Comments Anyone?

[bslog@pro-scat.cts.com (Bill Logsdon)]

 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 137 of 150
 To  > Apple II users                    From> John Sculley (#113)
 Subj> Policies                          Date> 12/17/92  09:11:25 PM
 Sorc> Sculley's Hatred:Gardena Ca       Rcd > Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 04:46
 
I have been following this thread and the need to speak out against
ignorance and conjecture.
 
I have been criticized over and over for the failure of Apple IIs to sell
in the marketplace. In fact, I have been one of the strongest supporters
of Apple IIs in the upper corporate management. My hands have been tied
on no less than 5 occasions by the Macintosh zealots at every turn. I was
the one to propose the GS+ project and was able to get as far as
pre-production plans approved until my CFO cut the program without my
approval. His contention was the Apple II was a withering product in
todays market. The upgrade to the GS+ would have drained large amounts of
production time away from the planned Macintosh upgrades that were
already inline for production.
 
Many critics have the idea the a CEO is like a dictator. This is totally
untrue: I am the "leader" of the company only by the approval of the
stockholders. They are my ultimate owners of Apple and I am only
responsible to them. I cannot force my ideas onto the corporation without
stockholder approval. If the Apple II is not a stockholder priority then
it will not be an Apple priority. The Apple II problem is partly because
the owners of Apple, the stockholders, do not see a future for it.
 
Apple will support the Apple II into the future. Apple will be releasing
System 6.01 with the EtherNet peripheral card and software. This update
will also include the MS-DOS file system translator. Apple will also
continue the Apple IIe on our price sheets for institutional users.
 
I hope that I have clarified some points which have been bantered about
on this net which were untrue. If you wish to register a comment about
Apple's future vision for the Apple II, contact me at the following
address or phone number:
 
Apple Computer, Inc.
20525 Mariani Avenue
Cupertino, California 95014
Attn: John Sculley, CEO
 
(408) 996-1010 and press 0 for the operator.
 
For customer relations call 1-800-776-2333 for questions and comments.
 
For service information and dealer location call 1-800-538-9696
 
JS
 
 
 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 138 of 150
 To  > The Contact (#381)                From> Rich (#16)
 Subj> Re: Apple ][                      Date> 12/18/92  05:13:35 PM
 Sorc> The GS Express - San Jose         Rcd > Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 04:46
 
>Big corporations are going to go with makes them the most money and
>thats the way it is.
 
Wait one minute. The Apple II was selling great with a huge following,
Apple had a huge market which they totally ignored. This is not good
business.
 
The Apple II sold well for years even with -no- advertising and Apple
dealers trying to steer everyone to the MAC.
 
In other words, Apple did not go where the money was, and that is just
the way things were.
 
 
Rich
 
 
 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 141 of 150
 To  > The Contact (#381)                From> Surfer Joe (#96)
 Subj> Re: Apple ][                      Date> 12/19/92  11:44:16 AM
 Sorc> Apple Elite II Riverside Ca.      Rcd > Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 04:47
 
>in our schools. Though I have heard that Apple is trying to sell Macs
>to the schools, it will never happen with the type of financial stress
>placed on them now, for they cant even keep the teachers working much
>less have every school district buy 40 macs or whatever.
 
Yeah, isn't that a joke!  Teachers here make around $1100/mo, AIDES MUCH
LESS!  They are expected to try to control a group of about 40 kids whose
education and I/Q varies very widely even though they may be in the same
age groups.
 
The teachers are so busy just trying to entertain, it is amazing anything
worthwhile is learned.  Smart Superintendants everywhere are allocating
monies towards better using existing equipment.  For me that means job
security and increased budget to do what I want to do anyways.  What good
is ANY computer without someone who knows how to USE it???  Do your good
deed for today, Teach-a-Teacher something about Apple II Computers! :-)
 
If you think that this is just my opinion, then perhaps you are right,
but you had better take another look at the latest issue of "Enhance"
huh...
 
>Anyways, just felt like putin' in my two cents.
 
Well it was worth more than that 2me!
 
jpe
 
 
 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 143 of 150
 To  > Rich (#16)                        From> The Snooper (#135)
 Subj> Re: Apple ][                      Date> 12/19/92  12:57:20 PM
 Sorc> Apple Elite II Riverside Ca.      Rcd > Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 04:47
 
When did Apple ever do anything that was expected. The company was
founded in a garage and at times it still runs like it. The SysOp here
bought a PowerBook 100 for reasons I don't know other then he says the
price and size.
 
 
 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 148 of 150
 To  > John Sculley (#113)               From> Bilbo (#49)
 Subj> Bilbo (#49)                       Date> Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 16:09
 
 
I find some of these statements simply amazing.... during the past 15
years, I have spent the majority of my tenure in the service in various
locations in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, and the US.... during
most of that time, employed also by Apple, Europe, as a representative
servicing the various Army and Air Force Exchange outlets there.
 
