Re: How will the Apple II survive?

["John" <zzjoki@joimail.com>]

A couple of related, but random thoughts...

o I was surprised by the post of a person who had several pins corrode on
chip(s) on their A2 motherboard. This is disturbing,   ;-)  ,  since I
thought most wear might be mechanical (disks), and in capacitors drying out.
This may cause me to move items from garage to house :-(.

o I agree with the supply of  technicians comment. Even in Puyallup there is
a shop where someone can rebuild a model T engine. However, when these
craftspeople retire there is no apprentice.

o One car enthusiast I know commented that certain "nostalgic" cars decline
in value when the age of the population of original drivers exceeds the age
where people tend to collect - i.e. there are less interested bidders. A
scary thought if you hope to make money off your A2 collection.



"Michael J. Mahon" <mjmahon@aol.com> wrote in message
20040416131313.17478.00000414@mb-m20.aol.com">news:20040416131313.17478.00000414@mb-m20.aol.com...
> Jeff Thomas wrote:
>
> >I pondered upon this question lately, how long will the Apple II
> >survive?
> >
> >Three years ago, my Apple IIe computer died. The fault lay with the
> >motherboard, I
> >had known of one tradesperson, who could fix it, but he closed shop the
> >year before, due to trouble sourcing parts and rising costs for the
> >older computers, he specialised in servicing like mines. Nobody else
> >knew what, it was nor how to fix it. I was able to get a replacement
> >computer second-hand, but I can foresee that in possibly 10-years time
> >that might be impossible. My only insurance against this is to purchase
> >several machines. How would the ordinary person fair?
>
> What is going on is a normal process as technology ages.
>
> The Apple II will eventually only be maintainable by interested
> electronic hobbyists, not unlike the person who created it.
>
> This is the population upon which the initial success of the
> Apple II was built, and will be its final destination.
>
> Although the Apple II was widely sold as the first "appliance"
> personal computer for the masses, its fundamental strength
> was its expandability, which ensured a long and versatile life.
>
> As "expertise for hire" becomes non-existant, older technology
> becomes impractical for the non-technical to use.  This process
> is now well under way for the Apple II.
>
> Whether or not new, younger hobbyists will be recruited in
> sufficient numbers to maintain some continuity depends on the
> appeal of the machine and its nostalgia to the younger generation.
> The large number of "retro" games for the platform may help in
> kindling interest, but unless it is accompanied by learning about
> older digital electronics, the remaining real Apple II machines will
> eventually be reduced to non-functioning museum pieces.
>
> Of course, the "game" crowd can always enjoy emulators, and
> in fact, seem to be the primary push for emulation.  But this
> crowd will never know the wide range of peripheral card options
> or the joy and ease of extending the real machine.
>
> Think about the Model T.  It was the first mass-market automobile
> success.  A very large number of them were made and used by a
> huge population of people who, for the first time, felt they could
> afford and operate a car without being able to build it themselves.
>
> There were enough of them that some still exist, and parts can
> not only be found, but are still _made_ for the hobbyist market.
> But all the drivable Model Ts today are being maintained by
> people who _could_ build one themselves!
>
> This is the inevitable future for the Apple II and all old technology.
> If it survives at all, it will do so in the hands of knowledgeable
> hobbyists.
>
> -michael
>
> Check out amazing quality sound for 8-bit Apples on my
> Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/