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Text File | 1994-09-21 | 41KB | 768 lines

     ORIGINAL APPLE
  The original Apple computer was invented by Steve Wozniak, who
was an engineer at Hewlett-Packard. In 1975, he offered the plans
to his boss at Hewlett-Packard, but his boss said Steve's
computer didn't fit into Hewlett-Packard's marketing plan. His
boss suggested that Steve start his own company. Steve did.
  He worked with his friend, Steve Jobs. Steve Wozniak was the
engineer; Steve Jobs was the businessman. Both were young: Steve
Wozniak was 22; Steve Jobs was 19. Both were college drop-outs.
They'd worked together before: when high-school students, they'd
built and sold blue boxes (boxes that people attached to
telephones to illegally make long-distance calls free). Steve &
Steve had sold 200 blue boxes at $80 each, giving them a total of
$16,000 in illegal money.
  To begin Apple Computer Company, Steve & Steve invested just
$1300, which they got by selling a used Volkswagen Micro Bus and
a used calculator.
  They built the first Apple computer in their garage. They sold
it by word of mouth, then later by ads. The advertised price was
just $666.60.

                     APPLE 2
                             The original Apple computer looked
pathetic. But in 1977, Steve & Steve invented a slicker version,
called the Apple 2. Unlike the original Apple, the Apple 2
included a keyboard and displayed graphics in color. It cost
$970.
                             The Apple 2 became a smashing
success, because it was the first computer for under $1000 that
could display colors on a TV. It was the only such computer for
many years, until Commodore finally invented the Vic, which was
even cheaper (under $300).
                             At first, people used the Apple 2 to
play games and didn't take the computer seriously. But two
surprise events changed the world's feelings about Apple.

                                                 MECC
                             The first surprise was that the
Minnesota state government decided to buy lots of Apple 2
computers, put them in Minnesota schools, and write programs for
them. That state agency, called the Minnesota Educational
Computing Consortium (MECC), then distributed the programs free
to other schools across America.
                             Soon, schools across America
discovered that personal computers could be useful in education,
and that the only programs available came from Minnesota and
required Apples. So schools across America bought Apples ___ and
then wrote more programs for the Apples they'd bought. Apple
became the ``standard'' computer for education ___ just because
of the chain reaction that started with a chance event in
Minnesota. The chain reaction spread rapidly, as teachers fell in
love with the Apple's color graphics.

                                               Visicalc
                             The next surprise was that a
graduate student at the Harvard Business School and his friend at
M.I.T. got together and wrote an amazing accounting program
called Visicalc. They wrote it for the Apple 2 computer, because
it was the only low-cost computer that had a reliable disk
operating system.
                             (Commodore's computers didn't have
disks yet, and Radio Shack's disk operating system was buggy
until the following year. Apple's success was due to Steve
Wozniak's brilliance: he invented a disk-controller card that was
amazingly cheap and reliable.)
                             The Visicalc accounting program was
so wonderful that accountants and business managers all over the
country bought it ___ and therefore had to buy Apple computers to
run it on.
                             Visicalc was better than any
accounting program that had been invented on even the largest IBM
maxicomputers. Visicalc proved that little Apples could be more
convenient than even the most gigantic IBM.
                             Later, Visicalc became available for
other computers; but at first, Visicalc required an Apple, and
Visicalc's success led to the success of Apple.
                             In a typical large corporation, the
corporate accountant wanted to buy an Apple with Visicalc. Since
the corporation's data-processing director liked big computers
and refused to buy microcomputers, the accountant who wanted
Visicalc resorted to an old business trick: he lied. He pretended
to spend $2000 for ``typewriters'' but bought an Apple instead.
He snuck it into the company and plopped it on his desk. That
happened all across America, so all large corporations had
thousands of Apples sitting on the desks of accountants and
managers but disguised as ``typewriters'' or ``word processors''.
                             Yes, Apple computers infiltrated
American corporations by subversion. It was an underground
movement that annoyed IBM so much that IBM eventually decided to
invent a personal computer of its own.
              Apple 2+
  In 1979, Apple Computer Corporation began shipping an improved
Apple 2, called the Apple 2+.
  Its main improvement was that its ROM chips contained a better
version of BASIC, called Applesoft BASIC, which could handle
decimals. (The version of BASIC in the old Apple 2's ROM chips
handled just integers.)
  Another improvement was how the RESET key acted. On the old
Apple 2, pressing the RESET key would abort a program, so the
program would stop running. Too many consumers pressed the RESET
key accidentally and got upset. On the Apple 2+, pressing the
RESET key aborted a program just if you simultaneously held down
the CONTROL key.

