14.002 2. The Computer Wars Chronicles: ISSUE 67/ Revolution: The Missing Upgrade
Description
This article is from the Apple II Csa2 FAQ, by Jeff Hurlburt with numerous contributions by others.
14.002 2. The Computer Wars Chronicles: ISSUE 67/ Revolution: The Missing Upgrade
Spring has long since sprung and my predicted "significant IIgs upgrade"
has yet to materialize. The problem, according to Western Design Center's Bill
Mensch, is not available hardware--- 65816's have been tested above 12 Mhz and
the '832 will soon be ready for prototyping--- the problem, he says, is that
Apple is not particularly interested in an upgrade, or, even, in preserving the
II series!
Unbelievable? Not at all. Neither Commodore nor IBM were willing
to upgrade their lower priced lower profit lines; if Apple lets
the II stagnate into obsolescence, it will be following a
well-worn trail. Elimination of the II line would free the
company of any remaining hacker/experimenter influence, cure a
chronic case of microprocessor schizophrenia (65xxx vs. 68xxx),
and release resources currently devoted to II series development,
production, and marketing. Finally, speculation aside, one has
only to look at what the company has done--- or, more precisely,
NOT done--- to support its IIgs...
NEED: Traditionally, upgrades are forced by the competition. By fall
of last year, it was clear that lower prices for VGA resolution IBM
clones posed a serious threat. The II series would be in serious
trouble, I reasoned, if Big Green did not soon introduce a MAJOR IIgs
upgrade. The bare bones requirement has to be something around 8 MHz
speed, with a mod to access display memory at current "fast" speed,
AND access to 640 x 480 16-color graphics. More sound RAM, a second
display block, better disk I/O, and a multi-color TEXT mode would be
nice; but, obviously, without speed and graphics parity, the IIgs
isn't even in the ball game.
Such demands are not, as some like to claim, merely a product of
users losing out in 'my computer is better than yours'
contests. For many applications, it is now possible to define
something like speed and resolution 'absolutes': there is such a
thing as "not fast enough" or "not enough detail", whatever the
competition is doing. Today, no super-res word processor or
desktop publisher runs "fast enough" on the IIgs-- the user is
always conscious of trading away speed for "power"--; nor can the
user obtain anything like an accurate on-screen view of many
fonts. "WYSIWYG" just isn't possible with only 200 lines of
vertical resolution.
Similar considerations apply with respect to many utility,
scientific, and entertainment applications. The worry is that
continued incompatibility with VGA-developed 'control panels',
windowing setups, and artwork will slow the release of IIgs
versions; and that, increasingly, speed may become a
disqualifier. No one, in short, is talking about 'gilding the
lily'; the focus is upon such mundane concerns as decent
'productivity applications' comfort levels and continued access
to new products.
Now, as you read this, it is summer; IIgs sales are on a
double-digit slide, and, assuming there is no last minute upgrade
announcement, the II line IS in serious trouble. Just how serious
became obvious to me when a fellow IIgs devotee, Baywoof
(a.k.a. "the Boardbasher"), confessed that he was dumping his
Apple and moving to an IBM. He figures that, for the price he can
still get for his IIgs stuff, he can buy a complete VGA color
'386 clone system.
I've seen his numbers; and, at worst, the difference is probably
less than three or four hundred dollars!-- this for a three or
four times speed increase, twice the hard disk storage, faster
floppy access, lower peripherals prices, easier upgrades, larger
software base, and much better graphics. (BUT, he will, for now,
have to give up IIgs-quality sound. Ha!)
Anyone still inclined to accept the pomp and glitz of Apple group
festivals at face value need only peruse a recent "Computer
Shopper". With luck, somewhere in a few hundred pages of IBM
clone ads and product reviews, you will find Don Lancaster
holding forth in the the three or four pages of what qualifies as
the "Apple" section.
"Wait!", you cry, "what about the 'New II in '89' promised at last
winter's 'Fest? or reports of a plug-in upgrade?" So far, the only
evidence of a "New II" is yet another addition to the malingering
IIc series and some talk of a "New IIgs" with in-ROM operating
system smarts and on-board MIDI. As for Apple's plug-in upgrade,
this is rumored to be a bridge board to partial Mac
compatibility. That is, for a few hundred dollars, you may soon be
able to turn your IIgs into a Mac Jr.! (Gosh, wasn't it just a few
months ago that IBM carried off a Fortune Worst Marketing Blunder
of the Decade Award for its PC Jr.?)
We have, long ago, passed the point where it makes any sense to
talk about maintaining II series dominance in software
markets. And, since schools must select computers with an eye to
what students will use at home, Apple's much- touted education
base is about to 'turn blue' as well. The question now is: how
much of the current base of users and creative talent can be held
while someone (Applied Engineering, Comlog, Laser, ?) puts
together a significant, reasonably priced upgrade?
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