[Apple3-L] Apple Matters Article

[David Ottalini]

http://www.applematters.com/index.php/section/history/april-23-1983- 
even-an-improved-apple-iii-cant-overcome-the-reputation/

April 23, 1983: Even an Improved Apple III Can't Overcome the Reputation

by Chris Seibold

The Apple /// was a disaster for Apple. Designed as Apple’s version  
of a business machine, the Apple /// featured a horribly designed  
case that prevented proper cooling, a clock chip that didn’t work,  
and chips that would pop out randomly. The official Apple remedy for  
the loosened chips was to pick the Apple /// up and drop it. The  
design was truly pathetic and the blame can be laid squarely at the  
feet of Steve Jobs. (Don’t worry, he later got much better at this  
sort of thing).

The mistakes of the original Apple /// were addressed by the Apple /// 
+. The revised computer was not only much less problematic than the  
original but, when compared to the competition, had unassailable specs.

The value of the Apple ///+ may not have been in question but the  
reliability was. Thanks in no small part to the lingering smell of  
the original Apple ///, the Apple ///+ was avoided as though the keys  
were razor blades. All internal development of the Apple///+ ceased  
this week in 1984.

Sources
pegasus3d



Few realize that the /// MADE MONEY for Apple to the bitter end - it  
wasn't cheap, yet it provided a wonderful OS that became ProDos on  
the IIe and contributed mightly to the HFS file system used in the  
Macintosh.  It was a solid, usable computer for many and still gave  
excellent service into the early 1990s. I had a choice between a ///+  
and a Mac SE  for about the same price in 1983. I got MUCH MORE use  
and service out of the /// - the Mac rapidly became outdated and I  
would have had to purchase a lot more of them over the years. As it  
was, I continued to email, write articles and even used the Internet  
(non graphic but it didn't seem to matter then) for many, many  
years.  And of course, I got to interact with some of the best people  
out there, all over the world. The /// Community was the best and  
---- still is! :)

Dave
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