Why did you buy an Apple II?
By Stavros Karatsoridis
Copyright (c) 1995 Apple Users' Group, Sydney
Republished from Applecations, a publication of the Apple Users' Group, Sydney, Australia.
The above question was asked in the comp.sys.apple2 internet newsgroup recently. I've decided to start a monthly series based on the answers that were received. Please feel free to write in with your own contributions and not only will they be published here but I'll post them into the internet newsgroup too!
The guys in my dorm enter my room and look at my 8 year old Apple IIgs, and say, "Why do you still have that old thing? Why don't you go and get a top-of-the-line PC or Macintosh?" I just look at them and say, "Because this computer is just fine for me, it does what I want it to do. It does what I NEED it to do. It will get me through college."
My uncle bought me an Apple IIc in 1984, at the encouragement of a friend. Back then it cost $1300. It was a very nice machine, and it got my mother through school when she went back.
In 1987 the one thing I wanted most was a 2nd disk drive for the IIc. But, at Christmas, I got the 5.25" disk drive--and a 3.5" drive, an AppleColor RGB monitor, and a ROM 01 Apple IIgs! It was a dream come true for me. I'd always wanted a GS, but knew I could never have one. That too, was a gift from my uncle.
Over the years, I bought programs and games for the computer which were really fun. It's still fun to use. Last year my roommate discovered SoundSmith, and learned how to use it in two days. A week later, guys in my dorm crowded into the room to hear his first "computer composition." They loved it. All of them, including the PC and Mac users.
When I left for college, I added a SuperDrive with controller, a 120 MB Hard Drive, and a HP DeskWriter 550C. My documents look just the same as if they had come from a newer computer.
I don't think I'll ever stop using my IIgs. My mother uses a Mac at home now, and I use it quite a bit. I plan on buying one when I graduate from college, a Power Macintosh with DOS option card, so I can have "the best of both worlds." Does that mean I'll give up my IIgs? HELL No! I'll continue to use that machine because it's a great machine, which still works very well.
Oh, by the way, those same people who ask why I still use an 8 year-old computer are the same ones who come into my room late at night, saying, "Your computer reads Mac/IBM disks, right? Do you think I could print my report on your inkjet? I only have a dot matrix on my computer."
"Sure," I say, "25 cents for the first page, 10 cents for each additional page." So, who's laughing now? :-)
Stavros Karatsoridis
skaratso@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu

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