Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihuxk.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxk!rs55611 From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.apple,net.flame Subject: Re: Apple Shafts America; or, The Computer For the Rich of Us Message-ID: <755@ihuxk.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Sep-84 13:06:20 EDT Article-I.D.: ihuxk.755 Posted: Thu Sep 20 13:06:20 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 08:21:39 EDT References: <1267@unm-cvax.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 21 Of course Apple feels that the "final arbiter" is the bottom line on the ledger books. Apple isn't a privately-owned company for the purpose of helping out computer buffs, its a $1 bilion dollar publicly-traded company that must recognize its obligations to its owners, the stock-holders. Now, one can argue that the best business strategy would still be one that encouraged long-term satisfaction with the Apple product line, but that is strictly a business (ie maximize profit, long-term and/or short-term) decision. As to the prices you quote. Is anyone really paying those prices? Here in the Chicago area, Macs are selling for around $1700 at the cheapest places, and about $2300 or so gets you the basic Mac, the printer, and a few software items like MacPaint and MacWrite. This is at regular computer stores, and doesn't reflect the student discount rate to the consortium (although the presence of a couple of such schhols in the area may well exert some competitive price pressure). Anyone paying full price for a Mac ought to seriously consider mail order, as a means to save several hundred bucks. Bob Schleicher ihuxk!rs55611