Re: Signs of the apocalypse

[Richard Kilpatrick <delorean@btconnect.com>]

On 7/7/04 5:11 am, in article 40EB789B.78C61D5E@swbell.net, "Rubywand"
<rubywand@swbell.net> wrote:

>    Apple made a fundamental error when it chose to go with its low-volume,
> high price line (Mac). Atari and Commodore made the same mistake; so, the
> screw up is not exclusive to Apple.

Apple screwed up less than Atari & Commodore. Commodore could have done much
better and did, at least, make some sort of effort - but all in the wrong
directions and all with compatibility as some sort of backup mode.

Atari didn't even bother. XEM? An XE with a different sound chip? But they
were still 40 columns and unusable for anything much beyond games (I had an
XEP-80, which was amusing - an 80 column terminal connected to the joystick,
not SIO, port).

Apple made a valid decision, dropping the IIgs in favour of the LC, though
really that decision should, and would, have been a lot harder for them to
make had the IIgs been developed in a manner parallel to the Mac - audio I/O
sockets (as can be added easily), greater screen resolutions via additional
modes, SIMM memory and of course, bumping the CPU to 8MHz.

Even then, the //e card for the LC is, by all accounts, a perfectly good
fallback for the hordes of AppleWorks users at the time - I don't see an XE
card for my STE (though it makes a very good Macintosh, thanks to a little
cartridge), or a C64 card with SID chip on for the Amiga...[1]

>    Basically, all of the major computer makers underestimated the significance
> of the home market. What's special about Apple is that, in the Apple II, it
> had the user base and means to achieve dominance in hardware and software into
> the 21st century; but, it chose to abandon its roots and persue quickie
> profits.

Agreed. But then Apple's leadership was utterly dense in the early 90s.
 
>    However picturesque the idea, Apple did not eat its own young. Perhaps it
> should have.

Newton. *nyom nyom*

Richard

[1] And clearly very collectible now. Seriously. I found a new boxed one I
really liked the look of - and the seller seemed helpful. $75 is surely a
large enough bid. Noooo... Someone bid over $100 it seems! I just moved down
the line of auctions and got one for a much more sane $26...

-- 
Richard Kilpatrick@work.eMac. Apples of various varieties.
Carstuff - Supra and New Beetle, and happy with just two for once.
Music stuff - http://www.dmc12.demon.co.uk/music/
Otherstuff: Enterprise 128, Acorns, writing, ZIM!