lbotez@pro-grouch.cts.com (Lynda Botez) (05/04/90)
Well, today is Applefest eve; I was wondering if anyone on here is planning to attend. Not that I consider it a real Applefest; with Apple not attending and all. But I'm sure there will be some interesting things happening there. It's hard to believe that Applefest is here again; I was present in Boston at the last spring fest... things looked somewhat better then. Lynda UUCP: crash!pro-grouch!lbotez ARPA: crash!pro-grouch!lbotez@nosc.mil INET: lbotez@pro-grouch.cts.com
lmb7421@ultb.isc.rit.edu (Les Barstow: Phoenix) (05/07/90)
The weekend has come and gone, but I'm not really sure if AppleFest ever showed up. The show was held at the Atrium Convention Center in Somerset, NJ in a building about an eighth the size of the Boston site. The floor was about 2/3 - 3/4 the size of the one in Boston, and it was populated quite a variety of vendors. Seminars were held in the Hilton next door, although I didn't pay to attend any (they weren't as appealing as last year's list...) Those who showed up: the Genesys people - Genesys is finally out and running, and it's impressive - a full programmers tool devoted to programming the desktop for you in any of a variety of languages. They were also selling a 4Meg SIMM card called AppleSauce unpopulated $90 or so... ByteWorks - only a few days away from release of v1.1 of ORCA/C, they were quite popular... They are also introducing a DeskTop programming aid called Design Master which was in final beta-test (about the same distance away from release as ORCA/C v1.1). Their other compilers were up for sale as well, and everything was 50% off! ORCA/C has had most of its bugs worked out and fixed - I couldn't resist, so I broke down and forked out the money for it. I'm impressed so far. IBM - well, they kind of showed up. They took it for a small-time education event and showed up with some wimpy demo equipment and their marketting-only people. Not impressive at all. Commodore - They showed up, and they teamed up with Roland to try to put the GS down - it didn't work. Two computers hooked up through speakers connected to a Roland synthesizer drew a crowd at first due to their prime location (right by the entrance), but GreenWing Software (a shareware vendor mostly) booted up SoundSmith and stole the show - I couldn't even approach the booth or see the program running - funny how one computer with that software can outperform two and a synth :-). They also had the 3000, the new OS (on demo), and their new Icon-based programming "language" which they hope will put HyperCard to shame (sorry, CBM, it won't work - it's too confusing and underpowered.) They also had a recorded fractal show. Yeah. Beagle Bros. - Their standard booth. Nothing new, but it still looks good. Roger Wagner Publishing - HyperStudio strikes. In addition to their booth, many of the computers at the Fest were running HyperStudio. The GS composed the single most abundant computer at the Fest by far, which was comforting. IBM took second, CBM had their booth plus one or two other companies who were demoing their software. InCider - their usual booth... Also, their usual prizes. Apple ][GS Buyer's Guide - The new issue was being given out free with a year's paid subscription. I'll wait (I want to read it though for the Sculley interview). Many, many software vendors - vendors made up most of the show this year, as opposed to last year, when the show was split evenly. America Online - a busy place, although I couldn't tell if they were doing anything unusual. WordPerfect - They appeared, but they left their tech support behind. One of the GS people was there, but not on company time. Sierra Online - Demoing old stuff. yeah. MindScape educational division - when asked about the game division, they were very blunt - they didn't know and didn't care. Apparently the divisions aren't getting along too well. Broderbund - Nothing much new to report here, either. Milliken - Same. Those who didn't show: Apple Computer - well, we knew this in advance. They could have come out the big winners in this show had they appeared. CBM and IBM both seemed to put little effort into the show. Laser Computer - This was a shock. I kinda figured Laser would try to replace Apple's spot in the show, but they didn't appear. Oh, well. Zip Technologies - I thought they'd be there, too. Again, Oh well. AE - I half-hoped they'd be there, now that they are making products for other computers, including IBM and CBM. But, they didn't show. One vendor almost had us fooled, though. A great big towering booth with the AE banners plastered on it looked very similar to the one AE used last year from over the top of the other booths, but alas. Intuitive Systems (Inner Drive People) - Them and HAL Labs, who seem to hang around them, were both absent. I was kinda hoping to get my new version of their LISA816 assembler, but no such luck. Notes: There were almost no product announcements from anyone. Ich. Many Apple vendors did not put ComputerFest on their booth - only AppleFest :-) I think this was a subtle hint. Mike Harvey was there, along with Uncle DOS and a few others whom I didn't immediately recognize, and they had a jam session on what they thought Apple should be doing, and what Apple was doing. Nothing major. As stated, the GS was the prevalent machine. This is a good sign. To Apple, if someone could forward this (Cary, Matt?, Dave? (where are they?????)): _If_ AppleFest/ComputerFest gets held