Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!cod!rupp
From: rupp@cod.NOSC.MIL (William L. Rupp)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Re: Apple II Future
Message-ID: <1327@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Date: 9 Dec 88 18:02:03 GMT
References: 
Reply-To: rupp@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (William L. Rupp)
Organization: Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego
Lines: 39

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For what it's worth, one of my "sources" tells me that Apple is not
about to kill off the II line because of continued profitability.  One
of the reasons the IIc/IIe remain profitable is that no (or little)
money has been put into upgrading them.  Next time you pass a Ford
dealership, take a look at the Crown Victoria.  The Crown Vic is Ford's
link with the past, a full-sized car.  This year, model 1989 I think,
they have finally given the car a modest face-lift (and a pleasing one,
too).  Otherwise, the car is pretty much the same as it was a decade
ago.  Why make big changes if your old design sells well as is?  Same
with the Apple II line.

The Apple IIGS is Apple Computer's attempt to have their cake and eat it
too.  A computer that runs all the old software and in addition moves
into the new areas of 16-bit processing and graphical user interface.  I
know that a lot of die-hard Apple II fans are not crazy about the
grahical interface, but that's the way things are going.  On the other
hand, I can't see Apple making the IIGS *too* powerful, otherwise it would
be a viable alternative to a Macintosh.  As it is, the GS offers some
nice features that the Plus and SE don't have, such as color and very
good sound.  If the interface could be speeded up a bit, you would have a
very nice machine.  Now, given that possibility, and assuming that a really
large base of GS software were created, wouldn't a lot of potential
Mac buyers save some money by going with the GS instead?  I'm sure
that's what Apple is worried about.  They want the GS to succeed, but if
it succeeds too much, they have the problem of competing with
themselves.

The one thing that Apple users have to accept is that the 8-bit days
are over.  Well, if not over, at least fading into the background.

Even Henry Ford had to face reality eventually when he switched from the
Model-T to the Model-A.

Bill
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Please don't confuse this posting with anything other than my own personal
opinion.  Names and places have been changed to protect the innocent.
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