                Slots
  In the Apple 2+ and its predecessors, the motherboard contained
eight slots, numbered from 0 to 7. Each slot could hold a
printed-circuit card.
  Slot 0 was for a memory card (containing extra RAM). Slot 1 was
for a printer card (containing a parallel printer port). Slot 2
was for an internal modem (for attaching to a phone). Slot 3 was
for an 80-column card (to make the screen display 80 characters
per line instead of 40). Slot 6 was for a disk controller. Cards
in slots 4, 5, and 7 were more exotic.

              Apple 2e
  In 1983, Apple began shipping a further improvement, called the
Apple 2 extended, expanded, enhanced (Apple 2e). Most programs
written for the Apple 1, 2, and 2+ also run on the Apple 2e.
  Keyboard Whereas the Apple 2+ keyboard contained just 52 keys,
the Apple 2e keyboard contains 63 keys. The 11 extra keys help
you type lowercase letters, type special symbols, edit your
writing, and control your programs.
  For example, the Apple 2e keyboard contains all four arrow keys
(, , , and ■), so you can easily move around the screen in all
four directions. (The  and  keys were missing from the Apple 2+
keyboard.)
  The Apple 2e keyboard contains a DELETE key, so you can easily
delete an error from the middle of your writing. (The DELETE key
was missing from the Apple 2+ keyboard.)
  Slot 0 Unlike its predecessors, the Apple 2e omits slot 0,
because the Apple 2e doesn't need a RAM card: the Apple 2e's
motherboard already contains lots of RAM (64K).
  Slot 3A The Apple 2e contains an extra slot. It's called slot
3A. It resembles slot 3 but holds a more modern kind of video
card that comes in two versions: the plain version lets your
Apple display 80 characters per line; the fancy version does the
same but also includes a row of 64K RAM chips, so that your Apple
contains 128K of RAM altogether.
  Apple 2e versus IBM clones An Apple 2e system costs more than
an IBM XT clone and in almost every way is worse: for example,
the Apple 2e system has less RAM (128K instead of 640K), fewer
keys on the keyboard (63 instead of 83), inferior disk drives
(writing just 140K on the disk instead of 360K), and a crippled
version of BASIC (understanding just 114 words instead of 178).
                                         Nevertheless, the Apple
2e became quite popular, because more educational programs and
games are available for the Apple 2e than for any other computer.
That's because the Apple 2e still runs thousands of programs that
were invented years ago for its predecessors: the Apple 1, 2, and
2+. Fewer educational programs and games have been written for
the IBM PC and clones, because the IBM PC costs more than schools
and kids can afford. Although the IBM PC has become the standard
computer for business, the Apple 2e is still the standard
computer for schools and kids.

                                                     Apple 2c
                                         In 1984, Apple created a
shrunken Apple 2e called the Apple 2 compact (Apple 2c). Besides
being smaller and lighter than the Apple 2e, it costs less.
                                         Which is better: the 2e
or the 2c? On the one hand, the 2c costs less, has the
convenience of being more portable, and consumes less
electricity. On the other hand, hobbyists spurn the 2c because it
doesn't have any slots for adding cards; it's not expandable. But
the average consumer doesn't long for extra cards anyway, since
the motherboard includes everything a beginner needs: 128K of
RAM, 80-character-per-line video circuitry, a disk controller,
and two serial ports. You can run cables from the back of the 2c
to a serial printer, modem, second disk drive, and joystick.
                                         When the 2c first came
out, its ROM was fancier than the 2e's, so that the 2c could
handle BASIC and a mouse better than the 2e. But in February
1985, Apple began putting the fancy ROM chips in the 2e also, so
that every new 2e handles BASIC and a mouse as well as the 2c.
                                         Apple 2c+ Apple invented
an improved Apple 2c, called the Apple 2c+, whose disk drive is
3½-inch instead of 5¼-inch. Though Apple's 3½-inch drive is
technologically superior to Apple's 5¼-inch drive, most
educational software still comes on 5¼-inch disks and is not
available on 3½-inch disks yet.

