Why did you choose an Apple II?
Copyright (c) 1996 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. This is the third response in a series to be published in Applecations.
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!
In my earlier years I was somewhat naive about computers. Back at in '83-84 school year, everyone I knew owned an Apple II+ or the clones. The idea was that I could 'trade' software with my friends made the decision to buy a II+ clone. Of course as I said, I didn't know much about copyrights and stuff. Sure there were a few games I played on that machine, but I soon found that I could do my homework on it, enter programs printed in books or magazines and run them. And in the later years I actually bought a few programs for it. It saw it's final days in '87 when the floppy drive started to chew up my disks. After that, I pretty much left it alone. It was during this year that one of my friends got an 'upgrade' to a IIGS after some thieves stole his II+ clone. I was awestruck at the graphics and speed, and at the price: $3100CAN. Whoa, baby! It looks like I won't be using a computer for sometime now.
Cut to the summer of '89 I've graduated out of high school for a year already, and worked most of that time. In fact during the spring months I was working two jobs at the same time. So, I now had over 3 grand in my bank account and the first thing that pops into mind is that IIGS. I could now afford it. July 7th, 1989 I plunk down $3100CAN for the standard ROM 01 IIGS with 512k. Why? Because I was so impressed when I first saw the machine and my excuse was that I could still use all my old software and data disks from my II+ clone. Not so really because the old drive destroyed most of what I had before.
Two months later I learn of the release of the ROM 3 GS with 1MB RAM. D'OH! If only I waited. Oh well. The remainder of the year the GS would see another 800k drive, AWGS, TWGS, 20MB Vulcan, upgrade to 1MB, HyperStudio, Silpheed, & Thexder. At this point, all the commercial software I owned, and will own have _all_ been purchased. I soon subscribed to inCider/A+. I remember reading there that if I wanted to see new software for the GS I would have to vote for it with my wallet, which meant buying whatever I could for my GS. I believe I have lived up to this as my bank account can well attest. In fact, I've said it a lot before, if I didn't buy my GS, I'd be a rich man today, but I wouldn't have had as much fun!
Hell, I spent so much on my GS I could have bought a very nice new car or two average new cars. What makes you think I can afford to switch to another platform. Well to be honest, I've been fiercely loyal with my GS. I think all the software and hardware that I bought for it really tells that story clearly. I've used my GS for years and it had suited my needs.
Sure, eventually I bought a Mac Classic for college as it was a requirement for the program, but after that, I just put it aside. Yes, I do own a 486 now as I have studied to be a microcomputer specialist. It wouldn't be prudent not to own a PC based machine when the field I'm going into is dominated with them. But why the GS? Because I put in so much effort over the years. I made a promise several years ago that I'd do whatever I could to keep my GS running and I think for the most part I have. The only major problem I have now is an apparent incompatibility of my new hard drive with my RamFAST (Jawaid is trying to help on this end), which has put my GS on hiatus.
But still, when I buy peripherals for my PC, I always keep my GS in mind. Most recent examples, a SCSI CD-ROM drive, and an external 28.8 modem. Sure they are more expensive than other similar equipment, but this way I can still use them with my GS. I suspect that many II users here have similar attitudes if they own more than one platform of computers.

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