Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!LOYVAX.BITNET!PGOETZ
From: PGOETZ@LOYVAX.BITNET
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Danger of IIgs+
Message-ID: <8806052321.aa19345@SMOKE.BRL.ARPA>
Date: 3 Jun 88 16:31:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 42


     The possible introduction of the IIgs+ poses a grave danger to
consumers. It lies in the well-known inverse relationship between computers
and owners: that the most ignorant users own the most powerful personal
computers, while the most experienced hackers often own systems that would
have been laughed at eight years ago. (Low-end machines such as the Timex
Sinclair are actually highly evolved calculators and hence correspond to
lowly-evolved users.)
     The relation between users and machines is evident in the history of the
Apple II line. Owners of the original Apple II were hobbyists who often got
their Apple with the specific intentions of rewiring the motherboard to see
what would happen. Owners of the II+ were on the whole not as deeply
into electronics, but were not afraid to install various proven hacks
on their motherboard, or at least to do the shift-key mod and video EPROM
installation themselves.
     The regression of the users became more visibly apparent with the large
crop of IIe owners. Not only are most of them afraid to so much as change
ROMs, an unknown number of them have no programming ability at all.
Then came the IIc, which Apple specifically designed for the anticipated
next generation of users who would quake at the prospect of inserting a
card into a slot themselves.
     Data on IIgs owners is not available to this author, as I have never
met any. I can only say that I fear the worst.
     It is generally assumed that less capable users have a higher chance of
buying more powerful machines for various reasons: they don't rush out and
get a machine because it excites them, they are business executives & hence
make more money, etc. But I propose that the machines themselves may
cause brain-damage to their owners. I bring forth this proposal after
repeated observation of rational people who, upon buying IIes or IIcs,
lose this rationality for a kind of pseudoreligon in which the computer
is treated as a holy object which is meant only to run precanned software,
and whose lid may be opened only by members of the Priesthood of Dealers
who have proved their right to work on the machines by successfuly charging
$40 to open the lid.
     I also support this assertion with the observation that Apple Computer
itself has supplied its management with new machines as they became
available, giving them the maximum exposure to powerful new machines.
     I must therefore caution anyone against buying a IIgs+ before data is
in on its effects on the user. I repeat: The IIgs+ is potentially DANGEROUS.
Due to its great power, even a test drive at a dealership may be hazardous.

Phil Goetz
PGOETZ@LOVAX.bitnet