again next year, I would suggest you show up. Apple's marketting division is in better shape than either CBM's or IBM's was at this show - I think Apple could win a significant number of people over to their side by showing up with a force dedicated to the Apple lines, and specifically the Apple ][ line. The original Apple store demo (which I would love to have - anyone?) was better than what either of the other companies was showing. AppleWorksGS would have been a nice demo, too. Also, please, *please* start recognizing the home and individual market. Most of the comments I heard at the Fest were about how Apple seems to think they can catch almost every user in either the Business or Educational division's area. This isn't true. Almost all of the people I know who use Apples do so on an individual level. They bought their computer on their own (okay, maybe they first met one in the school, but they didn't buy it through there...). Recognizing an individual user as an important marketting target may just put the GS back where it belongs (it wouldn't hurt the Mac, either). Overall comments: The Fest was very disappointing: Small, too diverse, and low attendance by Apple vendors hurt the show. A larger hall with more vendors and Apple support could turn this show back into the event that it was last year. I hope for the best. I think that Apple may make a turnaround if pushed hard enough, and they may just come through this okay. -- Les Barstow | Send me mail on what you'd like to see in a BBS program SunSinger | and/or a terminal emulation program. Phoenix rising...+------------------------------------------------------------- LMB7421@ritvax.bitnet | lmb7421@ultb.isc.rit.edu |...rochester!rit!ultb!lmb7421
bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com (Bob Lindabury) (05/09/90)
In-Reply-To: message from lmb7421@ultb.isc.rit.edu > IBM - well, they kind of showed up. They took it for a small-time > education event and showed up with some wimpy demo equipment and > their marketting-only people. Not impressive at all. > Commodore - They showed up, and they teamed up with Roland to try to put > the GS down - it didn't work. Two computers hooked up through > speakers connected to a Roland synthesizer drew a crowd at first due > to their prime location (right by the entrance), but GreenWing > Software (a shareware vendor mostly) booted up SoundSmith and stole > the show - I couldn't even approach the booth or see the program > running - funny how one computer with that software can outperform > two and a synth :-). They also had the 3000, the new OS (on demo), > and their new Icon-based programming "language" which they hope will > put HyperCard to shame (sorry, CBM, it won't work - it's too > confusing and underpowered.) They also had a recorded fractal show. > Yeah. Applefest was a bust. It was the lamest show I've ever been to in my life and I had to pay $15.00 to boot! The only professional looking booth was Beagle Bros. booth. At least Commodore was there with about 10-15 Amigas. IBM wasn't there and neither was Apple. (no surprise) Wordperfect showed with the second most professional looking booth. That was about as close to a real show as it ever got. The biggest booths were mail order houses trying to sell software... Before you start putting down other computers, maybe you should sit down and take a good look around you. I happen to own at least one of each of the computers you mentioned above so I have a pretty good idea of the strengths and weaknesses of all of them. You might as well kiss the Apple market goodbye. It's a fact! This last Applefest (or is that Applejoke?!) was the confirmation of this. The Apple // market is shriviling to nothing while the computers you put down are expanding, adding new lines and prospering. I think you had best face the facts and open your eyes to reality. I will not get in a computer war with you or anyone else but I own 2 Apple //'s (a GS and a //e) loaded with memory, addons and hard disks and they still don't hold a candle to my other systems. The only place the GS really shines is in sound...big deal. The sound chip in the computer doesn't make it a good machine for musicians since most just control synths and other items so your point about Soundsmith is rediculous. Get a life. -- Bob _______________________ Pro-Graphics BBS 201/469-0049 ________________________ InterNet: bobl@pro-graphics.cts.com | ProLine: bobl@pro-graphics UUCP: ..crash!pro-graphics!bobl | CServe: 70347,2344 ARPA/DDN: ..crash!pro-graphics!bobl@nosc.mil | Amer. Online: Graphics3D ___________ ____________ Raven Enterprises - 25 Raven Ave. Piscataway, NJ 08854
crew@pro-harvest.cts.com (Chris Wicklein) (05/26/90)
In-Reply-To: message from jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu Yeah, that's the ticket! I propose that every one who can write software for the Apple II write 1 good public domain program (prefering alot of IIGS sound and graphics programs), and all those who can't beg for them. A single program per author/company wouldn't cost much, would generate alot of free software, and could be quite benificial to the Apple II software industry/market. UUCP: crash!pro-harvest!crew ProLine: crew@pro-harvest ARPA: crash!pro-harvest!crew@nosc.mil INET: crew@pro-harvest.cts.com BITNET: crew%pro-harvest.cts.com Gosh, I finally figured out how to edit my .SIGNATURE file, and I can't think of much to say. Send me questions, comments, and anything else I might find interesting.