[comp.sys.apple2] Apple //, Mac LC, The Future of the Apple //

rlcollins@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Ryan 'Gozar' Collins) (04/01/91)

Well, here are my thoughts on the Apple // line and the Mac LC.

What Apple should be doing is lowering the price of the //c+ to about $150 
to $200 dollars. That would move them out the door, schools would be able 
to afford more computers, etc, etc. The current prices apple wants for the 
// line is outrageous.

I saw a Mac LC for the first time, what a joke!! It has color all right, 
but it's still the same resolution as the Classic, 512X384! Really the 
entire Mac line is still way too expensive, and when you get to Mac 
software, the prices go out the roof!! (In a MacUser magazine a few months 
back they did a review of word processors for the home, now that the 
Classic was aimed for the market. The definition of bargain software was 
over $100 dollars!! And they expect people to buy it for there home?!?

It's a shame how the Apple company is run. (I thought Atari was bad!! At 
least Apple advertises!!) They could still be making a killing at the 
educational market market, but are to interested in the business market, 
and at the same time losing the educational market to MS-DOS clones. (Why 
is a school going to buy an outdated //c+ when for a few dollars more, then 
can own this shiny MS-DOS clone?)

What the world needs is an affordable computer, one that can be used at the 
home, and still keep up with the big boys at work, and still cost under 
$200, with only a disk drive.

To keep up with the business market, the next generation, a //c++? should have 
out of the box:

	o The necessary hardware to r/w MSDOS disks. This would provide the 
ability to transfer data back and forth from work.

	o The appropriate translation modules to translate Lotus, Word 
Perfect into AppleWorks. You don't need the real thing, just to be able to 
use the information from the real thing.

	o Bundle Appleworks with the hardware.

	o Make the imagewriter affordable. ($200-$250)

	o And maybe even some sort of GUI. (Not GEOworks, unless it is a 
lot better than the C64 version, the only form of GEOworks I've been in 
contact with.) Maybe something like the IIgs Finder?

	o 256K of memory.

	o And of course, bundle a joystick and some games with it!!

Maybe its a pipe dream which will probably never happen, but I feel that 
this would be an instant success.

Dad: Well, we can get a Nintendo for Jr, but an Apple //c++ only cost a 
hundred more, and it comes with some useful software, Jr could use it for 
his school work, I could do some work from the office at home, etc...

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