info-mac@utcsrgv.UUCP (info-mac) (05/16/84)
Date: Tuesday 15 May 1984 08:45:57 EDT From: Leo Hourvitz <uw-beaver!leo@mit-pamela> Subject: Outside Development & Color To: <info-mac@mit-pamela> Cc: <leo.log@mit-pamela> The recently posted whispering that Apple did not plan to have outside developers for the Mac is not the case. Unlike Lisa (for which it is STILL hard to write real software) and partially because of it, one of the corner- stones of the Mac has been an active third party program. I know of people having been outside (and I do mean outside) developers last summer. Apparently the Lisa experience convinced some folks that third party developers were a good thing. I don't know why Apple has started to turn down some people for this exalted position, save perhaps that more people are applying than they ever thought would. I still don't see what quite prevents one from buying the necessary items (albeit at retail) and writing a program, anyway. As for color, I rather disagree that it is useless, but I do agree that it would have been a bad choice for Mac. Besides all the reasons already discussed, I have yet to see a color screen that is as crisp, clear, and stable as a Mac's (and yes, I have seen all the screens on display at Siggraph). Anything with a shadow mask loses on bright- ness and, to me, some amount of clarity over a monochrome screen. Even if the color were just as cheap, I would rather stare at the monochrome, if I had to look at it all day (hopefully the future will help change this). Leo Leo Hourvitz Architecture Machine Group, MIT leo%pamela@mc (arpanet)
info-mac@utcsrgv.UUCP (info-mac) (05/18/84)
Date: 17 May 1984 01:52-EDT From: Jerry E. Pournelle <uw-beaver!POURNE@MIT-MC> Subject: Outside Development & Color To: leo@MIT-PAMELA Cc: info-mac@MIT-PAMELA, leo.log@MIT-PAMELA In-Reply-To: Msg of 15 May 1984 08:45:57 EDT from Leo Hourvitz <leo at mit-pamela> This may be a repeat; if so, apologies. System crashed last night after I sent this. Yesterday Aplle informed Dr. H that he had, after all, been accepted as a developer, and his Mac will arrive in two weeks. No rason for change of heart given. You have, of course, all seen the Infoworld. I continue to like the Macintosh myself, but can't in good conscience recommend naive users to get one until the software actually appears. I sure do wish it had a USEFUL desk calculator in the desk tools. JEP PS: anyone know how to write one that is simple and easy to use, and could take the place of my TI-59 so I could puyt the Mac where the calculator resides?