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- Path: sparky!uunet!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!csus.edu!ucdavis!othello.ucdavis.edu!fzchen
- From: fzchen@othello.ucdavis.edu
- Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.system
- Subject: Re: System 7.1 : What is going to be in it?
- Message-ID: <15489@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu>
- Date: 25 Jul 92 02:05:30 GMT
- References: <nerm-200792103739@90.10.20.86> <7893@dirac.physics.purdue.edu> <1992Jul24.182327.6515@news.acns.nwu.edu>
- Sender: usenet@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu
- Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis
- Lines: 48
-
- In article <1992Jul24.182327.6515@news.acns.nwu.edu> lentz@reber.astro.nwu.edu (Robert A. Lentz) writes:
- >In article <7893@dirac.physics.purdue.edu> sho@gibbs.physics.purdue.edu (Sho Kuwamoto) writes:
- > Separate products does not necessarily mean commercial, thoug
- > it can. Take the current example of QuickTime: it has not been
- > incorporated into the System (and is not planned to be). It is
- > available as a separate product as either just the basics for
- > free (such as on ftp.apple.com) or with the QuickTime Starter
- > Kit which serves a different purpose and offers a bit more.
- >
- > I can see GX and AppleScript being offered in a basic form
- > as a separate, free product and as an enhanced commercial form
- > (for example with some of the new mastered fonts with GX, or
- > and AppleScript debugger with AppleScript.) OCE, well, I can
- > sort of see it as a separate product, but that offers problems
- > for what you do when you want/need to include it in the system
- > offering (though if the rumors are right of how it is a resource
- > hog, many people will not be too interested at first...)
- >
- C'mon now, everyone. My speculation as to why Apple is choosing to
- release new modules as priced upgrades(including Quicktime, Remote
- Access, and System 7) is for profit reasons. I'm not saying this is
- bad or good. In the long run this could be beneficial to users. Its
- a well known fact that margins on the CPU's have been steadily diminishing.
- Witness the PowerBook which is selling great but with really low profit
- margins.
-
- Apple is trying to become a software company. My prediction is that is
- the first phase in a long range restructuring of the way Apple does
- business. As of now, most upgrades to System software cost money.
- Microsoft does this and they make loads of money. For us netters its
- not that bad because we can FTP the files. I see Apple eventually
- selling architecture (in the way of custom IC's with system roms) to
- hardware companies (Dell, Compaq??) and let them manufacture the boxes.
-
- Meanwhile Apple will sell system software and the IC's. In this way
- they would retain control of the box and make higher margins on the
- software and concentrate on what Apple does best -- MAKE SOFTWARE!
-
- Unfortunately for us home users, Apple makes the bulk of its money
- selling to businesses. Businesses (when they have money for capital
- expenses) will buy upgrades to software which home users will balk at.
-
- In the end, however, this could mean lower prices on future Macintosh
- OS compatible computers, which may be better for all of us.
-
- - MeatHead
-
-
-