SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU (01/21/91)
Michael Tiernan asks in a earlier article > If Apple is behind the Apple II series of computers (choke, gag) why don't > they take the inititive and go to one of these companies like the authors of > Ultima or Stellar 7 and tell them to write their game and if they don't make > money [or some other gage of success] than Apple will pay them for the > development. If Apple was really behind the Apple II, they would have advertised and promoted the machine during the past couple of Christmases, which of course they did not. This pisses off the developers of software because they see this as an effort to discontinue the line {which hasn't been far from the truth} So when a software producer starts a new project, they ask themselves what computer lines are going to make a profit for their program when it is finished in a year {and a half or more}. So if they even look past the 70+% IBM share of the market, they would not only see Apple being totally anti-apple II for future plans and the fact that software sales have been dropping very steadily over the past few years. Thus they decide that it isn't worth the risk to make it for the Apple II. There are other factors in this, but these are the major contribitutors to the problem. Almost no growth + decreasing software sales = no major development... Plus, many people get upset when the producer of the computer "contracts others to write software for their computer" Why? Because it creates a situation where the computer manufacture can give out "pre-released" information about new operating systems and such and give the software producing company an unfair advantage over the others. Many people have raised this issue with Claris & Apple Co. Thus, I don't think under current conditions, Apple is going to go out and make developing agreements for Apple II software with software companies. Plus, their position really hasn't changed about the whole situation either : (. Besides, the best support that Apple could give would be in improved hardware and software tools & operating systems along with a real marketing campgain where people would not only relearn about "Apple's forgotten computer" but believe that it has a future as well. | Hal Bouma | Send mail to: SHBOUM@MACALSTR.EDU | Macalester College | GEnie : H.BOUMA
jyriakajyri@gnh-starport.cts.com (Jyri Kork) (01/26/91)
Actually, apple software sales haven't been steadily dropping for years. last year there was actually a 10% increase. (of course with the drops in previous years, it doesn't make the apple market robust, but at least it is something positive). . jyri