Re: Re. Sun-Apple

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

In article <4f3hn6$dhj@acme.freenet.columbus.oh.us>,
mlamorte@freenet.columbus.oh.us (Mike LaMorte) writes:

>
>Although, in return for a slightly higher price, Mac owners got certain
>things standard that was optional on a PC. (16-bit sound, SCSI ports,
etc)
>Also take into the consideration the PC "standard"... every company tries
>to start their own "standard" and as a result, nothing is completely 100%
>compatable with the other. Apple's ironhanded licensing and controls have
>ensured a 99% compatability rate, and under 1% dead-on-arrival computer
>rate... the best in the industry. People didn't realize how problematic
>PCs were until they bought them. More than one PC owner I talk to has
>said, "Looking back, I wish I had invested in a Mac." 
>

    A "slightly higher price"?  The recent issue of the Mac Zone discount
catalog lists the cheapest Mac system (60 MHz 601, 8MB RAM, 700MB HD, 2x
CD-ROM, 14.4 Fax/modem, 14" monitor) at $1700. A roughly equivalent PC
might run about $1200. (In PC-ville, $1700 gets into 133MHz or better
Pentiums, 16MB RAM, 1.6GB HD, 6x CD-ROM ... .)

>
>Upgrading is also easier and cheaper on a Mac. Take a Mac IIfx and a 386.
>Compare costs for adding a CD-ROM drive. Mac: buy the drive, set SCSI
>number, plug into SCSI port. IBM: check bios to see if it's supported.
>What? It isn't? Well, upgrade the bios. Get an interface card. Find an
>available slot. Not working? Check IRQs, etc etc etc. 
>

    First, nobody upgrades a '386-- not when '486 80MHz motherboards are
going for $85.

    Granted, adding some peripherals, with the associated port/IRQ
checking, can be a hassle.

    As for CD-ROMs: Mac Zone's price for a 6 x CD-ROM is $480. PC 6x IDE
CD-ROMs are currently selling for $125 and 8x IDE drives go for $249. I
recently installed a 6x IDE drive: just mount it in the tower, plug in the
cables, and install the drivers.

>:     Cheapo '486 machines have already squashed Mac. Today, the Pentiums
>: are merely engaged in a mop-up operation.
>
>Well, I wouldn't be so sure. Mac's had their highest selling point last
>year at the same exact time Microsquish released Win95. Coincidence?
No...
>People were waiting to see how "Mac-like" Win95 would be. When they found
>out it still wasn't as user-freindly as the MacOS, they bought Macs
>instead. In the past year alone there's been a 30% increase in both sales
>AND 3rd party development. That's a HUGE market indicator. The problem is
>just that Apple has made the Macs so popular and dropped the prices
enough
>to be compeditive, that they can't keep up with demand. Other companies
>have done the same thing in the past... make something too popular and
you
>risk putting yourself out of business.
>
><shrug>
>

    Good try! For sure, Windows 95 has flaws. Mac still wins the OS
battle. You are, of course, kidding about a company being so successful
that it's about to go belly-up!? 

    Really, it would be great to see Apple cut costs, bring prices to
within 10% of same-performance PC's, and battle the clone makers nose to
nose.

>Time will tell....
>

    Most likely ....



Rubywand