Chris McVeigh got it right when he said, “Apple is not only selling computers, it is selling its vision.” (Editorial, March ‘96). Apple used to have what I can only call a “psychological presence”, meaning that people knew what Apple was and what it stood for. Apple made cool stuff, which promised to lead us all into the future. And that is why so many people bought Apple products. But now, nobody knows what Apple is, or where it is going. And it doesn’t help itself, either—it’s stopped telling people why it’s so cool and started telling people why its products are practical.
Gah! Practical is boring. Show me a computer that can do a load of gee-whiz stuff, and I’ll be mesmerized. Show me a computer that can handle word processing and spreadsheeting, and I’m outta there. People want their computers to be more than just tools. They want them to have personality and flair. They want their computers to reflect their own ideologies. They want their computers to be cool.
I hope someone, someday soon can make Apple see my point.
Jeff Teller, via the Internet.
 
 
This is regarding Bart Farkas' column in the March MacSense. Mr. Farkas must be the type of person who would boo at a wedding, he's so negative in his column!
Get a grip! The Mac game market right now is actually *better* than it ever has been, both in terms of quantity of games and quality. The top Mac games, such a Marathon II, are equal if not better than their PC counterparts.
As for the shareware games like Apieron, which he dismisses out of hand...well, I spent $15 on Apieron and $50 on Rebel Assault II, and I ditched RA II after a few days, because in spite of all the pretty pictures, the game stank. I still play Apieron almost daily.
If I want multimillion dollar cinematic panoramas, I'll go to the movies. If I want good gaming action, I'll turn on my Mac.
Mike Silverman, via the Internet.
 
 
I just wanted to write to you guys and tell you how much I appreciate all your work. I’ve watched you grow since you were a local ezine in the Ottawa area, and I can’t tell you how impressed I am with your success.
I won’t go the way of other letters and praise any specific aspect of your service; suffice is to say, you do a excellent job of keeping us all informed about the latest and greatest stuff in the world of Apple. I’m going to take you up on your CD offer, too—if it’s anything like your web site, it’s money well spent.
Keep up the good work. I’m sure it’s its own reward.
James Meyer, via the Internet.
 
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