Re: All this fuss about Backward Compatibility

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article nathan@visi.com (Nathan Mates) writes...

>   But, this whole discussion has been between a few Mac advocates who
>seem to believe that Apple can do no wrong in whatever it does
>(without accepting the very real shortcomings in the systems, but even
>reject Mac clones because 'the cases look ugly' and other gunk), and
>those of us who point out that Apple has made a *lot* of boneheaded
>moves over the years, in addition to producing some real nice
>machines.
> 
>   Nothing's perfect in this world, especially when marketing and
>personality forces are involved. Being realistic about the faults of
>systems, admitting them, and encouraging them to do better next time
>is a good first step.

    I agree. Looking over this debate, and many countless others I've 
personally had in past, it's interesting to note one thing:  Rarely,
if ever, will a Mac owner point out limitations, shortcomings or flaws
in the Macintosh. They're very quick to point the finger at other 
systems (ie, PCs, Apple II's, Amigas) and pick out their limitations
and faults, but never their own systems. I generally get the impression
that Mac users, believe the "Macintosh", is the perfect piece of hardware
running perfect software; that it stands for the true meaning and sense 
of _perfection_ in the computer world. How far from the truth that is! :/

    Interestingly, I once asked an entire group of loyal Macintosh
owners to list me limitations of their machines. I basically said,
what would you like to see changed, if you could magically do so. 
I only got one response, and that was that Apple doesn't spend enough 
on advertising the Macintosh. They honestly couldn't think of anything 
else, all seriously believed there was nothing that needed change. 
And obviously, that one "flaw" pointed out, doesn't even relate to the 
Mac's hardware or software, it's something external to the issue (Apple
Computer's marketing execs).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca