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Technology Stocks : Apple Inc. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: c-man who wrote (14360)	6/6/1998 8:23:00 PM
From: RX4PROFIT	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213182

c-man..What is AAPL doing right? In your introduction post to SI AAPL on 5/23, which IMHO is the foundation for your subsequent posts, you wrote: "I sell Apple product for a living and have done so for 9+ years now; made a great living doing this by staying a few steps ahead of Apple's next "great marketing idea" and unpredictable strategy shifts time and again...I am, by choice, a NON-authorized reseller...and today, after reading details about "BLACK FRIDAY" I think it finally dawns on me that this platform is probably doomed in the next 3-5 years, if not sooner" AAPL was able to survive and stay in business the past 9 years during the tail end of Sculley's failing administration, Spindler's debacles and Amilio's excuses. These years were not the best of years for Mac users nor AAPL investors, but for VARS and NON-authorized resellers such as yourself until 'Black Friday', they were prosperous years. What's wrong with this picture? The majority of your posts supporting your argument for what's wrong with AAPL I find, to the contrary, support what's right with AAPL and Jobs business strategy to date! AAPL is strengthening their retail outlets, eliminating the substandard VARS and holding the remaining retailers accountable to meet AAPL's objectives. Other posts you wrote re product, and I quote, "Specs of the iMac laughable" also "I laughed at the iMac specs...I think the article referenced today in this thread correctly nails this machine as a loser (to be proven within months of release)". Hmmm -- Ok, you're entitled to your opinion. But then you write in your most recent post this contradiction "the iMac is also (in fact, primarily) an all-in-one killer" and "I sense schools will see the iMac as a better choice (especially at that $1299 street price price-point)...means (if I'm right) Apple's all-in-one sales have just been destroyed." First the iMac is a joke, now it's a killer product. Hmmm -- OK, we all change are mind on occasion. Do I sence a hidden agenda, the foundation of which was noted in your 5/23 post? One thing is for sure and I'll concur...some of your comments and conclusions are noteworthy which I'll quote: "I could go on, but why waste valuable weekend free time?" I agree. "Probably boring everyone here anyway w/ my rantings." I agree. "Apologies offered in advance." I accept. Cheers, Dennis P.S. I'm sure AAPL will continue to prosper, as demonstrated by the last 2 quarters, under Jobs leadership. That's why own a stake in AAPL's future.

To: c-man who wrote (14360)	6/6/1998 10:10:00 PM
From: WebDrone	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213182

C-man full of Crap, man! Your hunch is that imac will cannibalize AIO??? GIVE ME A BREAK! Right now the institutional price for a 233MHz G3 AIO is $1600. For $300 over the iMac's price you get- 1) the coveted Floppy Drive 2) Scsi port 3) 2 serial ports 4) Three expansion slots. ANYBODY think SOMEBODY might want these in an art room, science class, or computer lab? The iMac will rule in the Library and in the English labs. Elsewhere, the AIO has plenty of differentiation. AIO is already available with graphics boards for video I/O and second monitors, and faster processors. I can see why Apple is cutting the Education market away from the retailers. When was the last time you spent a couple of days in a school computer lab? Sheesh! At least quote the institutional price lists when you start spouting numbers! The real price in the schools is trying to support Windows 95 on a network. Been there. WebDrone (I think you are a fraud)

To: c-man who wrote (14360)	6/7/1998 1:05:00 PM
From: Zen Dollar Round	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 213182

I could go on, but why waste valuable weekend free time ? Probably boring everyone here anyway w/ my rantings. Apologies offered in advance. No apologies necessary, I've already printed up your piece of crap post on my printer to use as toilet paper next time the need arises, since that's the only thing it's good for. As already pointed out by others, your contradictions are numerous and the arguments you present are toilet paper thin given your reseller history.

To: c-man who wrote (14360)	6/8/1998 8:10:00 PM
From: Marc Newman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 213182

c-man, I really shouldn't argue with your vast experience. My only hope is that you are too close to the situation and might make a few mistakes due to that. Your thoughts on Apple's role in the consumer experience and Apple's current management are debatable. And I disagree that the iMac is ill-conceived as I know people planning on buying it who have had ample opportunity to buy another Mac the past few years and haven't. As Dennis said, this is for the ultra-low end consumer market and Apple hasn't really been playing there. My only other comment is that the word we got was that the AIO announcement was delayed a few weeks in order to finish selling off the 5500s. So I don't think there is a glut of the older systems and if so, what better time than the Q2/Q3 education selling season to get rid of them on the cheap, just as Apple got rid of the #$*#-load of 7200/75s two summers ago. I'm sure you can get your hands on plenty of 603/604 inventory, but as investors we are being led to believe via balance sheet and CFO comments that Apple's historic inventory problem is a lot better off than before. The non-G3 PowerBooks were phased out brilliantly, as were the Newtons (full-price!) and apparently the eMates. I hope that schools are happy that they now have super-powerful cheaper-than-ever Macs to choose from. I welcome any educators or people who know educators to post relevant info about how these people feel and whether their districts are buying Macs or not. Keep posting c-man, Marc PS--I don't think Apple has any plans for a Direct-Sale only model. That's only for a last-resort if sales keep declining and the company just has to support the ever-dwindling base as the Mac fades into extinction. Rather, I think they see the Store as a way to A) show off all Apple's wares, B) pick up some extra margin from diehards and those that need configuration options and possibly C) move education sales to more of a direct model. It also serves as D) get the back-up plan (Direct Only) moving in case everything goes to hell. But I don't think Direct works for Apple in any big way. Get these sales up to 10 or 20%, sure. 80-100%, no way.