SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (03/31/89)
Have you seen the last page of the April 1989 A2-Central (the latest issue,
I just received mine in Thursday's mail)? Weishaar's editorial in particular
makes the argument that potential Macintosh customers are likely to draw
inferences about future support for their investment from how Apple treats
(or is perceived to treat) their installed Apple 2 base.
I find it interesting that Apple made the deal with Sun Remarketing in this
country which effectively insures (at least so far) that Apple's (domestic)
computers will never truly be "orphans." It's curious that something
similar hasn't been arranged for Europe and Asia (especially since the
current callous attitude, which has been reflected occasionally in posts
to info-apple, is TERRIBLE public relations).
I'm not a stockholder, so I don't have a direct financial stake in the
company's apparent disinterest in generating revenue from international
Apple 2 sales (Weishaar's arguement on that point isn't unassailable
anyway as it may be that investing time, energy, and management talent
marketing Macintoshes rather than Apple 2's will generate a larger long-run
return). However, the idea that Apple should license SOMEONE to service
it's installed base in Europe if they don't want to do it themselves
WOULD seem to have a bearing on how credible the Mac will be perceived
in those markets.
Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90]
Prof. of Marketing Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET
Business School sewall%uconnvm.bitnet@mitvma.mit.edu [INTERNET]
U of Connecticut {psuvax1 or mcvax }!UCONNVM.BITNET!SEWALL [UUCP]
-+- I don't speak for my employer, though I frequently wish that I could
(subject to change without notice; void where prohibited)
According to the American Facsimile Association, more than half the calls
from Japan to the U.S. are fax calls. FAX it to me at: 1-203-486-5246labc-3dc@e260-3f.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) (04/03/89)
In article <8903310227.aa00254@SMOKE.BRL.MIL> SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) writes: >Have you seen the last page of the April 1989 A2-Central (the latest issue, >I just received mine in Thursday's mail)? Weishaar's editorial in particular >makes the argument that potential Macintosh customers are likely to draw >inferences about future support for their investment from how Apple treats >(or is perceived to treat) their installed Apple 2 base. Most of the back page is filled with letters from Apple II users around the world who have been abandoned by Apple Computer, Inc. To quote from his response (I'm sure he wouldn't mind...): " Apple seems to think that its lack of support for the II is adequately addressed by suggesting that Apple II owners switch to the incompatible Macintosh. We feel that a company that is willing to abandon hundreds of thousands of Apple II users around the world will also be willing to abandon hundreds of thousands of Macintosh users a few years from now. To buy another computer from the same company under these circumstances is foolish. Since Apple wants us to change operating systems anyhow, we'd be much smarter to change to a less proprietary operating system, which has a better chance of being supported in the future, now." To quote Mr. Scott: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." >Murph Sewall Vaporware? ---> [Gary Larson returns 1/1/90] -- fadden@cory.berkeley.edu (Andy McFadden) ...!ucbvax!cory!fadden labc-3dc@widow.berkeley.edu
SEWALL@UCONNVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) (04/03/89)
>"...Since Apple wants us to change operating systems anyhow, we'd be much >smarter to change to a less proprietary operating system, which has a >better chance of being supported in the future, now." The likely choices would seem to be: MS-DOS (obsolete) OS/2 (not yet established) Unix The price of hardware with the capacity and speed to make credible Unix boxes is falling rapidly (see this month's Vaporware column). A system with 4+ Mbytes of RAM, 100+ Mbytes of mass storage, and a processing speed on a par with a 25 MHz 80386 or 20 MHz 68030 for less than $5,000 is perhaps 2-3 years away. I'd guess that 90% of the posters of "grumbles" to this list are already quite capable of happily operating and programming Unix. If X-Windows and the "Open Look" (or other user friendly operating interfaces) live up to expectations, even those of us who don't dream in hex code will be able to adapt to Unix. Are you ready for your NeXT computer? :-) /s Murph <Sewall%UConnVM.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu> I bought the latest computer; it came fully loaded. It was guaranteed for 90 days, but in 30 was outmoded! - The Wall Street Journal passed along by Big Red Computer's SCARLETT FAX it to me at: 1-203-486-5246