Re: Apple Computer, Inc made mistake to do SHR?

[Don <coach41@pacbell.net>]

On Jul 13, 9:25 pm, Calibrator <calibra...@freenet.de> wrote:

>
> > so I'm guessing simplification of Apple II compatibility was the main
> > driver. I'm sure others can offer more insight on this.
>
> I'm pretty sure that you hit the nail on the head.
> I bet that most private IIgs buyers were owners of an 8-bit Apple
> and wanted to stay compatible while having some more or less
> gentle upgrades.
>
> bye
> Marcus

As an Apple IIe user at the time the IIGS was released (I never did
get the IIGS), I was excited about the upgraded graphics / sound
capabilities.   However, it became apparent from reading magazines
that these upgraded features, while better than the 8 bit Apple II's,
were not quite as good as the ST and Amiga.

I've always wondered why this was the case, but I think some of you
had nailed it in regards to 8 bit compatibility.

It's amusing if one considers the possibilities.  If the Apple IIGS
has been released sans 8-bit compatibility, then it would have been
essentially a color Macintosh using 16 bit processor.  I think it's
been discussed here before and even in Incider A+ back in the day.
What if the Apple IIGS had been released with the same name but had
the insides of a Macintosh?   Apple could have released a Apple II
card like they did with the Macintosh LC series.  In theory, Apple II
computers could still be in school's.  Alas, that didn't happen.

In thinking of Apple IIGS games, it seemed to me that most games
(except maybe for those Cinemaware games) generally didn't require
full screen animation so the limitations of the IIGS wouldn't be so
apparent.  Games like Tetris or other translated 8 bit titles were
just had more resolution and color than the older versions.  Only a
few games pushed the limit of the IIGS and I think that may have been
due to the limitations.

Don