From: sbennett@gnh-starport.cts.com (Stephen Bennett)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Resurrection!!!!!
Date: 10 Oct 92 20:25:45 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The Internet
X-Unparsable-Date: Sat Oct 10 92 at 01:06:15 (EDT)

behrenss@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Soenke Behrens) writes:

> lchavas@CSD4.CSD.UWM.EDU (Linda Catherine Havas) writes:
>
> > Still, though, the GS my friends are selling looks awfully appealing.
> > So what are your thoughts? Do I continue pouring money into the
> > IIc, which isn't really supported anymore, or do I just blow the
> > big bucks and get a newer (and possibly more reliable) GS? Anyone
> > have any opinions they'd like to share? PLEASE?
>
> Sure. A) Be very aware of the fact the the GS is _not_ the power
> machine of today (and not the medium-sized machine of today, either).
> B) Keep in mind that in order to use your GS, you need at least a HD and
> an accelerator.
> So, try to get it _really_ cheap. This should be possible now, as the GS
> is virtually worthless (not to me, but in the used computer market). I
> think it depends on what you want to do with the computer ... if you're
> into graphics, I'd say stay away from the GS. If you're into highly
> CPU-intensive things, stay away. If you are into all the newest and
> hottest games, stay away. In all these cases, you are indeed better
> off with an IBM (yuck) system, possibly running OS/2.
> On the other hand, the GS is perfect for small home use, for
> experimenting with a computer and programming w/o getting punished
> by a brain-dead OS all the time, and for having fun with the
> famous // community.
 
<shrug>  I agree with some of your points, but...
 
If one is used to a //c, it's not necessary to use an accelerator...
bearing in mind that if the lady wanted to have the max in power out of
her machine, she would already have gotten an 8 MHz Zip chip for her //c...
(which she may have, but it doesn't sound like it -- if that was the case,
she probably would already have gotten a GS... :)  If one is using highly
processor intensive applications, an accelerator is really, really nice,
but that goes for an 8-bit Apple II almost as much as a GS (though granted,
there are more things that it's much nicer for).  A hard drive is really a
good idea though, I'd agree...
 
I agree that what one wants to do with one's computer is a good factor in
whether one should get a GS or not...  I suspect that if Ms. Havas isn't
disappointed in her //c, especially what with having a brother who is an
I*M fan, she probably wouldn't be disappointed with the GS, as long as
she realizes its limitations...
It isn't a super-computer...  but it does use a very friendly OS, and
has a lot of really nicely done software available for it, as well as
more coming out all the time (though slower than most of us would like! :)
 
If the question is, stick with Apple, or move to other computer systems,
it's going to depend on what type of applications she wants to use, and
her taste in the way they work...  Personally, I prefer my IIgs to any
other computer for anything but DTP, and that's only because there's no
really good DTP program written for the GS (yet, I hope! :)  If I were
doing only business applications, or DTP applications, then I'd probably
get an IBM or a Mac respectively...  as it is, I'm quite satisfied with
the abilities of my Apple II for most everything I want to do...
 
If the question is, should she keep the //c, or move up the Apple II ladder,
I think it probably depends on whether she just wants a better faster //c
(in which case I'd tend to agree that she should just get a Zip), or if
she wants to take advantage of the software and accessories that are
specific to the IIgs, with the added expense *and* fun that they entail...
 
Summarizing:  More or less agreeing with your general argument, but differing
on some fine points...  :)
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Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2