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> Anker wrote:
> 
> >I don't want to create a panic, but: Having worked for computer
> companies I can tell you all that that statement is ALWAYS made to
> hopefully prevent all customers from abandoning the product in
droves.
> In most instances I have seem the vendor fail to live up to the
> promises.

> I'd say Apple, for one, is a company that HAS, consistently, lived up
> to the vast majority of their claims regarding backward
compatibility. 
> In truth, software written to conform to Apple's developer guidelines
> in 1984 (the era of 8MHz, 16 bit 68000 CISC) still runs today under
OS
> 7.6 on a 240MHz 32 bit RISC PowerMac.   In fact, I've recently seen
> 1985 software running on a 500MHs+ PowerMac in an Apple hospitality
> suite.   Sure, Apple has fallen into the trap of abandoning various
> pieces of hardware over the years.  And there HAVE been some minor
> compatibility issues.  But with only a few exceptions where Apple
made
> a decision to change how a resource was handled to take maximum
> advantage of some unanticipated new hardware, what worked in 1984
> worked in 1990 and works in 1997.
> 
> 
> I'm no unquestioning Apple supporter.  Hell, as an ex-Apple
> VAR/developer/dealer, I've suffered more than most at the hands of
the
> folks in Cupertino.  They have made some truly boneheaded business
> decisions.  And like most Apple users I'm immensly ticked that Apple
> pissed away most of their huge OS technology advantage.  But you have
> to admit that they've done a fine job of migrating their OS through
> three generations of radically evolving hardware.  Apple, after all,
IS
> their OS.  I can't imagine even the most short-sighted Apple exec
> putting THAT reputation in jeopardy.
> 
> 
> I'd be willing to bet you some major dollars (and, in fact, WILL be
> betting some major dollars) that Rhapsody will provided good support
of
> Mac OS 7.x.
> 
> 
> Which is not to say that any of this has anything to do with diving
in
> general, or tech diving in particular.  To bring it closer to
target, I
> should mention that Chris Parrett is in fine company with his
somewhat
> premature announcement of a completed software version.  If he ships
a
> Mac version any time in 1997, he'll STILL be a year or so ahead of
the
> boys in Redmond regarding what's now termed Windows 95.  And it
> probably doesn't need stating that Chris doesn't have the same sort
of
> resources to throw at the problem that Bill Gates has.
> 
> 
> Bill Thackrey
> 
> Steam Machines, Incorporated
> 
> Closed Circuit Training & Expeditions
> 
> Makers of the PRISM closed circuit breathing apparatus
> 
> rbreathr@ix*.ne*.co*
 
Bill Thackrey - you used to be ad man for Cochrans Computers, did
you drop them? So, you've moved onto rebreathers.  So much for 
believing any of the advertising that Steam Machines Inc puts out.

Kris

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