Apple Worries

I am worried about Apple. I know that Gil Amelio has resigned (whatever), that MacUser will blend with MacWorld, and that the world is still being filled with bad press about Apple. Plus, I see many stores reducing their Apple line.

Everyone has seemed to abandon ship. My friends at work (who are PC geeks) have written off Apple as already dead. I refuse to believe it. I know that Apple has 1 billion dollars in cash/assets. What the hell is going on with Apple? Can't they figure it out that they must advertise like crazy to reverse all this negative press? They need more evangelists other than the Apple EvangeList list (by Guy Kawasaki), because the general public has no clue that this list even exists.

I also saw on the news that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were working out some deal to save Apple. If that isn't like dealing with the enemy (and just what are Bill Gates' motives anyway?), I don't know what is! Bill Gates is the richest man in the USA. He is worth 36 billion dollars. Perhaps Bill is rich enough in that he will support Apple instead of crushing them. I do not see why Bill Gates couldn't develop more software for Apple computer, and the two could coexist.

The graphic/animation/printing world needs the Macintosh. The consumers and their children love the Macintosh. The business world is finally figuring out that the Macintosh is a wonderful workhorse with fewer problems. The only weakness I see is in the development of more business applications, and especially CAD programs. My sister is an interior designer who will be buying a PC because she cannot use the same CAD program from her place of work on a Macintosh. Although she would love to buy a Macintosh instead, she is forced to buy a PC due to her job. This is so sad. It shouldn't be this way. What do we as Macintosh users have to do to promote Apple besides what we have already been doing? Why does Apple have this black cloud always over its head? The Macintosh computer is a wonderful product that may cease to exist if we don't figure out a way to educate the masses!

I love Macintosh. I hope they are around in the next decade. I cannot fathom having a PC/Windows (Windoze) machine.

Elaine
lainer@map.com

Yes, we're all stunned by the move of Mr. Jobs and Mr. Gates, but you can't fight forever. Sometimes you need to call a truce and settle things like rational people (see quote above your letter).

Regarding the "weakness" of Apple in the business application software market... The software industry reacts to demand, just like any other business. If it perceives that there is no demand for a product, as many companies do with Apple and Mac users, why should it produce a version that won't sell? Research and Development cost money, something that many companies are not willing to spend on anything less then a sure-fire winner. If business users made their wishes known to software companies that they wanted a Mac version of particular software and were willing to commit to the program, there would probably be more titles on the shelves for Mac users and a lot of people wouldn't be forced to be PC users.

BTW, has your sister considered buying a Mac with a DOS card, letting her have the "best of both worlds"?
Russ

Leaving AOL...

I am in the process of jumping ship from AOL (America Online ). It has become so time consuming and unimaginative. Even at 6:00 AM I have a hard time getting on and finding worthwhile downloads. They have the system so jammed I keep getting "can't download now too many people on line" or some such garbage.

I don't know what your feeling is about AOL but maybe you ought to do a reader survey on your readers feelings and concerns about online services.

Thanks
Don DeDominicis
DONDIDE@concentric.net

Thanks, Don, for the letter. It brings up an interesting topic not discussed in My Mac in over a year. How many of you have "jumped ship" from America Online lately? I used to be able to tell simply by seeing how e-mail would be returned to me. That is really not possible anymore.

So, 'Ye olde Mac users', tell us if you've dropped AOL, and why. And if you haven't, what features of AOL do you like that keeps you paying for the service? Sounds like something I think everyone would be interested in hearing. What are your AOL horror stories? We will print the best of the letters received in next month's "Readers Voice".

Bigots

I'm sick of PC bigots putting down the Mac when they haven't even used one. If you ask someone why they hate Macs, half the time they say "Uh, ummm, there's no start menu", or "because it sucks". This annoys the (beep) out of me.

But then here come the Mac bigots, stubbornly holding on to the fact that "Everything not Mac OS compatible sucks". This is also a moronic suggestion. All operating systems have their strong and weak points. Some have more software, some are faster, some have a nicer interface, some need less RAM...

Why can't people just realize that there is NO superior OS. If there were, EVERYONE would be using it. Do you see an OS everyone uses? Thought not.

- BRC
brc@ameritech.net

I think there is, indeed, a superior Operating System, and that is the Macintosh OS. Does it have protected memory? Nope. True multi-tasking? Uh-uh. However, when was the last time a Windows user exhibited the passion for a computer operating system that Mac users do?

When was that last time you had to work on a PC? As I write this, it has been three days for me. Let me tell you, there is no comparison between Windows 95 or NT and the Mac OS. None!

My Mac On Windows NT?

Don Y.
mrdon@islandmedia.com

After that last letter, this may come as a shock to some of you. However, now is the time for the truth. I'm not proud of it, but My Mac Magazine, which you are reading right now, is in fact on a WindowsNT server. Or rather, our Web page is.

Why? Simple. I cannot afford to buy and maintain a Macintosh server myself. But I do work with a company in Kalamazoo Michigan, and they host My Mac on their server. They use NT. Simply put, it's economics.

The Magic and TFI

Hello there!
I just happened to read my first issue of My Mac and I'd like to congratulate you on a fine job you do to promote the Macintosh; However, in your column, "A few words", you state,

"There is only one problem with it, and it's not really a fault. Some StuffIt Deluxe utilities are not compatible yet, most notably the Magic Menu. (If you don't have StuffIt Deluxe yet, you really should get it. Magic Menu will let stuffed documents open in the finder, and you simply drag out what you want to unstuff. Truly a marvelous utility!)"

I'd like to point out to you that the part of StuffIt Deluxe that lets the user "browse" any StuffIt archive is the Control panel named True Finder Integration or TFI for short and the Magic Menu has a different function.

Keep up the good work!

Wysmar Clealand
wysland@netrox.net

I stand corrected, Wysmar. The funny thing is, I knew that. As did Russ, our Editor. Somehow, however, it slipped by both of us. Which is why we have this e-mail page, so that all of you out there can keep us humble and accurate!

I found this quote posted on a local BBS here in Battle Creek from Mac user Bob Wedel:

Windows95: A 32-bit patch for a 16-bit GUI shell running on top of an 8-bit operating system written for a 4-bit processor by a 2-bit company who cannot stand 1 bit of competition.

Be sure to drop us a note with any thoughts, corrections, or problems you may have. We all love to hear from you, and we do need to fill this page every month! (Please note if you do not want your e-mail address printed) So write in!