                                                     Apple 2GS
                                         In 1986, Apple created
an improved version of the Apple 2e and called it the Apple 2
with amazing graphics & sound (Apple 2GS).
                                         Its graphics are fairly
good (better than EGA, though not as good as VGA). Its musical
abilities are amazing; they arise from Apple's Ensoniq chip,
which can produce 32 musical voices simultaneously!
                                         The computer contains an
extra-fast CPU (the 65816), 128k of ROM, 256K of general-purpose
RAM, and 64K of RAM for the sound synthesizer.
                                         To run the popular 2GS
programs, you must add an extra 256K of RAM, to bring the total
RAM up to 512K. Better yet, get 1M of RAM. Discount dealers have
sold the 2GS with 1M RAM for $800. That price does not include a
monitor or any disk drives. To run the popular programs well, you
must buy a color monitor and two disk drives.

                                                  Apple 2 family
                                         All those computers
resemble each other, so that most programs written for the Apple
2 also work on the Apple 2+, 2e, 2c, 2c+, and 2GS.
                                         Apple has stopped
marketing all those computers, but you can still buy them as
``used computers'' from your neighbors.
        Laser 128
  Instead of getting an Apple 2c, consider getting a Laser 128.
It imitates an Apple 2c but costs less.
  It runs most Apple 2c programs perfectly. (Just 5% of the
popular Apple 2c programs are incompatible with the Laser 128.)
Like the Apple 2c, the Laser 128 includes 128K of RAM, a disk
drive, and a serial port. In three ways, it's even better than an
Apple 2c: it includes a parallel printer port (so you can attach
a greater variety of printers), a numeric keypad (so you can
enter data into spreadsheets more easily), and a slot (so you can
add an Apple 2e expansion card).
  A souped-up version, called the Laser 128EX, goes three times
as fast.
  The Laser 128 and 128EX are built by the Laser Computer
division of VTech, the same company that makes IBM clones. You
can buy the Laser 128 for $279, and the Laser 128EX for $355,
from a discount dealer called USA Micro (2888 Bluff St., Suite
257, Boulder CO 80301, phone [phone] or 303-938-9089).
  Another discount dealer, Perfect Solutions, charges slightly
more for the computers but slightly less for monitors and other
add-ons. Contact Perfect Solutions at 12657 Coral Breeze Dr.,
West Palm Beach, FL 33414, phone [phone] or 407-790-1070.

    Quality Computers
  The biggest dealer still selling hardware and software for the
Apple 2 family is Quality Computers (20200 Nine Mile Rd., PO Box
349, St. Clair Shores MI 48080, phone [phone] or
313-774-7200). That dealer sells a wide variety of goodies by
mail and also publishes an Apple 2 magazine called II Alive
($3.95 per issue, 6 issues per year, $19.95 per year).

                LUXURIOUS APPLES
                             Apple Computer Inc. invented two
luxury computers, the Apple 3 and the Lisa. Priced at about
$10,000 (including monitor, hard drive, and software), they were
too expensive for consumers, but Apple hoped that rich businesses
would buy a few. They didn't buy. Those luxurious computers were
financial failures.
                             But Apple learned from its mistakes.
Here are the details. . . .

                                                Apple 3
                             Back in 1980, shortly after the
Apple 2+ was invented, Apple began selling the Apple 3. It was
much fancier than the Apple 2+. Unfortunately, it was
ridiculously expensive (it listed for $4995, plus a monitor and
hard drive), it couldn't run some of the Apple 2+ software, and
the first ones off the assembly line were defective. Few people
bought it.
                             When the IBM PC came out and
consumers realized the PC was better and cheaper than the Apple
3, interest in the Apple 3 vanished. Apple gave up trying to sell
the Apple 3, but incorporated the Apple 3's best features into
later Apples that were more affordable: the Apple 2e and the
Apple 2GS.