One thing I noticed over the years, was that Apple consistently failed to
promote sales of the "//" line, yet sales of the // far outstripped the
Mac in all those markets.
 
I spent the majority of my "off" time (off from the demands of the
military) traveling to various user groups, and to different exchanges,
providing information, hardware upgrades, and even in some cases,
transportating special orders (pick something up for a user from a store
in France, and deliver it in Holland, etc), because of the order
delays/backlogs through the exchange system.
 
I have been privileged to be a participant in two Defence Nuclear Agency
pilot projects, the first of which involved use of modified apple ][+'s,
Corvus Omnidrives, multiple monitors, Pioneer laserdics (yep, they were
available as commercial products THEN), all communicating with each other
over hardwire or encrypted radio links...  the purpose of this project
was to enable a deployed headquarters to maintain up to the minute data
communications even while dispersed over a wide area, enhancing
survivability of the headquarters.
 
(Real neat, slideshows/briefings up to the minute with digitized map
support, in the early 80's!!!)
 
This sole-source (meaning apple was the only one contacted) contract was
denied by apple, for as they stated, they could not produce the equipment
requested for the funding allocated, (in other words, they were holding
out for more money).
 
The next project involved a Tempest Secure (electromagnetically
shielded/emmission shielded) Macintosh project for the pentagon.  We
wanted apple to provide a custom operating system, programming language,
and equipment that was secure against electronic eavesdropping/espionage.
Apple again turned it down, and the contract went to the Heath/Zenith
folks, who subsequently, had a monopoly for many years, who basically set
the stan that all supporting agencies and contractors had to follow.
 
As CEO of a major corporation, as a leader, it is your responsibility to
"take the helm" so to speak... to convince those stockholders that a
product that continues to have a wide user base, and sells consistently,
despite the decline in support and lack of advertising, is a viable
product to sell.
 
I have seen many, many examples of poor planning foresight on the part of
many companies, not just apple, but they all share one thing in common...
lack of vision.   Many, many folks today would continue with apple, from
the school level, to a higher grade home machine, to macs in the business
world, stepping up as their means to obtain better equipment increases,
provided such a path and such support is available.
 
(Keep in mind tho, how cheap a 386/40 is today!)
 
I am one of the many, many, many apple users who loves the machines, who
has owned everything from an apple ][+, a /// (still got it), a //e, a
//c, a Lisa, an SE30 and now two //gs's.
 
But, like many other users, I have just purchased a 486 machine, with all
it's many inconveniences, to be compatible with the equipment currently
being used at my work.
 
Many users are actively involved in the recommendation/decision phase of
a companies procurement of computer equipment.  My new employers at SA,
knowing of my love for apples, and my experience with both Monkey Dos and
Macs in business, asked for an honest cost-comparision, including factors
such as software, hardware, available/projected manufacturer support,
etc., and I was forced to recommend the Unisys 486 as being the most cost
effective, despite my desire to be able to do otherwise.
 
I have also had in the past, a Lisa (what a joke) and an SE30... and was
very disapointed in the manner in which those machines were handled.
 
So many, many apple users (and many Mac users) feel the same way.
 
You, as CEO, are one of the "key" players in the decision making process,
if a product is in fact a viable one, with the ability/staff to convince
those needed convincing, of the availability of a market for a given
product.
 
I have a suggestion - offer a continued equipment upgrade - a true bridge
between the // line and the Mac...
 
offer an emulator card, that not only supports low end // software, but
also gs software...
 
set guidelines for your distributors/sales folks - continue to offer the
// line as an upgradable path, a beginning "poor mans" computer... having
a stepped upgrade to the mac line, in which a user does not lose his/her
software investment, would do more to maintain customer loyalty than
anything else the company could do.
 
remember, the poor guy just out of high school today is the department
head/manager/owner ten years from now... and his experience now dictates
his buying decisions tommorrow.
 
I am sure I am not alone in stating, "If such equipment/upgrade were
available, I would purchase them"...
 
do a market survey and find out!
 
 
 
 Brd > Computer News * Apple // *        Numb> 150 of 150
 To  > nitt (#107)                       From> Bilbo (#49)
 Subj> Re: Policies                      Date> Sun. Dec 20 1992 @ 16:20
 
 
Whether it is a real post or not, it raises issues needed to be
addressed.
 
I am an apple stockholder - if you have something to say (stockholder or
not) agitate for your views, spend a few minutes and a little time, and
write...
 
encourage others to do so... remember, it is not the silent majority that
gets its views heard, and its needs fulfilled, it is the loud, obnoxious
hell-raisers that are listened to... so if you want a change, write!!!
 
*** Comments, anyone?