Re: Apple II info please...

[schefflr@news.msus.edu (Bill Scheffler)]

Nathan Mates (nathan@visi.com) wrote:
:    Almost diametrically opposed in philosophies: the Apple II is
: designed to let the user get very close to the hardware and software,
: should they want. The Mac is designed to *prevent* the user from even
: thinking about that. One produces people that can think for
: themselves, the other produces mindless zealots who refuse to hear
: anything bad about their sacred Macintosh.

	Or produces people who vent their bitter feelings towards Apple
Computer, Inc. on the Macintosh...  

SIMILARITIES:
	Actually, anyone who has seen modern Macs (PowerMacs) would see a
LOT of similiarities in design.  My 9600 has SIX PCI slots and a dedicated
processor slot for EASY upgrades to faster processor speeds.  TWELVE DIMM
slots for RAM expansion up to 1.5 gig.  It has a Toolbox in ROM like the
Apple IIgs.  It supports the Apple Desktop Bus like the Apple IIgs.  All
Macintoshes since the Plus have built-in AppleTalk (networking).  That
means any Apple IIgs or Apple //e with a Workstation card can be part of a
AppleTalk network to share files, printers, etc.  The floppy drives in
Macs can STILL read 3.5" 800K or 1.4 MB floppies from Apple IIs.  All in
all, I'd say Mac's and Apple II's share similiar design for the most part.

DIFFERNCES:
	There are differences in hardware of course.  Macs are pretty
tightly integrated with the Mac OS, whereas the GS still had that
"hobbyist" feel to it.  Most Apple II's required expansion cards to do
anything remotely useful.  Whereas Macs, The Apple //c, //c+, and IIgs,
have the most useful ports built-in and ready to go.  And of course, the
first Macs (128k, 512k, Plus), we not expandable boxes.  Although the Plus
with it's built-in SCSI was the first uselful Mac IMO.  However, after
the Plus, most Macs had numerous slots to allow easy (or heh,
not so easy) expansion.
	There are more similar/dissimlar features, but I think you get the
idea.  People seem to forget that the II and Mac were developed in
parallel for awhile and hardware was often compatible with each other
(AppleDisk 3.5" drives, ADB keyboards & mice, printers, etc).  And yes,
some hardware was incompatible with the two platforms.  That's life.  Yes,
the Mac was designed with a different philosophy (information applicance
instead of a general computer), but anyone who has brains can make it do
what they want.  You can put an idiot in front of an Apple II and he's
still an idiot.  You can put a genious in front of a Mac (or PC) and he's
still a genious (well, that may be a subject of opinion. ;) ).

--
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Bill Scheffler                            | "Good...Bad...I'm the guy with
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