era@era.scd.ucar.edu (Ed Arnold) (08/08/90)
In article <13445@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) writes: >There were no >strong indications of a new Apple II computer any time soon.. A friend who is an Apple dealer in Denver recently told me that he has been expecting Apple to announce the end of the II line (incl. IIgs), for a couple years. Based on what he's heard from his Apple corporate sources this year, he thinks there's a good chance the announcement will be made as part of new product announcements in October. In their place Apple would offer a II emulator board in a Mac. (He likes the idea, cuz he sells only a few IIgs machines each year.) Is this just a repeat of a recurring rumor/Urban Legend, or have others heard this? If anyone has any information to support or deny his claim, please e-mail me and I'll summarize. (Note: I don't read this group regularly, so *please* don't flame me for my stupidity!!) -- Ed Arnold * NCAR * POB 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 * 303-497-1253(voice) 303-497-1137(fax) * era@ncar.ucar.edu [128.117.64.4] * era@ncario.BITNET era@ncar.UUCP * Edward.Arnold@f809.n104.z1.FIDONET.ORG
dlyons@Apple.COM (David A. Lyons) (08/09/90)
In article <8193@ncar.ucar.edu> era@era.scd.ucar.edu (Ed Arnold) writes: >[...] >A friend who is an Apple dealer in Denver recently told me that he has >been expecting Apple to announce the end of the II line (incl. IIgs), >for a couple years. Based on what he's heard from his Apple corporate >sources this year, he thinks there's a good chance the announcement >will be made as part of new product announcements in October. [...] Considering the statements made at KansasFest by Jane Lee (an Apple II Marketing type) and Ralph Russo (the head Apple II engineer type), the technical phrase I would use for your dealer is "off the deep end." Please note that I don't speak for Apple, but I went to KansasFest and heard what they said. -- David A. Lyons, Apple Computer, Inc. | DAL Systems Apple II Developer Technical Support | P.O. Box 875 America Online: Dave Lyons | Cupertino, CA 95015-0875 GEnie: D.LYONS2 or DAVE.LYONS CompuServe: 72177,3233 Internet/BITNET: dlyons@apple.com UUCP: ...!ames!apple!dlyons My opinions are my own, not Apple's.
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (08/09/90)
In article <43767@apple.Apple.COM> dlyons@Apple.COM (David A. Lyons) writes: >Considering the statements made at KansasFest by Jane Lee (an Apple II >Marketing type) and Ralph Russo (the head Apple II engineer type), the >technical phrase I would use for your dealer is "off the deep end." Like most Apple dealers.. The message I got from the Apple spokesmen at KansasFest was that Apple is definitely going to make some firm decision about what to do with the Apple II line within the next few months. The statements were carefully worded so as not to preclude any of the obvious choices, including cutting back to the K-12 education market only, migrating to the Mac line, stopping future Apple II CPU development, renewing Apple II CPU development, going after the long-neglected personal computer user (as opposed to just schools), etc. I don't think we can really guess what decision will be made at this point.
philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) (08/10/90)
In article <13509@smoke.BRL.MIL> gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) writes: [interpretation of Apple Developers' Meeting deleted] >renewing Apple II CPU >development, going after the long-neglected personal computer user (as >opposed to just schools), etc. Well, the market for the "personal computer user" is not very large. In fact there really isn't a market there. What people seem to want in a "home computer" is something which is either related to what their children use at school or something related to what they do at work or a bit of both. Since most people don't want to work 24 hours a day, I suspect that they value their children more than they do Lotus or Excel. As a consequence, a computer which is related to education, is easy to operate, is fun, and can do a bit of work would appear to fit the bill. In that sense IBM's PS/1 is aimed at the right market. I suspect it will sell very well indeed. Not everyone needs a 386/030 computer at home. The AppleIIGS has become associated with the AppleII line for obvious reasons, and this line does not have a very good image at the moment. For what it's worth, Apple should drop the 8 bit line and concentrate on a GS line. Forget the image associated with the AppleII. It's probably too late to revive it. But a new line such as the Apple GS, AppleGS+,ec... with slightly improved graphics, a bit faster,and an optional Mac SE type board would be most appealing. If sold at a reasonable price, the GS would thrive. Any attempt to try to capture the home/education market with a Mac or a Mac/IIe solution might not work. The GS AND the Mac form a very good combination for addressing educational challenges. There is much to be said to having two product lines. As it is, the Mac product line is most confusing with 8 computers(including the II and IIx) all doing similar things at faster speeds. There is nothing to be gained by dropping the GS and a lot to lose. Philip McDunnough University of Toronto philip@utstat.toronto.edu [my opinions]
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (08/11/90)
In article <1990Aug10.004641.16619@utstat.uucp> philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) writes: >Well, the market for the "personal computer user" is not very large. In >fact there really isn't a market there. Oh, yes, there is -- it's just that the manufacturers (including Apple) mave almost universally lost the vision of personal computing that built the small-computer industry (NeXT being a notable exception). Typical current-day school and business applications were not what was envisioned.
bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bob Church) (08/12/90)
In article <1990Aug10.004641.16619@utstat.uucp>, philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) writes: > > The AppleIIGS has become associated with the AppleII line for obvious > reasons, and this line does not have a very good image at the moment. > For what it's worth, Apple should drop the 8 bit line and concentrate > on a GS line. Forget the image associated with the AppleII. It's probably > too late to revive it. But a new line such as the Apple GS, AppleGS+,ec... > with slightly improved graphics, a bit faster,and an optional Mac SE type > board would be most appealing. If sold at a reasonable price, the GS > would thrive. > > Philip McDunnough That's funny. Around the OU campus there are still an awful lot of //e's and c's in operation. The //e is especially popular with the psych and engineering people for doing A/D stuff. Mentioning the GS using brings a giggle or two. I really don't want to start a flame war. You're entitled to think what you want, but you present your opinion as fact. There are many of us who feel that the GS has brought the // line to ruin. ******************************************************************** * * * bob church bchurch@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu * * * * If economics isn't an "exact" science why do computers crash * * so much more often than the stock market? * * bc * ********************************************************************
gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) (08/14/90)
In article <1690@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bob Church) writes: >The //e is especially popular with the psych and engineering people for >doing A/D stuff. Mentioning the GS using brings a giggle or two. Exactly what is it that the //e supposedly can do that the IIGS can't?
bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bob Church) (08/15/90)
In article <13551@smoke.BRL.MIL>, gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn) writes: > In article <1690@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU> bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bob Church) writes: > >The //e is especially popular with the psych and engineering people for > >doing A/D stuff. Mentioning the GS using brings a giggle or two. > > Exactly what is it that the //e supposedly can do that the IIGS can't? Be purchased from the VISCOM department for a song as they replace them with macs.
garym@pro-fishunt.cts.com (Gary McClain) (08/16/90)
In-Reply-To: message from bchurch@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU
Bob mentions OU using and being happy with Apple IIEs. The OU campus here in
Chillicothe, Oh has a lab full of IIEs some assorted IBMs and compatables,
half a dozen Macs and one IIGS. They say they have no intentions of buying
another GS. They say it goes basicly unused. The Macs are the most popular.
The IIEs are used to teach several classes.
In the Library they have another lab of IIEs bought a couple of months ago.
Through out the campus there are Macs and Apple IIEs in offices and
classrooms. IIes outnumber all others combined. Macs #2. In the library there
are several ms-dos machines used for reaserch, communicating with mainframe at
main campus, communicating with online services and cd-rom searches. In the
library offices are ALL IIEs.
They continue to buy software and new IIEs. They are happy with them because
they do what they want. They purchase A.E. Transwarps, Ram cards and hard disk
for the IIEs. The IIes are also used for tutoring students who are still below
college level in certain subjects.
I am not putting down the IIGS or any other computer. I am stating what I've
seen and heard. And that is the 8 bit Apples still fill the needs of MANY
people and purposes. Just because it does not fill yours or you require more
sophisticated hardware and software does not mean others needs are the same.
Happy with your IIGS? Good. Please leave the rest of us who are happy with our
8 bits alone.
ProLine: garym@pro-fishunt
Internet: garym@pro-fishunt.cts.com
UUCP: crash!pro-fishunt!garym