SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Technology Stocks : Apple Inc.
AAPL 271.01-0.3%Jan 2 9:30 AM EST
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: Robert Mayo who wrote (4583)8/29/1997 12:43:00 PM
From: Bill Jackson   of 213177
 
Bob; You saw it here first, I wonder if Apple reads SI, I suppose it is a logical marketing scheme. Apple will make a mistake if they attempt to raise the price of the entire field above the Wintel field. They got here by doing that. And if they just try to control it and allow others to fill gaps they do not want, they will price them so the others do not want them either.
The only option is a wide open unrestricted market with Apple taking its bite as per the varying price of CPUs etc.
It is important to note that Wintels have a flat rate software cost no matter how big a system you build, as most buy the Win95 from deealers. Major OEMs have deals with Microsoft to do their own books etc and get a cut rate on the fee, which I hear is around $45
(someone correct me if they know otherwise) and the wholeasle Win95 is about $65-60, not fully flat, but in line as the big OEMs have costs the screwdriver shops do not.
I do not know if Apple gets any part of the CPU fee. Possibly they could package an OS8 and a CPU as a married pair and only sell tham that way. Then the faster more capable CPUs and the OS would attract a better price. Do not sell the OS to cloners alone allowing them to buy cheap CPUs. What this means is to permit the sale of OS 8 only to known machine owners for upgrades. This may be cumbersome to enforce and I am sure it would be end run by dealers selling OSs and Motorola/IBM selling CPUs.
As it stands do you know if a clone can be built just by buying motherboards and legalizing them with OS8?, or is there an onboard BIOS that is part of the licenced firmware? IBM was like that at first, but third party BIOSes came along and the WIntel clones were born.
Can this be done with the later Apples?. The early ones had large parts of the operating system based on firmware, and no-one took the trouble to do a write-around on it.
Bill
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2026 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News