From: greis@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Gayla Ann Greis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Future of the II line
Date: 16 Nov 1992 03:53:21 GMT
Organization: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Reply-To: greis@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.89.7.4
Originator: greis@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

From article <Bxs8nz.MF1@darkside.osrhe.uoknor.edu>, by dsdd@okcforum.osrhe.uoknor.edu (Roy Barrett):
> Since there will no longer be any future major System software releases, 
> would it be safe to assume that Apple will be giving this multimillion
> dollar Computer line the ax? (In Hardware and software terms..)

Why the recent preponderance of doom and gloom again? It seems that about
this time every year, when people crawl out of their little holes and see
the TV ads for all the bigger and better and the latest and the greatest,
they often wonder if the II is on the way out... Why? With little spent on
R&D, yet a relative *LOT* happening, and with hardware that is "settled"
and isn't subject to 2000 clones messing up protocal, I highly doubt that
Apple would give up the II line.

It remains a fact that many people already own IIs. A relative few of those
users have GSs. If the GS does indeed become powerful enough to do many
of the things that we are currently *expecting*, the II may again become
a self sustaining platform. (Whether that be in the parent company, or a
branch of it.) As the quality of SNES improves, and drops the price of
the parts to which the GS is so accustomed, perhaps it is time for Apple
to reevaluate their position as far as the Apple into the Game Market.

A rather inexpensive GS (Say in the $300 range) combined with inexpensive
periphrials would open a whole new market to Apple once again - without
ever selling out to the "clone" makers. With the MS-Dos, and HFS FSTs,
and the very "Mac-like" (yes, I'm ducking... :-) GUI, the GS could
perform the very valuable function of bridging the gap for students
and young non-professionals who would be buying machines like the SNES
to give a "taste" of what Apple Inc has become. A side benefit of this
would be the power of the GS, and the existing base of software out there.

If Apple did little more than produce the II, even if they don't, there
is enough underground support to last for many, many more years. Heck!
Look at the Commodore C=64 and C=128!

> If Apple does kill the II line, how will the licensing of software go?
> will Apple be selling the II line to an outside company? a Spinoff? How
> does this go? If Apple will be giving the II the ax, what can we do?

How would anyone know that isn't the head of the board of trustees on the
given day that this decision is slated to be made? All *we* can do is
speculate. I doubt that Apple would be giving the II the axe.

Their current redirection has been due to Apples tendency to "lag"
considerably behind it's competitors in innovation. When that happens, you
pick up your heels and start running. Apple now is in a position where it
looks as if it will outsell Big Blue for 1992. While this doesn't take
into consideration the clone market, it is a major bearing indicator
for market purchasing. If Apple indeed can take a leading role once again,
you may see it diversify once again as the LC II Mac lines become the
"available" computers, the new Quadra lines become the flagship, the pen
and notebooks become the novelty line, and the GS becomes the "Game-boy"
of the line.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2