The Good Fight

, 1997
Editorial

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Copyright 1997 by Bill Fox

Written: January 2, 1997 Last Updated: September 27, 1997

I have used Apple's computers since my first ][e in 1982. I've used the first pre-mac, the Lisa, right through to today's PCI PowerMac. In my experience the Mac OS is, without question, the very best operating system for personal computers. By comparison, Windows 95 is still more difficult and crude but it significantly closes the gap between PCs and Macs. I have both operating systems on computers at home and have used Windows' predecessor, DOS, for a decade and a half. The benefit of Windows 95, in my opinion, is that it will train a vast number of people in the Mac OS paradigm, making it easy for many of them to realize just how much better the Mac OS really is! Apple needs to capitalize on this.

Apple has always built quality computers. I've never had more than a clock battery and a PowerBook floppy drive to service on the many that I've used over the years. Apple has been competing on price and some early hardware suffered but not across the lineup. My experience with a PowerComputing PowerBase generally confirms Apple's better quality [I must add that Power has fixed every problem very quickly and without reservation]. Even so, Apple will have to do better quality-wise and feature-wise to support its premium price.

While I am very enthusiastic about Apple's products and their future, some issues need very careful attention--some have and some have not had attention. Here are my views:

• Spread the Mac OS as far and as wide as possible. Apple has tried doing this with its Mac OS licensing arrangements. But those are now in question with few licensees remaining.
• Simplify the main Mac line, make it customer configurable, offer cutting-edge innovation and focus on value for the premium charged. Of these, Apple has only simplified its line. The Mac OS licensees have been doing the next two. I hope Apple will pick this up--time will tell.
• Stabilize the Mac OS and make it bulletproof, but with real multitasking capability and protected memory. The Mac OS and its applications used to be rock solid and this situation needs to be recaptured. Apple's plan to continuously improve the Mac OS hopefully will accomplish this need more quickly than waiting for a grandiose splash. Mac OS 7.6, 7.6.1 and 8.0, especially, represent significant progress in this direction.
• Re-think its marketing strategy of producing computers in bundles that look a lot more expensive when compared in ads with less well endowed PCs. Apple also needs more visible and agressive advertising. Apple appeared to be doing much better during 1997 until the licensing issue gripped the media. A new ad campaign will start September 28th.
• Finally, Apple must pay more attention to the retail point of sale. This is absolutely abysmal today. The current situation at most large computer retailers definitely turns potential customers away rather than attracting them. Catalog resellers are relied upon too much. Apple should support Mac OS-only (as opposed to Apple-only) stores so they are locally highly competitive, offer a friendly place to tryout Mac OS equipment and can do unrestricted custom configurations. Apple purchased direct marketing capability from PowerComputing for a better balance in retailing--hopefully this effort will remain as good as Power's.

Here's Apple's current leaderhip. Write them your thoughts.

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Copyright © 1997 by Bill Fox.
All rights reserved--no commercial use permitted without my expressed permission.
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