mkheintz@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Michael Heintz) (10/21/90)
I was in the local apple dealer the other day and I talked with a rep about the new macintosh line (I don't capitalize because it doesn't deserve it). She told me that the new Mac Classic was four times faster than the Mac Plus it replaced (they both ran at 8mhz, but she didn't know that). I have to agree that a Mac Classic may actually be a good computer, but that is not the primary reason I am writing. The infamous IIe emulation card for the mac lc will be under $300. None of your present cards are usable because "the emulator card has everything built in to the card"(right!). I also noticed that the lc barely has room for mac cards! What the hell are they doing! I can't believe that they would actually sell a computer that is next to impossible to improve, We are just lucky they were smart when they designed the II line (possible partial exception being the IIc -no letters about that please!). I got the rep to admit apple's plan to phase out all but the IIgs and the offering of the lc was not to promote II development but to allow an easy transition to the macintosh line "the computer of the 90's." THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ALL FEARED! Interestingly enough, a customer came in and inquired about a IIgs while I was in the store! The salesman told her that the IIgs was the top of the "old II line" and that its capabilities were extremely limited just by association with that family. The customer asked how well it printed news- letters, or something like that....He said it was slow and immediately took her over to the macintoshes (especially the "new" ones) and told her, "These are the computers of the 90's!" And apple wonders why the Apple II is not selling?! The lady then seemed slightly turned off by the price of the macs and will probably proceed to buy a cheap one with no capabilities or be lured over to the ibm clones that the guy thought were even better than the mac. I am not flaming any computer! I love the IIgs, the mac would be nice if I didn't have to buy it, and I will stay away from ibm unless I need the business software later. I thought this would be an interesting story that confirms our greatest fears: THERE IS A CONSPIRACY TO AXE THE ENTIRE APPLE II LINE, the ball is now rolling with the mac lc. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE, AND SOON! Note: Thanks to all of you who responded to my first post! I really appreciate it. Note2: My IIgs is a "woz" but I have the following: ROM 01 upgrade. AE GS Ram Ultra (4meg) Hi-Speed SCSI CMS 45meg HD Quickie Scanner I am unsure if I have the VGC upgrade or not, I will find out soon. The reason I am planning to move up to a ROM 03 IIgs is that all of the above is mine, except the computer which belongs to my parents. I will be getting my own computer very soon. If I hear any more about the ROM 04 IIgs or the 68020 IIgs before next January, perhaps I will wait! Last Note: The apple rep at the store said that the mac is their baby and they will prevent the DUET card from entering the country in any way they can! All the while the salesman said something about the patent on the GS being good for another five years (whatever the Hell that means!!!?) I don't know what to expect, but I am looking forward to the DUET card so that I can run Pagemaker on my IIgs. That would be the ultimate!
alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu (SCOTT ALFTER) (10/21/90)
Sounds to me like your dealer is full of sh*t. It also sounds like that dealer
should be reported to Apple and their authorization or whatever (whatever it is
that makes a dealer an "authorized dealer") ought to be revoked. It is
rumormongering like this that will kill the II.
I suppose the big question now is whether Apple Inc. would really give a damn.
You can bet that if a dealer talked gloom and doom about the Mac, he wouldn't
be selling Apples for long. Who's to say that they'll treat the II equally,
though, when they've ignored it for so long.
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Scott Alfter _/_
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Internet: alfter@uns-helios.nevada.edu ( ( the power to be your best!
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