jess@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Jess M Holle) (04/04/91)
Is there ANY way for the average mortal to get a hold of System 7.0 before May? Unlike many of the people on the net (and like quite a few others), I am not an Apple Partner or the like. I am an APDA member, but that counts for nothing for getting the LATEST software from Apple, ie. System 7.0 or the MPW 3.2 beta. I am trying to understand this lack of availability, but am having a little trouble. What would be wrong with putting the System 7.0 beta on apple.com, so that those of us with net access could have access to it as well? Certainly besides Apple Partners or whatever, Internet readers have to be one of the more qualified groups of quasi-beta testers. Would someone please explain why us mortals cannot get our hands on System 7.0? Jess Holle
dorner@pequod.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Dorner) (04/04/91)
>Would someone please explain why us mortals cannot get our hands on >System 7.0? Blame it on FDR (you know, the guy with the wheelchair and the dog). It goes like this: System 7 has bugs. System 7 might crash macs. System 7 is incompatible with some apps. Apple puts System 7 up for anon ftp, replete with warnings to "Stay away unless you're a developer." Joe Stupid downloads it, installs it, and Microbad Rulebreaker blows up in his face. Now, whose fault is this? You might think it was Joe Stupid's fault, because he ignored the warnings. Sorry, wrong answer. Personal responsibility is an outdated concept; just take a look at tort law. No, we must all be coddled and protected from cradle to grave, and so Apple can't allow anyone to have System 7 who has not promised (by means of large monetary commitment) not to give them bad press when the current test version isn't perfect. Like I said, blame it on FDR. -- Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: s-dorner@uiuc.edu UUCP: uunet!uiucuxc!uiuc.edu!s-dorner
nerm@Apple.COM (Dean Yu) (04/04/91)
In article <1991Apr3.180921.16882@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> jess@gn.ecn.purdue.edu (Jess M Holle) writes: >Is there ANY way for the average mortal to get a hold of System 7.0 >before May? Unlike many of the people on the net (and like quite a >few others), I am not an Apple Partner or the like. I am an APDA >member, but that counts for nothing for getting the LATEST software >from Apple, ie. System 7.0 or the MPW 3.2 beta. > >I am trying to understand this lack of availability, but am having a >little trouble. What would be wrong with putting the System 7.0 beta >on apple.com, so that those of us with net access could have access >to it as well? Certainly besides Apple Partners or whatever, Internet >readers have to be one of the more qualified groups of quasi-beta >testers. > >Would someone please explain why us mortals cannot get our hands on >System 7.0? > Arguments about bugs and incompatibilities aside, keep in mind that Apple has NEVER released beta system software to the general public before. System 7 represents a major upgrade which is why developers have been seeded to ensure maximum compatibility. End users have to wait, just as they always have before. Have patience; it's just going to be a little while longer. -- Dean Yu Blue Meanie, Negative Ethnic Role Model, etc. Apple Computer, Inc. My opinions and so on and so forth...
gaynor@magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Jim Gaynor) (04/04/91)
In article <51144@apple.Apple.COM> nerm@Apple.COM (Dean Yu) writes: > >End users have to wait, just as they always >have before. Have patience; it's just going to be a little while longer. <said in most whiny, childlike tones possible> "Daddy, are we there yet? Daddy?" <grin> -- Jim Gaynor - Systems Analyst 1 + "This is Serious. He is Lost. The Ohio State University ACS-FMS-OCES | We must begin the Search at once." gaynor@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu | -Rabbit, from gaynor@agvax2.ag.ohio-state.edu + "The House at Pooh Corner"
Jim.Spencer@p510.f22.n282.z1.mn.org (Jim Spencer) (04/07/91)
Jess M Holle writes in a message to All JMH> Is there ANY way for the average mortal to get a hold of System JMH> 7.0 before May? Unlike many of the people on the net (and like JMH> quite a few others), I am not an Apple Partner or the like. I JMH> am an APDA member, but that counts for nothing for getting the JMH> LATEST software from Apple, ie. System 7.0 or the MPW 3.2 beta. This is not completely true. While Apple has not made beta versions of System software available to anyone other than certified developers, they do sell betas of MPW 3.2. They are on the ETO disks. Before you complain about the cost of that, consider the difficulties, both from a marketing standpoint and from a customer satisfaction standpoint, of selling MPW beta versions alongside the latest finals routinely. The latest ETO actually has two different version 3.2's on it just to make it even trickier. Also while you beef about this, tell me about the latest beta version of DOS, OS/2, VMS, or whatever you were able to buy from a computer manufacturer. People complain bitterly about every little bug in System software and they don't quiet down just because the version number they are using happens to have a "b" in it.