                                                 Lisa
                             Apple's next attempt at a luxurious
computer was the Lisa, which was named after Steve Job's
daughter.
                             The Lisa was even more expensive
than the Apple 3, and it didn't run any Apple 2+ software; in
fact, it had a completely different CPU. But the Lisa received
high praise, because its screen could draw fancy graphics
quickly, and its operating system and business programs were
extremely easy to learn to use: you just pointed at pictures
instead of typing hard-to-remember computer commands.
                             The Lisa's screen displayed cute
little drawings, called icons. Some of the icons stood for
activities. To make the Lisa perform an activity, you looked on
the screen for the activity's icon. (For example, to make the
computer delete a file, you began by looking for a picture of a
garbage can.) When you pointed at the icon by using a mouse, the
Lisa performed the icon's activity.
                             The Lisa also used horizontal menus
and pull-down menus. A horizontal menu was a list of topics
printed across the top line of the screen. If you pointed at one
of those general topics (by using the mouse), a column of more
specific choices appeared underneath that topic; that column of
specific activities was called a pull-down menu. You then looked
at the pull-down menu, found the specific activity you were
interested in, pointed at it (by using the mouse), and the
computer would immediately start performing that activity.
                             Pointing at icons, horizontal menus,
and pull-down menus was much easier to learn than using the kinds
of computer systems other manufacturers had developed before. It
was also fun! Yes, the Lisa was the first computer whose business
programs were truly fun to run. And because it was so easy to
learn to use, customers could start using it without reading the
manuals. Everybody praised the Lisa and called it a new
breakthrough in software technology.
                             But even though the Lisa was highly
praised, few people bought it, because it was too expensive. It
cost nearly $10,000.
                             Though Apple invented some business
programs that were fun and easy to use, independent programmers
had difficulty developing their own programs for the Lisa,
because Apple didn't supply enough programming tools. Apple never
invented a version of BASIC, delayed introducing a version of
PASCAL, and didn't make detailed manuals available to the average
programmer. And though icons and pull-down menus are easy to use,
they're difficult for programmers to invent.
                             Apple gradually lowered the Lisa's
price.

                MACS
  In January 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh (Mac), which
was a stripped-down version of the Lisa. Like the Lisa, the Mac
uses a mouse, icons, horizontal menus, and pull-down menus. The
Mac's price was low enough to make it popular.
  The Mac is even more fun and easy than the Lisa! It appeals to
beginners who are scared of computers. Many advanced computerists
use it also, because it feels ultra-modern, handles graphics
quickly, and passes data from one program to another simply.
  The original version of the Mac ran too slowly, but the newest
versions run faster. They're priced about the same as IBM's
computers, though not as cheaply as IBM clones.
  Since the Mac's so easy to use and costs so little, many people
have bought it. Lots of software's been developed for it ___ much
more than for the Lisa. Alas, popular Mac software doesn't run
well on the Lisa. Apple has stopped selling the Lisa and stopped
selling a compromise called the Mac XL.

           The first Macs
  Apple began selling the Mac for $2495. The original version of
the Mac consists of three parts: the mouse, the keyboard, and the
system unit.
  The system unit contains a 9-inch black-and-white screen (whose
resolution is 512 by 384), a 3½-inch floppy disk drive, and a
motherboard. On the motherboard sit an 8-megahertz 68000 CPU, two
ROM chips (containing most of the operating system and many
routines for drawing graphics), rows of RAM chips, a disk
controller, and two serial ports (for attaching a printer and a
modem).
  That Mac is called the original 128K Mac because it includes
128K of RAM (plus 64K of ROM).
  Then Apple invented an improvement called the 512K Mac because
it includes 512K of RAM. (It uses two rows of 256K chips instead
of two rows of 64K chips.) Apple wanted to call it the ``Big
Mac'' but feared that customers would think it was a hamburger.
  In January 1986, Apple began selling a new, improved Mac,
called the Mac Plus. It's better than the 512K Mac in several
ways: it contains a larger RAM (1 megabyte instead of 512K), a
larger ROM (128K instead of 64K), a better disk drive
(double-sided instead of single-sided), a larger keyboard (which
contains extra keys), and a port that let you add a hard-disk
drive more easily. The improved ROM, RAM, disk drive, keyboard,
and port all serve the same overall purpose: they provide
hardware and software tricks that let Mac programs run faster.
  Like the 128K and 512K Macs, the Mac Plus includes one floppy
drive.

               Mac SE
  In 1987, Apple introduced an even fancier Mac, called the Mac
SE. It runs software 15% faster than the Mac Plus because it
contains a cleverer ROM (which is 256K instead of 128K) and
fancier support chips. It's also more expandable: it lets you
insert extra circuitry more easily. The keyboard costs extra: buy
the standard keyboard (which has 81 keys) or the extended
keyboard (which has 105 keys and costs more).
                                                       Mac 2
                                         When Apple introduced
the Mac SE, Apple also introduced a luxury model, called the Mac
2. It contains a faster CPU (a 16-megahertz 68020) and 6 slots
for inserting printed-circuit cards.
                                         Instead of sticking you
with a 9-inch black-and-white monitor, it lets you use any kind
of monitor you wish: choose big or small; choose black-and-white
or gray-scale or color. The monitor costs extra; so do the
keyboard (standard or extended) and video card (which you put
into a slot and attach the monitor to).
                                         Since the Mac 2 lets you
choose your own monitor, the Mac 2 is called a modular Mac. When
buying a modular Mac, remember that the monitor costs extra!

