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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