mdavis@pro-sol.cts.COM (Morgan Davis) (08/24/88)
------ Forwarded Message #1 ------
>From andyn Mon Aug 22 22:43:24 1988
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 88 22:26:40 PDT
From: andyn (Andy Nicholas)
To: mdavis
Subject: pass this along
Morgan,
Since Rob Moore is a friend of yours (I hope? :-) would you please pass this
along to anyone at Apple that might be able to get something done on the
"next generation of IIgs"? Your help would be appreciated.
How about making the GS's case 4 inches wider, and on the right-hand side (as
you face the machine), put a $1.50 piece of aluminum for a mounting bracket
for
a 20-meg 3.5" hard drive to sit on edge inside the machine. Then, beside the
drive, further towards the front, place a small (*QUIET, DAMMIT!*) muffin fan
to cool the whole system.
Then, because the GS is 4 inches wider, Apple could unbundle the GS's keyboard
from the system unit (ie, abandon the gs keyboard) in favor of the Mac SE
(apple standard) keyboard. Aesthetically the machine would look nicer, and
the keyboard would look better in front of the wider machine.
Of course, this assumes that there is an internal SCSI port in the machine,
but
what the hay? This whole suggestion would result in *MANY MANY* hard drive
sales for apple (since many owners won't want to install them themselves, but
still leave the option open for third party developers), and better keyboard
sales since the keyboard would be a separate item. Since 3.5" hard drives
already exist for the Mac SE, it would be simple to take an SE drive
and drop it into the GS, and viola! instant hard drive. It would also make
IIgs systems slightly more portable since the owners won't have to pick up the
hard drive all the time.
--
With apple trying to bring the Mac SE and IIgs closer together, this would be
logical move on their part, since:
A) Adding a 25-pin SCSI port to the back of the IIgs will require a case
modification anyway.
B) The 3.5" hard drives (from apple's point of view) could be taken from
the Mac SE's inventory (ie, just order more drives).
C) Allow the machine to compete better with the Amiga and Atari ST, which
do not make a hard drive a standard option.
D) The machines would require no more service from the dealers than they
already provide for the Mac SE machines, and even less knowledge about
the interior since the IIgs is less complex on the inside.
E) It would provide an internal drive for gs/os, which ought to be run
from a hard drive anyway. (morgan, what do you think of hartford anyway?)
(or "adam-ant" for that matter)
F) Even if apple never provides a speed upgrade for a somewhat mythical
"IIgs+" it (the hard drive upgrade) would hold the machine in good
stead for at least until 1990. -- it would also provide good impetus
to upgrade to the IIgs from the IIc+ (because most "normal" people
will want a faster machine than the one they originally bought, and
an inernal hard drive would tide them over for a while).
You see, morgan, I've been an avid fan of Apple's since 1980 when I first
started programming on the II+, and so much dearly want to see apple make
the IIgs a great machine. (yes, I was 13 when I first saw one and was
immediately entranced)
Hope this provides a little spark for "Big Red" <grin>
Thank you very much for listening,
andy
------------
A good idea, no?
--Morgan
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InterNet: mdavis@pro-sol.cts.commdavis@pro-sol.cts.COM (Morgan Davis) (08/26/88)
------ Forwarded Message #1 ------
>From andyn Thu Aug 25 20:22:11 1988
Date: Thu, 25 Aug 88 20:18:17 PDT
From: andyn (Andy Nicholas)
To: mdavis
Subject: Pass this along
Morgan,
Since Rob Moore is a friend of yours (I hope? :-) would you please pass this
along to anyone at Apple that might be able to get something done on the
"next generation of IIgs"? Your help would be appreciated.
-------------< Cut Here, send to: Apple Computer Inc's Engineers >------------
How about making the GS's case 4 inches wider, and on the right-hand side (as
you face the machine), put a $1.50 piece of aluminum for a mounting bracket
for a 20-meg 3.5" hard drive to sit on edge (or horizontally) inside the
machine. Then, beside the drive, drive, further towards the front, place a
small (*QUIET*) muffin fan to cool the whole system.
Then, because the GS is 4 inches wider, Apple could unbundle the GS's
keyboard from the system unit (ie, abandon the gs keyboard) in favor of the
Mac SE (apple standard) keyboard. Aesthetically the machine would look nicer,
and the keyboard would look better in front of the wider machine.
Of course, this assumes that there is an internal SCSI port in the machine,
but that is a very small price to pay for such a flexible machine. This whole
suggestion would result in *MANY MANY* hard drive sales for apple (since many
owners won't want to install them themselves, but still leave the option open
for third party developers), and better keyboard sales since the keyboard
would be a separate item. Since 3.5" hard drives already exist for the
Mac SE, it would be simple to take an SE drive and drop it into the GS, and
viola! instant hard drive. It would also make IIgs systems slightly more
portable since the owners won't have to pick up the hard drive all the time.
-----
With Apple trying to bring the Mac and II lines closer together, this would
be a logical move on their part, since:
A) Adding a 25-pin SCSI port to the back of the IIgs will require a case
modification anyway.
B) The 3.5" hard drives (from apple's point of view) could be taken from
the Mac SE's inventory (ie, just order more drives).
C) Allow the machine to compete better with the Amiga and Atari ST, which
do not make a hard drive a standard option.
D) The machines would require no more service from the dealers than they
already provide for the Mac SE machines, and even less knowledge about
the interior since the IIgs is less complex on the inside.
E) It would provide an internal drive for gs/os, which ought to be run
from a hard drive anyway.
F) Even if apple never provides a speed upgrade for a somewhat mythical
"IIgs+" it (the hard drive upgrade) would hold the machine in good
stead for at least until 1990. -- it would also provide good impetus
to upgrade to the IIgs from the IIc+ (because most "normal" people
will want a faster machine than the one they originally bought, and
an internal hard drive would tide them over for a while).
G) If apple would be looking to distinguish this newest member of the IIgs
family, this would set it apart by making it appear (in my opinion)
"more robust." -- by making it wider. The psychological effect of the
wider case would also help apple's sales and bolster the community
spirit for the IIgs.
H) If Apple still worries about such a hard drive equipped IIgs hindering
Mac sales, they shouldn't worry because such a machine would help to
bring more people into the Apple camp. It helps to shore up the low-end
of the market. After all, people always have a choice, and this would
give the IIgs much more mass-appeal.
The idea has so many positive aspects (both for Apple corporate *AND* for
the customers) that there really shouldn't be any reason for them not to
make the change in upcoming machines.
You see, morgan, I've been an avid fan of Apple's since 1980 when I first
started programming on the II+, and so much dearly want to see apple make
the IIgs a great machine. (yes, I was 13 when I first saw one and was
immediately entranced)
Hope this provides a little spark for "Big Red" <grin>
Thank you very much for listening,
andy
------------
A good idea, no?
--Morgan
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InterNet: mdavis@pro-sol.cts.comNETOPRMS@NCSUVM.BITNET (Michael Steele) (09/01/88)
Bravo!!!! Enlargeing the GS case is a GREAT idea. Glad someone thought of
it. Too bad Apple isn't listening!
By the way, has anyone heard or seen anything else about the mysterious
GS+? Why have all of the rumors suddenly died??? Surely someone on our net
of thousands has connections to the Apple world. What about all of those
"seeded developers" who received the GS+?
Well until then I'll be waiting and reading..... but not getting my
hopes up for Apple to do anything dramatic with the II line in the near
future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Steele NETOPRMS@NCSUVM.BITNET Co-Sysop of the NCSU Apple UG BBS
300/1200/2400 10 meg Tech,C,Pascal discussion 919-783-9010 PCP-ncrtplwv@n8emr.UUCP (Larry W. Virden) (09/04/88)
1. Apple may announce a IIc with a 3.5" drive in it. 2. Dont expect a GS+ in 88 - maybe if we are luck in 90. 3. There IS going to be at least one internal hard disk drive announced at Applefest for the GS - supposedly comes in 20, 30 and 50 meg sizes for a $400-$800 price range; I dont know if the 60+ drives will be announced or not. -- Larry W. Virden 75046,606 (CIS) 674 Falls Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 (614) 864-8817 osu-cis!n8emr!lwv (UUCP) osu-cis!n8emr!lwv@TUT.CIS.OHIO-STATE.EDU (INTERNET) We haven't inherited the world from our parents, but borrowed it from our children.