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.