T-shirts Re: The Winbox to compete with the iMac.

Dr. Ernest N. Prabhakar (ernest@drernie.scruz.net)
Sun, 10 May 98 20:53:25 -0700


> P.S. -- Despite our FoRK discussions recently, I'm still not sure why
> the heck Apple is doing this iMac thing in the first place. All and all
> seems like a ridiculous move. (No offense, Ernie.)

Not at all, Adam. No need to apologize for your cluelessness. :-)

> Apple should stick
> to keeping happy its high-end bread-and-butter: graphic designers and
> hard-core developers.

That is mostly what we're doing, but that in itself is not a growth
strategy. We need a volume hit, and IMac is it.

You cannot compete simply by having a quality
> product, because in this domain people care more about cost (and
> perceived value) than they do about taste.

I think the market is a little more differentiated than that. Sure,
some people just want the rock bottom price. However, you forget one
big thing: fear. A lot of people are terrified of buying non-brand name
computers, and most wouldn't even dream of trying to piece one together
like you did. If people can buy a computer with the Apple brand that
sounds like it isn't already obsolete, there's a large chunk who will.

Anyone care to place bets on what Apple's marketshare for consumer
purchases will be this Christmas? Seriously. Heck, I'll mail an iMac
(or other Apple) T-shirt to whomever guesses closest, if at least five
FoRKers respond.