unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (The Unknown User) (03/21/90)
This is from an article in today's San Jose Mercury News... the
article is titled "Spindler outlines clouded vision of Apple's future in
global market".
The article states that Spindler contradicted himself a few times
in his speech "shortly after the company introduced the Macintosh IIfx,
the fastest and most powerful computer Apple has ever built."
Now I'll quote the last two paragraphs from the article. Only
the last one is really really appropriate here but the 2nd to last is
interesting as well.
He dismissed criticism of Apple's product prices. "The notion
that the Macintosh is overpriced I (refute)," he said. There
are market segments in which Apple does not compete,
[like low end anymore??? -tuu] he said, "but where we (do),
we are competitive."
Spindler also said the future of the low-priced but
technologically outdated Apple II line is being reconsidered.
In the past, the company said that it would not discontinue
the line. "Actually, we're trying to figure out what to do
with it over the long term," he said.
That last paragraph can actually be interpreted in a few different
ways I think. Even though the article author mentions discontinuation,
maybe Spindler means Apple's finally getting off their duff and trying to
rejuvenate the market with some long past due hardware improvements.
Obviously they could also be thinking about discontinuing it too.
--
_ __ __ __ _ /-------------------------------\
/_\ |__| | __| |_| |_ \ / |_| | unknown@ucscb.ucsc.edu |
/ \ | |__ |__ | |__ \/ | \ | unknown%darkside.com@ames.arpa |
\-------------------------------/ lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) (03/22/90)
In-Reply-To: message from unknown@ucscb.UCSC.EDU >Spindler also said the future of the low-priced but technologically outdated >Apple II line is being reconsidered. In the past, the company said that it >would not discontinue the line. "Actually, we're trying to figure out what >to do with it over the long term," he said. What a vision! [note sarcasm here...] Here's the President of a major computer corporation, admitting in public that he doesn't know what to do with it's older, but considerably profitable, product line. Makes me feel good. [more sarcasm]. Boy, I'd sure like to be some school executive that was just about to lay down thousands of dollars for a few hundred computers. An article in Newsweek this week also mentions the Apple II; using similar unattractive metaphors. "Apple is also in troublein one of its oldest markets, education. The Apple II, the standard machine for elementary and high schools, is now more than a decade old and effectively obsolete; the cheapest Macintosh, because it isn't color, won't really substitute. Seeing an opening, Tandy and IBM are pushing hard to seize the kiddie business. Macintosh remains hot on college campuses, although the recent portable version has been criticized for being bulky, overweight and late to market. New COO Spindler is dedicated to the education market and is expected to make rapid changes." I love the way these journalists refer to my computer... "effectively obsolete"... "technologically outdated"... etc. etc. DAMN. I have a computer that's not even FOUR years old! [Yeah, sure... it's backwards compatible with the older II's... but I don't consider it ancient, obsolete, etc. etc.). I honestly think these guys are thinking of 8-bit machines; and probably never even came close to (or have been in contact with) and Apple IIGS. I don't hear them commenting about the "ancient" MS-DOS machines. Schools that buy IBMs or compatibles aren't buying $4000 machines; they're buying the old stuff. Why? Because it's cheap. I still can't see how Apple thinks schools are going to go "Mac" in a big way. First of all, programming on a Mac is a nightmare. One reason high schools have computers in the first place is to teach students *HOW* to program. With Macs, you teach 'em how to be a user, not how to program. Macs could be great file servers, but Apple II's or IBMs are better for learning programming. Lynda
tmyers@athena.mit.edu (Tracy S Myers) (03/22/90)
I promised myself I would stay out of this mess from now on but.... In article <17918.apple.net@pro-sol> lbotez@pro-sol.cts.com (Lynda Botez) writes: >I honestly think these guys are thinking of 8-bit machines; and probably never >even came close to (or have been in contact with) and Apple IIGS. > >I don't hear them commenting about the "ancient" MS-DOS machines. Schools >that buy IBMs or compatibles aren't buying $4000 machines; they're buying the >old stuff. Why? Because it's cheap. ^^^^^^^^^ FYI a 16 Mhz 386SX, 32MB hard disk, 512k RAM, Hercules graphics,and a one year on-site service contract can be had from a very reputable company for $1395. A 1MB, VGA system can be had for $1995. This may not be the leading edge but it is certainly not ancient either. I am quoting this from memory, so it may not be exactly correct. It should be accurate + or - minus a feature or two. I am not advocating this machine or any other. I just wanted to clarify what I consider misleading. > >I still can't see how Apple thinks schools are going to go "Mac" in a big way. >First of all, programming on a Mac is a nightmare. One reason high schools >have computers in the first place is to teach students *HOW* to program. With >Macs, you teach 'em how to be a user, not how to program. Macs could be great >file servers, but Apple II's or IBMs are better for learning programming. The major mac compilers (eg,LSC,MPW) include a provision to run programs in a tty window. They may not support all of the features found in curses, but they tend to support a useful sub-set. I have taken many unix C programs of mine, and run them without major hassles on a Mac in a tty window. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying this is the preferred solution. I only wish to point out that this capability exists on the Mac. > >Lynda Tracy Myers
toddpw@tybalt.caltech.edu (Todd P. Whitesel) (03/23/90)
tmyers@athena.mit.edu (Tracy S Myers) writes: >>old stuff. Why? Because it's cheap. > ^^^^^^^^^ >FYI a 16 Mhz 386SX, 32MB hard disk, 512k RAM, Hercules graphics,and a FYI they are not buying those systems, they are buying stuff that costs less than half of what those cost. Schools do not need the kind of power a $1300 system gives them, they would rather have 3 XT Clones instead. This way they can handle more students with the same limited budget. Not everybody thinks >$1000 when somebody says computer. Schools try not to. >The major mac compilers (eg,LSC,MPW) include a provision to run programs in >a tty window. They may not support all of the features found in >curses, but they tend to support a useful sub-set. I have taken many >unix C programs of mine, and run them without major hassles on a >Mac in a tty window. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying this is >the preferred solution. I only wish to point out that this capability >exists on the Mac. But does the Mac have a reasonable BASIC? Most people are not weaned on C or Pascal, they learn BASIC which is far better suited to 'casual' programming -- and for this reason it was crucial to the success of the Apple II. Todd Whitesel toddpw @ tybalt.caltech.edu