[opendtv] Re: Maybe Bert will like this take on Apple...
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:27:38 -0400
At 4:56 PM -0500 8/10/10, Manfredi, Albert E wrote:
You might want to read through this one too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_clones
An accurate portrayal of the situation.
It explains how much more successful Apple was at controlling and
ultimately eliminating MAC clones. Part of the success came from
doing radical redesigns, which did not work for IBM in the case of
the PS/2.
Yes they were successful at shutting down illegal clones before the
official clone program started in 1995.
I would note that the entire PC industry was undergoing major
technology changes in the late '80s and early '90s. This was
particularly true for expansion buses, which kept getting faster and
wider to keep up with new CPU designs.
My best guess as to why it worked for Apple and not for IBM is that
too many businesses and industries were heavily invested in the IBM
ISA PC infrastructure, so that a radical departure from it was not
appealing to them. And also unappealing was the much higher price of
the PS/2, considering that the clone competition was improving
rapidly as well.
IMHO it worked for Apple because they already had a viable niche
market for the Mac, in large measure because the MacOS provided a
reliable GUI and there was consistency among all apps.
The product that REALLY helped Apple the most was not a computer. It
was the Postscript enabled LaserWritter printer that provided a good
proofing mechanism for the desktop publishing industry. This came at
the same time as Appletalk, a very easy to use, plug and play network
for small workgroups that allowed sharing of the Laserwritter.
Apple's approach to regain the walled garden succeeded. With the new
Mac designs, as I suggested previously, the faithful were always
happy to oblige by going back to the fold.
FWIW, I rather liked the MC68000 family of CPUs, myself.
We can debate whether the Mac is a walled garden till the cows come
home. But you cannot regain something you never lost. Apple created a
legal clone program that did little to gain market share, but much to
undercut the profit margins that Apple realized on Macs. One of the
first things Jobs did upon his return was to shut down this program.
The recent litigation against Pystar once again allowed Apple to
squash illegal clones.
I too loved the 68000 family. We used early versions of the family in
the GVG Model 100 which was introduced a few months after the Mac in
1984.
Regards
Craig
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