                                                     New Macs
                                         All the Macs that I've
mentioned so far ___ the 128K Mac, 256K Mac, Mac Plus, Mac SE,
and Mac 2 ___ are obsolete. Apple has stopped selling them.
Instead, Apple sells newer Macs that are nicer. Here they are. .
. .

                                                     Performa
                                         The easiest way to buy a
good Mac cheaply has been to buy a Mac called the Performa 460.
                                         Where to buy It's been
sold at discount office-supply stores such as Staples and Office
Max. To find the Staples or Office Max nearest you, check your
local phone book or phone [phone] (for Staples) or
800-788-8080 (for Office Max).
                                         Price In June 1994,
Staples was selling the Performa 460 for just $1099 and was
mailing $100-off coupons to Staples members, bringing the
effective price down to $999. Most Staples stores are sold out of
the Performa 460 now (and are waiting for Apple to ship fancier
Performas), but you might still find a Performa 460 left on a
shelf in some store. If you find it, grab it.
                                         What you get The
Performa 460's price includes all you need to get started: the
computer, keyboard, mouse, 4M main RAM, 512K video RAM, decent
color monitor (14-inch, with 640x480 resolution), good floppy
drive (high-density 3½-inch), hard drive, fax/modem, and 14
programs:
the operating system (Mac System 7.1P)

Claris Works (an integrated program that handles word processing,
databases, spreadsheets, graphics, and communications)

Quicken (which helps you balance your checkbook)

American Heritage Dictionary (which includes definitions; and if
you know a concept, the program helps you search for the word
whose definition contains that concept)

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing (which teaches you how to type)

a computerized board game (Monopoly), an action game (Spectre
Challenger), and an educational game (Super Munchers)

programs that keeps track of appointments (Datebook Pro) and a
variety of other tasks (Homeworks Templates)

a collection of cartoons and other artwork you can insert in your
documents (Click Art Performa Collection)

a utility that helps your modem communicate with the America
Online database (America Online Apple Special Edition), a utility
that helps disabled people use the keyboard (At Ease), and a
utility that helps your Mac swap data with an IBM PC by sharing
the same 3½-inch floppy disk (Mac PC Exchange)
  The fax/modem sends and receives modem data at 2400-baud. It
sends faxes at 9600-baud. It can't receive any faxes. Since it
can send faxes but not receive them, it's called a
send-fax/modem.
  Printer Eventually, you'll want to add a printer, which is not
include in the Performa 460's price. If you're on a tight budget,
get Apple's Stylewriter 2 ink-jet printer, which most discount
dealers sell for just $280.
  Service The computer comes with a one-year warranty. If you
need a repair, phone Apple headquarters at 800-SOS-APPLE. If
Apple's technicians can't solve your problem by just chatting
with you on the phone or sending you a replacement, they'll send
a repairman to your home, free.
  Two Performas Several other Performas have been sold by
Staples, Office Max, and other dealers (such as Metro Business
Systems in New York City at 203-967-3435). Here's how the various
Performas compare:
Computer  CPU   RAM Big drivesMonitor       Price
Performa 46068030-334M 80M    14-inch (.39mm dot pitch)$1099
Performa 47568040-254M160M    14-inch (.28mm dot pitch)$1249
Performa 47668040-254M230M    14-inch (.28mm dot pitch)$1399
Performa 630CD68040-338M250M + CD-ROM15-inch (.28mm dot
pitch)$1899
  When you buy the Performa 630CD, you also get a CD-ROM disk
containing Grolier's encyclopedia.

                     Quadra
  Apple sells a series of Mac computers called the Quadra. Each
Quadra computer contains a 68040 CPU. They're called Quadra
computers because of the ``4'' in ``68040''.
  The cheapest and most popular Quadra is the Quadra 605. Like
the Performa 475 & 476, it contains a 68040-25. It comes in two
versions:
The Quadra 605 4/160 includes 4M RAM, 160M hard drive, & much
software. It costs  $930.
The Quadra 605 8/250 includes 8M RAM, 250M hard drive, & much
software. It costs $1250.
  Those Quadra prices (charged by discount stores such as Comp
USA) do not include a keyboard (add $160 for Apple's extended
keyboard or $100 for an imitation by Suntouch), do not include a
monitor (add $306 for a 14-inch color monitor having .28mm dot
pitch or $400 for a similar monitor having .26mm dot pitch and a
flatter screen and stronger colors), and do not include a
fax/modem.
  The next step up is the Quadra 630. It goes faster, since its
CPU is a 68040-33 (instead of a 68040-25). It includes 4M RAM and
250M hard drive and costs $1250. If you want 8M RAM instead of
4M, you must pay a surcharge.

             Quadra versus Performa
  The Quadra is intended for folks smart enough to know that
``quadra'' is the Latin word for ``4''. The Performa is intended
for folks stupid enough to think that the word ``performer''
should be pronounced that way.
  The Quadra is intended to be sold by expert computer
salespeople to expert customers. The Performa is intended to be
sold by idiots to customers who are idiots.
  Here are the details. . . .
Quadra computers are sold by computer experts in computer stores
(such as Comp USA).
Performa computers are sold by idiots in office-supply stores
(such as Staples and Office Max).

To repair a Quadra, phone the computer technicians at the
computer store where you bought it.
To repair a Performa computer, you must phone Apple headquarters
at 800-SOS-APPLE.

For a Quadra, choose which monitor, keyboard, and fax/modem you
want; they cost extra.
A Performa's price includes a monitor, keyboard, and fax/modem;
there are no surcharges or choices.

A Quadra's price includes some software.
A Performa's price includes more software ___ especially games
and tutorials.

The Quadra's operating system is traditional: it's System 7.1.
The Performa's operating system is modified for beginners: it's
System 7.1P. It annoys experts.


  Though Performas are idiotic, they're the best values: you get
more hardware and software per dollar when you buy a Performa
than when you buy a Quadra. For example, the Performa 475 (which
costs $1249) is a better bargain than a Quadra 605 4/160 (which
costs $930 + $100 keyboard + $306 monitor + fax/modem).

                    Power Mac
  In March 1994, Apple began selling a faster kind of Mac, called
the Power Mac. It contains an extra-fast CPU chip, called the
Power PC, invented by a team from Apple, Motorola, and IBM, all
working together. The first version of the Power PC chip is
called the Power PC 601; even faster versions (the Power PC 604
and Power PC 620) will be developed later.
  Here are Comp USA's prices:
Computer  CPU             Price
Power Mac 6100Power PC 601, at 60 megahertz$1650 for 8/160
Power Mac 7100Power PC 601, at 66 megahertz$2590 for 8/250
Power Mac 8100Power PC 601, at 80 megahertz$3950 for 8/250
  To make the Power Mac (with its Power PC chip) run at full
speed, you must buy programs written specifically for that chip.
Such programs are called native-mode Power programs. Programs
written for other Macs instead will run on the Power PC chip but
slowly, by using Apple's emulator that makes the Power PC chip
try to imitate other Mac chips.
  Throughout 1994, computerists were waiting for more native-mode
Power programs to be written and expected them to be written by
1995. Folks who bought Power Macs in 1994 were disappointed at
the slow speed of the emulated software they had to use.
  Apple expected that by 1995 the Power PC would have enough
native-mode software to become popular, and the Quadras and cheap
Performas would be phased out.
  I'm writing this book's edition in 1994. If you're reading this
book in 1995, you're lucky: you're living in my future! Please
tell me, o future person: will Apple turn out to be right? In
1995, will the Power PC acquire enough native-mode software to
become wildly popular? Or will Intel (which Apple calls ``the
evil empire'') drop Pentium-chip prices enough so that folks
continue to buy IBM clones instead of Power Macs? Even Apple
lovers are betting, sadly, that Intel will win.

                    Powerbook
  You can buy these notebook computers, called Powerbooks:
Name        CPU   Screen    Price from discount dealers
Powerbook 15068030-33gray-scale$1337 for 4/120
Powerbook 165c68030-33color $1897 for 4/80

Powerbook 52068040-25gray-scale$2069 for 4/160
Powerbook 520c68040-25color $2630 for 4/160
Each weighs about 7 pounds and includes a floppy drive.
  The following Powerbooks are pricey because their screens are
active-matrix, which means the screens respond extra-quickly and
are extra-bright:
Name        CPU   Screen    Price from discount dealers
Powerbook 18068030-33active gray-scale$1599 for 4/80;  $2097 for
8/160
Powerbook 180c68030-33active color$2699 for 4/160; $2895 for
4/320

Powerbook 540c68040-33active color$4249 for 4/320; $5049 for
12/320
  The Powerbook Duo is a notebook that weighs under 5 pounds
because it lacks a floppy drive. It comes in three versions:
Name        CPU   Screen    Price from discount dealers
Powerbook Duo 23068030-33gray-scale$1149 for 4/120

Powerbook Duo 28068040-33active gray-scale$2349 for 4/240; $2869
for 12/240
Powerbook Duo 280c68040-33active color$3349 for 4/320; $3829 for
12/320

                    Many Macs
  Many other Macs have come & gone. Here's a list of all Macs:

CPU  Current Macs                     Discontinued Macs
68000-8                               128K, 512K, 512Ke, Plus,
SE, Classic
68000-16                              Powerbook 100, Portable

68020-16                              2, LC

68030-16
Perf200&400&405&410&430,Pb140,LC2,Classic2,ColorClassic,SE/30,2x,
2cx
68030-20                              2si
68030-25                              Performa 450, Powerbook
145&145B&160&170&210, LC 3&520, 2ci
68030-32                              Performa 600&600CD, 2vx
68030-33 Performa 460&466&467&550, Powerbook
150&165c&180&180c&230                 Powerbook 165&250&270c
68030-40                              2fx

68040-20                              Centris 610
68040-25 Quadra 605, Performa 475&476, LC 475Quadra
610&660AV&700&900, Centris 650&660AV
68040-33 Quadra 630, Pf 575&577&578&630, Pb 540&540c&280&280c, LC
575                                   Quadra 650&800&950
68040-40                              Quadra 840AV

601-60   Power Mac 6100
601-66   Power Mac 7100
601-80   Power Mac 8100

              Should you buy a Mac?
  Let's evaluate the Mac's famous features.
  To use the Mac, you choose items from on-screen menus instead
of having to memorize commands and type them. That's good!
  To choose from a menu, the Mac requires you to point at the
menu item by using a mouse. That's fun and easy to understand but
slow: you must move your hand from the keyboard to the mouse,
move the mouse's pointer to the menu item, then click the mouse's
button. Fast typists prefer the menu methods popularized by Lotus
1-2-3 and Microsoft Windows: they let you keep your hands on the
keyboard and just hit two keys. The first key (which in Lotus is
a slash, and in Windows is the Alt key) tells the computer that
you want to choose from a menu; the next key is the first letter
of the menu item you're choosing.
  In most Mac software, a menu across the top of the screen
displays words, and a menu down the screen's left side displays
little pictures called icons. Though the icons are cute and
appeal to people who can't read English, you can get frustrated
trying to guess what each icon means. For example, in Mac Paint
one of the icons is supposed to be a picture of an eraser but
looks more like a block of wood. Mac software takes the world
back to the age of hieroglyphics, which are not an improvement
over the Roman alphabet!
  The Mac remains popular because it's great for graphics, cute
enough to turn computer haters into computer lovers, and sports a
screen that can display different typestyles and type sizes
quickly enough to amaze desktop-publishing enthusiasts.
  Price The Macs are competitively priced against IBM but not
against IBM PC clones. That's why most people buy IBM PC clones,
not Macs.
  For example, suppose you want to buy a computer with a color
monitor. The cheapest Mac with a color monitor is the Performa
460, which costs about $1000. But for that same price, VTech will
sell you an IBM clone having these advantages over the Performa
460: VTech includes a bigger drive (210M instead of 80M), a
better monitor (.28mm insteda of .39mm, and 1024x768 instead of
640x480), and a faster CPU (its 486SX-33 goes about twice as fast
as the Performa 460's 68030-33). Though the Mac includes better
audio (a microphone and a 4-voice speaker) and a better operating
system (since Mac System 7.1P is easier to learn than MS-DOS plus
Windows), the VTech remains a better deal.
  For pricier computers, that discrepancy persists. For example,
a budget of about $1700 gets you a good IBM clone from VTech (66
megahertz CPU with 8M RAM, 420M hard drive, good 14-inch monitor,
CD-ROM drive, etc.) but just a mediocre Mac ($1250 Quadra 605
with 25 megahertz CPU, 8M RAM and 250M hard drive; plus $100
keyboard; plus $400 good 14-inch monitor; no CD-ROM drive).
  The IBM-versus-Mac contest would be more interesting if
somebody would clone the Mac; but nobody dares, since many of the
Mac's parts are copyrighted and patented by Apple. The IBM PC can
be cloned more easily, because IBM buys most of its parts from
suppliers who also sell to IBM's competitors. Just a few parts in
IBM's computers are built and patented by IBM.
  For many years, IBM didn't enforce its patents. In 1988, IBM
sent clone manufacturers notices that demanded retroactive
licensing fees.
  Mac versus IBM Which is better, a Mac or an IBM PC? When the
Mac
was invented in 1984, the answer was simple: the Mac's software
was easier to understand than the IBM PC's; but the Mac ran too
slowly, and not enough Mac software was available. Now the IBM PC
and Mac have both improved: IBM PC programmers, inspired by the
Mac, have developed Mac-like easy-to-use software that runs on
the IBM PC; and Mac developers, cowering under the power of the
IBM PC marketplace, have developed faster hardware and more
software.
                                                     So the IBM
PC and Mac are resembling each other more. The question of which
to buy is a matter of personal taste. The IBM PC appeals to
people who are efficient, businesslike, conservative; the Mac
appeals to people who are inspired, artistic, radical. Though I
still recommend IBM PC clones, my advice might shift if the Mac
continues to improve.
                                                     Mac-inspired
systems Inspired by the Mac, programmers have invented graphical
user interfaces (GUI), which are software utilities making other
computers resemble a Mac. The most popular graphical user
interfaces for microcomputers are Microsoft Windows (which runs
on the IBM), OS/2 (on the IBM), Gem (on the IBM and Atari ST),
Geos (on the IBM, Apple 2GS, and Commodore 64), and Prodos 16 (on
the Apple 2GS).
                                                     But the Mac
remains more pleasant than those competitors because the Mac's
been around longer and developed a larger library of software to
choose from. Much of the Mac's success is due to Guy Kawasaki,
whose title at Apple was ``Mac Software Evangelist'': he
convinced all major software companies to write programs for the
Mac and make their programs resemble each other, so once you've
learned to use one Mac program you can easily learn all the
others. That's what makes the Mac so wonderfully easy to use:
consistent software interfaces.

               NEWTON
  In 1993, Apple invented a palmtop computer called the Newton.
  Instead of containing a keyboard, it contains a tablet you
write on with a pen. The computer tries to read your handwriting
and figure out which words you scribbled.
  The newest version of the Newton, the Newton Message Pad 110,
costs $546 at Comp USA.

           Is Newton good?
  Computerists praise Apple for hitting on the Newton idea, and
say the idea is very striking, but complain that the resulting
Newton acts brain-damaged: it makes many mistakes when trying to
interpret your handwriting. Because Newton makes so many
mistakes, it isn't popular: most folks don't give a fig about
Newton.
  The modern world needs to go beyond Newton. We need an
Einstein.
  John Sculley, who headed Apple when the Newton was invented,
hoped that the Newton would have a major effect on his career.
  He was right: the Newton did have a major effect on his career.
It ended his career: Apple's board of directors ousted him for
spending too much effort on the Newton and not enough on Apple's
mainstream products.

           WHO RUNS APPLE?
                                         Steve Wozniak got in an
airplane crash that hurt his head and gave him amnesia, so he
left the company and enrolled in college under a fake name
(``Rocky Clark''). After he graduated, he returned to Apple
Computer Company quietly. Steve Jobs managed the company.
                                         Though Apple was
successful, Steve Jobs' strategies upset some computerists. For
example, Apple's ads claimed that the Apple was the first
personal computer (it was not the first!); Apple launched a big
campaign to make businessmen buy Apple PASCAL (even though Apple
PASCAL was of no help to the average businessman whatsoever);
Apple prohibited its dealers from displaying games (though Apple
has since relented); and Apple still prohibits authorized dealers
from selling Apples by mail order.
                                         Apple Computer Inc.
donated free Apple computers to schools for three reasons: to be
nice, get a tax write-off, and lure schools into buying Apples
(to be compatible with the Apples that the schools received
free). But if Apple really wanted to be nice, it would lower
prices further so that low-income consumers could afford them.
Apple isn't trying to sell to the poor; instead, Apple's trying
to sell to the ``chic''.
                                         Steve & Steve both left
Apple and went separate ways. Apple's next head was John Sculley,
a marketer who used to be a vice-president of Pepsi. He made
Pepsi the #2 soft drink (just behind Coke) and kept Apple the #2
microcomputer company (just behind IBM). In 1993, he stepped
down; now Apple's headed by Michael Spindler, an efficient German
trying to drop Apple's costs and prices.