
doesn't even really relate to it (even if it is a valid point in the
conversation as comparison) and then you guys spend the rest of the thread
arguing over every little derivation that you branch out onto. I mean, I
can just see some horrible discussion about 8088s and 386s filling this
'Apple II where/how much' thread. Which upon checking it, an unwary person
would fall into the middle of a heated and zealous conversation about the
pros and cons of the IIgs.

Also, I don't know how many people agree with this, but if I were looking
for a IIgs system (or even a IIe) I'd basically want a basic system. I
have a ton of stuff I could add, or even try to find more. For me, the fun
is in finding stuff, especially at places where it's either a good price
or someone is practically giving it away. It's almost like, I guess, a
treasure hunt to find a cool card or something. When I run into someone
who puts a unusually large price on their Apple II, it's
almost...irritating. I mean, there's the whole 'charging as much as a
cheap current computer' issue. Granted, I don't want to get flamed for
this, but someone who is selling a IIgs with a huge HD, a laser printer, a
17" monitor...'current' usable accessories...they would be better off
either keeping it, or as one of you said, using it on something else. And
most people wouldn't want to sink that much money into their first Apple
II they were buying (as the thread's start led me to believe) unless they
were a die-hard apple II fan (well, like a lot of the regulars on
here...or me, I guess...if I actually had more money)...and then they
would probably have quite a good grasp of what they would and wouldn't
want to spend. You can put as much as you can into your computer (ask me
about my LC III sometime) but that doesn't mean that many people other
than you will appreciate it for what you've made out of it.

I love the Apple series, from IIs to Macs, especially the IIgs (wish that
the macs had gotten an Ensoniq chip, games rocked...and still do)...so
don't think me bashing it in any way...I just, I guess, it seems like
there's a real tension here that develops into an almost (excuse me if I
offend anyone) religious fervor at times. Guys, lighten up. Even when
you're 'not going to argue anymore' there's still an...edge...to
everything. You both seem to be very good sources of information, a
benefit especially when there's a problem someone has. But so easily
diverted into clubbing each other over...trifles.

BTW, one reason to prompt me to write this (and hoping I don't get a
negative backlash from it) was from seeing all the arguments, but
also...lately, whenever I go somewhere with the intention of looking for
some more Apple stuff to adopt, so many people have this 'if it has an
Apple on it it's worth 10x as much' notion. I mean, going to a thrift
store where there's a CoCo, a C64, an Atari ST, and a few other random old
IBM PCs all in the range of $5-$10...and then seeing a IIgs sitting on a
special table off to the side for $75...no special cards...no 3.5
drives...no monitor...no keyboard...and the woman informs me in this sort
of all-knowing voice "Well, it's a _apple_". I mean, your computer just
doesn't get appreciated by anyone as much as you appreciate it, and that's
the crux of it all.
PS: and just try to find a Lisa sometime. it's like that, but 500 times
over...even people who have never used a Lisa associate the name with
'highly collectible'. And I happen to actually *need* one.