I always believed that Apple's game and creativity focused 16-bit micro should have done better, but, well, it didn't. Seems like the Amiga and the Atari ST were too powerful for it, though this really shouldn't stop you from bidding on this lovely Apple II GS. It's got everything (besides one key) -including some software and what you see on the picture above- and comes with some extremely decent shipping. Then again, the seller ships only within the US.
Posts
Soooooo lovely :)
ReplyDeleteYeeeeeeeeees :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that the Apple II GS is a lovely machine, it's not hard to see why it wasn't as successful as it could have been. There were sadly several factors counting against it.
ReplyDeleteIt was released in 1986 as a direct competitor to the Amiga 1000 and the Atari 520ST for a similar price but with a lot less power. By 1987 though, both CBM and Atari had new, substantially cheaper models in the A500 and 520STF. And while the II GS could be expanded with more RAM, hard drives and video cards (as could the Amiga and Atari), it's out of the box configuration was quite underpowered for an entry-level 16 bit machine.
However, the main reason for the Apple II GS's overall lack of success was that conversely, for a while, it was actually too successful - it was quashing sales of Apple's other machines - notably their flagship Macintosh line. For Apple, the future lay in the Mac and the Apple II line - though hugely profitable - was holding them up, and they were desperate to kill it off and move their technology on. The same problem would rear it's head again with OS X vs OS 9 some years later... As it was, Apple's gradual disinterest in the lower AND mid end of the computer market allowed Commodore and Atari to flourish for a few more years until they both self-destructed.
Of course, one of the most notable features of the Apple II GS, was the fact it was equipped with a synthesiser chip, which allowed it to produce some lovely sounds. Lovely enough that Beatles owned record company Apple Corp sued, on grounds it breached an earlier agreement that the similarly named Apple Computer wouldn't move into music publishing and having deemed that said synthesiser chip transgressed that agreement. The ensuing settlement ensured Apple would never fit a similar chip in future machines, nor make further expansions that could be interpreted as moving into music publishing. Which was fine, until Apple launched something called iTunes some years later...
Isn't it funny how history repeats itself?
Hilarious really, but, frankly that was a most amazing comment.
ReplyDeleteI stand enlightened.
Thank you dear Bob!
Wonderful comment, Bob. I grew up on the IIgs and that really hits home. At the time I couldn't understand why Apple would drop the IIgs for the Mac. The Macs weren't even in color! :D
ReplyDeleteAnd the IIgs did have an amazing sound chip. I was so disappointed when I got my first IBM clone. No one told me sound cards were luxury items...
Ah, yes, the horrid beeper of the IBM compatible... It was grotesque even when compared to the Speccy.
ReplyDelete