Re: New Apple II (was Apple's next move ...)

[dempson@atlantis.actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <4llcrc$dl1@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
RUBYWAND <rubywand@aol.com> wrote:
> 
>      II users do not question that the IIgs is, in fact, an "Apple II".
> Very well; why?! What makes IIgs an Apple II, legitimate successor to II+
> and IIe and worthy of II user support?!
> 
> A. "Apple, Inc. named it the _Apple II_gs. If Apple says it's a 'II,
> that's that."
> 
>      Not an altogether brainless assertion. Apple's designation did help
> establish identity.

The same could have been said for the Apple III, which was able to run
most Apple II+ software (except for Apple II Pascal, which had a better
native implementation on the III anyway), but it never took off.

> B. "Apple IIgs runs Apple II+/IIe software."

This is the primary reason.  A IIgs would NOT be an Apple II if it
didn't run existing Apple II software.  Similar design ideas with
incompatible software do not a computer family make.

>      By now, many IIgs users are aware that II+/IIe compatibility carried
> a high price tag.

No argument there.

>      The clincher is that GS users seldom run II+/IIe software.

Speak for yourself!  I use AppleWorks 5.1 every day, and other 8-bit
software quite often.

> Even when new wares were rather scarce, the attraction of oldies was
> limited to a few programs. Worse yet, many users ended up keeping
> their old II's.

Not everyone had an older Apple II model.  The IIgs was my first
computer.  I had used the Apple II+ and IIe machines at school prior
to buying the IIgs.

I would NOT have bought the IIgs if it could not run 8-bit Apple II
software.  I might have bought a IIe, but I'd probably have gone
straight to the PC.


Ideally, the IIgs should have had a cleaner division between the 8-bit
and 16-bit modes, perhaps providing IIe/IIc compatibility through an
emulation card (which could borrow the main processor, or have its own
65C02).  The slot bus should have supported higher speed communication
and a greater address space, perhaps by having a two-part connector
like the IBM AT, and only using the new features with cards that use
both connectors.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand