paul@imsvax.UUCP (Paul Knight) (04/25/87)
It's hard to make a living betting against IBM. Only a few years ago,
UNIX and the 68000 chip stood poised to take the world by storm and IBM
introduced a machine so shabby when contrasted to what was possible that
the mag editors all laughed. Obviously, they're no longer laughing.
The PC filled a niche which was really empty at the time. The
super-micros of the day were all $10,000 or abouts, all closed
architecturally. Near total lack of standards prevented free
interchange of files as well as the kind of superior software which now
exists in the DOS world. Meanwhile, the micros had crashed into the
brick wall of the 64K limit of 8080's and z80's, and the PC offered the
only cheap way out of that situation, as well as the IBM label.
I can't see that the new IBM machines fill any kind of a need which
is not currently being met by AT clones or, in fact, do anything at all
which isn't already being done at a third the price. In fact, users of
these machines will find themselves alone in being locked out of the two
most interesting technologies which are due to come out this year:
superior graphics based on the new TI chip and really high storage 3.5"
floppies (2-10 mb).
Present 8-10 mh AT clones with Seagate or MaxStore disks are
approaching the point of ridiculous speed now; 98% of their users will
never come close to needing the speed which is actually available, hence
I simply can't see IBM selling any of the PS2's because the machines out
there now are two slow. In fact, I can't see how anyone plans to sell
them at all unless they are simply displayed in the gift section of
department stores usually marked "OUR MOST USELESS GIFTS FOR THAT RICH
RELATIVE WHO ALREADY HAS EVERYTHING", along with the hand-carved tooth
picks, belly-button brushes, left-handed hammers......
Ted Holden
HT Enterprises
--
Paul Knight
God created man in his own image.
Man, being a grateful creature, returned the favor.cbenda@unccvax.UUCP (carl m benda) (04/25/87)
In article <708@imsvax.UUCP>, paul@imsvax.UUCP (Paul Knight) writes: > > I simply can't see IBM selling any of the PS2's because the machines out > there now are two slow. In fact, I can't see how anyone plans to sell > them at all unless they are simply displayed in the gift section of Well Paul, you forgot to mention one very important aspect which probably escaped you. Connectivity to lager IBM main frames. Remember that IBM sells business machines to businesses. They HAVE sold 5000 of the new ps2s to United Airlines, another 5,000 to Travelers Insurance, and yet another 8000 to American Airlines. So you see Paul, because they connect to the main frames, companys will purchase these machines, whether or not you purchase one, is of little concern to IBM. /Carl ...decvax!mcnc!unccvax!cbenda
geller@eli.UUCP (David Geller) (04/27/87)
In article <708@imsvax.UUCP>, paul@imsvax.UUCP (Paul Knight) writes: > I can't see that the new IBM machines fill any kind of a need which > is not currently being met by AT clones or, in fact, do anything at all > which isn't already being done at a third the price. > > Present 8-10 mh AT clones with Seagate or MaxStore disks are > approaching the point of ridiculous speed now; 98% of their users will > never come close to needing the speed which is actually available, hence > I simply can't see IBM selling any of the PS2's because the machines out > there now are two slow. (1) I suspect that this person has absolutely NO data whatsoever to support their claim that 98% of current upper-end AT clone users don't need the speed resources they have. (2) People joked about how the first computers would be "plenty" fast enough to handle just about everything... (3) I am quite sure that the new IBM PC line will be very successful. It carries a name, is well made, and resonably compatible with the most successful personal computer line around - the original stuff. (4) The new line WILL fill a need. The quality is consistently FAR superior to many of the clones I have examined - there is a far greater degree of total design than can be found with clones - the new buss offers better performance system-wide. (5) I use clones - I would be crazy to buy name-brand. But what about people who don't have the experience that many of us have - can't sit down and build an AT clone in 20 minutes...don't know how or where to buy components from? I suspect that are MANY MANY people who require products supported from a large company with a fairly decent reputation. (6) Maybe you have it in for IBM. Heck - most of us do - but it should NOT make us blind to their enormous business potential and fairly decent and reliable quality line of personal computers. David Geller Electric Logic, Inc. Washington, D.C.