Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!apple!chuq
From: chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Left in Dust? (was: Adobe Type Manager)
Message-ID: <35011@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 25 Sep 89 19:43:06 GMT
References: <1989Sep25.192841.16775@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: Life is just a Fantasy novel played for keeps
Lines: 35

>Last time I checked (a while ago), an MS-DOS machine with the IBM logo
>on it was a HECK of a lot more money than the "same" MS-DOS machine that
>said "Compaq" or "Made in Taiwan".  IBM's pricing policies are no better
>than Apple's.  Apple gets away with it because of their unique software;
>IBM gets away with it because of their prestige and marketing skills.

Apple computers are no more expensive than IBM or Compaq. They're more
expensive than the clones, but the clones have minimal R&D costs -- they
simply borrow what IBM and Compaq have done after it's been out a few
months. You can be a lot cheaper if you don't want to be cutting edge....

>though I think that Apple would do well to sacrifice some margin for
>further market penetration.

Well, the last Datapro reports show that Apple has a 16.4% market share, IBM
a 14% market share and Compaq somewhat less. Almost one out of every five
computers sold today is a Macintosh. If you look at total numbers by
architecture, MS-DOS still wins, but MacOS is well ahead of OS/2. If you
look at installed base, MS-DOS is well ahead, but the gap is closing.

The market numbers show that Macintosh is more than holding it's own over
Big Blue. It's winning -- and the overall market share penetration is
trending up.

The reality is this: if you look at equivalent systems, there's very little
cost difference between Mac, IBM or Compaq. You can save money going to the
clones, but you'll pay it back in reduced productivity and performance.
(there are any *number* of management studies to back that up, from
Price/Waterhouse and the other accounting/management firms.)

-- 

Chuq Von Rospach <+> Editor,OtherRealms <+> Member SFWA/ASFA
chuq@apple.com <+> CI$: 73317,635 <+> [This is myself speaking. I am not Appl
Segmentation Fault. Core dumped.