In article ,
John Smith wrote:

On 10/9/2011 11:49 AM, Alan Baker wrote:
In articlejoednXxxSuLvPQzTnZ2dnUVZ_sudnZ2d@earthlink .com,
wrote:

On Sun, 09 Oct 2011 11:03:20 +0900, Brenda Ann wrote:



That's not the business Apple is in; they sell a lifestyle of form
[over] substance


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Besides, Apple was extant in the market before PC's (the original Apple
computer was something like $3000, a clone was about $2300, IIRC). Apple
maintained a following and indeed an increasing market base even after
PC's got so cheap that most anyone could afford one.

If someone likes a product enough to pay what seems to be an exhorbitant
price for it, even in the face of a much cheaper alternative, then that
is what they call "market forces" in operation. The consumer, in this
case, has actually set the price by buying the product. If nobody were
buying it, it would either become cheaper or taken off the market.

They subsidised and strongarmed their way into schools; a whole
generation equated Apple with computing. It's definitely a fashion thing.
I was the IT guy at a TV network west coast headquarters. All the
"creative" types insisted on iMacs; they refused to work on windows
machines (this is for typing-not editing). Hollywood creative types are
insufferable boors.

Of course... ...someone insisting on a product must be a "fashion thing".

How exactly did Apple "strongarm" their way into schools.


They virtually gave them the hardware,

"Giving" is "strongarming"?

then sold them the software for
exorbitant prices ... signed them into exploitative contracts, etc.

Really? And they signed these contracts with the children? Because I was
under the impression that schools had people who were qualified to agree
to such contracts...

Contracts which stipulated only apple people maintained the college
hardware ... etc., etc. Games within games, really.

Then they were free not to sign them, weren't they? Ergo: not
strongarmed at all.


Back in the late 80's and early 90's I taught at a jr. college, I seen
first hand how apples predatory sales techniques worked.

Clearly.


Finally, at the college, a few of us wrote letters of complaint to the
"higher ups" and rectified the problem ... there was also some business
of "incentives" being passed about about by apple to those who
controlled purchasing ... lunches, wining and dining, etc. However,
digital equipment corporation also participated in such practices ... (DEC)

However, one thing I did notice, the "apple room" was always full of
liberal arts students while the PC sections of the computer labs always
contained the math, physics, science, etc. students ... just as a casual
observation ...

Riiiiiiiight.


Regards,
JS

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Alan Baker
Vancouver, British Columbia
http://gallery.me.com/alangbaker/100008/DSCF0162/web.jpg