Re: What's It All About, Ian?

[joko@well.sf.ca.us (Joe Kohn)]

After sleeping on it, I just wanted to make a few comments, as I didn't
want Ian Schmidt's remarks about Shareware Solutions II to be
misinterpreted.

So, for those who don't know me or don't know Ian...

I'm proud of what I have been able to accomplish with just one issue (so
far) of Shareware Solutions II. I have been getting lots of great
compliments from many happy subscribers, and I offered to send Ian a free
sample copy with a very specific purpose in mind. Or, there was "method
to my madness". I consider Ian Schmidt, aside from being a fantastic IIGS
programmer, to be the net's harshest critic. By that, I mean that he is
well written, knows what he is talking about concerning the Apple II, is
extremely opinionated, and is not afraid to say something negative about
something if he doesn't like it. (kinda like me).

Knowing full well that Ian would tell the net exactly what he thought
about SSII, and that he wouldn't mince words, I sent him off a copy,
knowing that if he didn't like it, he'd tell you in no uncertain terms.

I'd would like to point out something, though. First off, the intended
audience of SSII is the end user; the "average" person who uses an Apple
II. For Apple II programming super-stars like Ian, I think I'd rather let
them get their information from the likes of people like Matt Deatherage
and Mike Westerfield and from the Apple IIGS Technical Manuals.
Obviously, as a non-programmer, I can't teach guys who spend 18 hours a
day programming their computer, and I'm not trying to.

Ian devised a scale of 1 to 10. 10 was the highest, so let's assume that
a 10 equates to fantastic, wonderful, phenomenal. Or, for ease, let's
just say it means 'excellent'. The net's harshest critic rated SSII as
excellent in Print/Duplication Quality and in Information Quality. Just
slightly below that, he offers a rating of 9+ for money saving deals that
I was able to set up for readers and for the fun value of the newsletter.

Of course, he goes on to say much more, and I just want to say that after
reading and re-reading Ian's remarks and comments to me, I think that
what he is trying to say is that for the average Apple II user, SSII is a
fun read, it's well written, it looks good and it's chock filled with
valuable information.

I do want to say that reading between the lines, I detect an almost
reverential respect from Ian for what I have done. Please correct me if
I'm wrong on that, Ian. I just have a feeling that Shareware Solutions II
impressed the heck out of you, didn't it?

Oh well, I just didn't want to let some comments get misinterpreted, as
I'm awful proud of what I have created, and I seriously think that SSII
is just the thing for the vast majority of Apple II users. And, it sure
seems as if everyone who has seen SSII agrees with me. Even Ian, in his
own inimical way.

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but "word of mouth" advertising is
critical for the success of SSII, and I didn't want to see Ian's remarks
taken out of context.

In fact, when Ian commented "You'll find a lot of useful information
which is clearly written" that was about the highest compliment I could
have imagined coming from him.

Joe Kohn