From: bcoleman@hayes.com (Bill Coleman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy
Subject: Re: Macintosh bigots
Date: 23 Nov 92 17:11:28 EDT
Organization: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Norcross, GA

In article <1992Nov14.191114.19676@athena.mit.edu>, dmsilev@athena.mit.edu (Daniel M Silevitch) writes:
> 
> If you take an application that is available under Mac, DOS, and Windows,
> almost always, the Mac version will be the most expensive, the DOS version
> the cheapest, and Windows in the middle.

This has not been my experience.

If anything, Macintosh packages are the cheapest of the three. Windows
packages are outrageously priced. 

> What are the chances that Apple will allow the sale of Mac clones
> without suing the makers? 

Depends on whether or not they wantonly violate Apple intellectual property.

Actually, computer makers with sufficient talent to develop Macintosh clones
would probably be better off developing their own, proprietary computers.

> Remember, this is the company that sued Microsoft because Windows 
> violated the Mac "copyright." 

Actually they sued both HP and MS.

> I'm glad that Apple lost. 

It ain't over yet. The case is still in appeal.

Of course, the lynchpin of the case for Apple is a licensing agreement
they foolishly made with MS in 1985. Apple's lawyers should be shot
for practically handing over the crown jewels of Apple technology. 

> IMHO, it would have been poetic justice if Xerox's suit against Apple 
> about the development of the GUI had been upheld.

If you believe this, then you must also believe Apple should have won 
against Microsoft. Either this intellectual property is protected or
it isn't. You can't have your cake and eat it, too. You can't wish Apple
lost on both fronts.

I recommend the book, "Fumbling the Future." It is an excellent history
of how Xerox invented personal computing, then ignored that invention.
Based on the actions of Xerox management, they reaped what they sowed.

> Let me insert some hard numbers. Two systems, a Quadra 950 and a 486DX-50.
> Systems both have 8 Megs RAM, ~220 Meg HD. 16" color monitor on Mac, 14" SVGA
> non-interlaced on PC with 1024x768x256 display. Number-crunching power almost
> equal, advantage PC. Cost: Quadra $7200 (edu), PC $2350 (Mail Order). 

That's nice for a stack of hardware. Either one is so much silicon space
heater without software.

Even so, the Quadra 950 has several built-in capabilities that aren't matched
with the clone hardware. You have failed to add in the costs for the PC 
hardware to perform the equivalent function for stuff like: Sound input and
output, SCSI, ADB, 24-bit color support, Ethernet, and 5 NuBus slots for
expansion. Once you've outfitted the PC with the equivalent hardware,
you'll probably find the price has gone up, and the slots are nearly
full.

> Is the Mac so much better to support a 3:1 price differential? 

Well, neither will do much without software. When you consider that the Quadra
950 has the Mac system software, which gives it capabilities that the clone
doesn't have, then the price comparison softens somewhat.

Indeed. When you draw out the entire picture, including all the software
(systems software and applications) so that both have nearly equivalent
capabilities, you'll find that the PC is probably more expensive.

Now, if you counter that you don't need "X" or "Y" that is built into the
950, then you might be right. You might be better off with a PC.

For the moment, you aren't even beginning to compare like things. The
3:1 price differential exists purely in your head.

> You need a .28mm dot pitch monitor, which is becoming the standard, 
> and it helps to have a non-interlaced display card (also standard)

Funny. My Macintosh II with the 13" Sony display has a Trinitron with a
.25mm dot pitch. That was purchased 5 years ago. And this .28mm is just
now becoming the standard. Yuck.

-- 
Bill Coleman, AA4LR                ! CIS: 76067,2327    AppleLink: D1958
Principal Software Engineer        ! Packet Radio: AA4LR @ W4QO
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Disclaimer: "My employer doesn't pay me to have opinions."
Quote: "The same light shines on vineyards that makes deserts." -Steve Hackett.

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy