Why the Apple IIe is the Best PC Ever Made

http://revitalsalomon.blogspot.com/2007/09/10-reasons-why-apple-e-is-best-pc-ever.html

by revital9 • 17 years ago

6 24 17 years ago

revitalsalomon.blogspot.com

dkersten3• 17 years ago

So `apple = PC` now? after all those years of telling people that they were different? Hmm.

revital9• 17 years ago

"A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator." (Wikipedia)

dkersten3• 17 years ago

Yet Apple like their "I'm a Mac; I'm a PC" stuff.

rick2047• 17 years ago

An Apple can be defined as the state-of-the-art PC :) maybe

SwellJoe4• 17 years ago

Two reasons why the C64 was even better:

1. Us poor folks could afford one.

2. Everything the Apple IIe did, the C64 did better. Better games, better high res graphics modes, dramatically better sound, and more software (because it was cheap, it sold more units, bigger market share, more third party applications).

Bonus reason: The case was a third the size of the Apple IIe, making it much easier to haul over to friends houses.

_b8r0• 17 years ago

Based on your description of the Apple IIe, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum was better still. Better high res graphics, similar sound capabilities (on the 128k model) and more software (at least in the UK).

Bonus reason: The spectrum was a fraction of the size of an AppleIIe, about the size of a small book. But the rubber keys did suck.

SwellJoe4• 17 years ago

As I recall it, the 128k model of Spectrum didn't launch until the 8-bit era was coming to a close and 16 bit boxes had been out for a few years. The first-gen Spectrum was horrid (1k, worse than chiclet keyboard), though the second gen was acceptable (but not comparable to either of the 64 k machines in question). One could buy a C128D or an Apple IIc by the time the 128k Speccy existed, and those machines were at least comparable, and the Amige and Apple IIgs (or Macintosh) would blow the Speccy away.

Not saying Spectrums weren't awesome (I don't really know; the only one I ever owned was that 1k first-gen model with a 16k expansion; it was miserable), just that you kinda have to compare Apples to...umm...not Apples.

And, of course, the C64 is the bestselling personal computer of all time.

(I should admit that you're arguing with an 11 year old SwellJoe here...I loved my C64. And, crazy as it sounds, I also bought some C64s on eBay over the past few months for use in composing chiptunes. Thus, evidence indicates I might be mentally unstable with regard to the C64. Backing away slowly might be the best option.)

zandorg• 17 years ago

One interesting thing about C64 vs Spectrum is the C64 had a thriving 'warez' scene. For instance, there were tons of packers (eg, like a ZIP file) on the C64 (to save disk and tape space), and literally none on the Spectrum!

ido• 17 years ago

Why did the c64 version of the same games often had (significantly) better graphics? Did it just get more attention from developers?

comatose_kid2• 17 years ago

The C64 also improved the fitness of its owners - you could play outside with your friends while a game loaded :)

jawngee• 17 years ago

Forgot the most important one:

1. Completely open hardware, Apple encouraged hacking.

Contrast that with the iPhone and ... well ... sigh.

joezydeco3• 17 years ago

Built-in BASIC. That was key for me. No need to find the disks or install anything. You could be up and messing around with a small program within a minute.

st3fan2• 17 years ago

The correct name is Apple //e .. Only the original Apple ][ and ][+ used the squared brackets in the name.

st3fan2• 17 years ago

Also, that picture is an Apple ][. This is a //e http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Apple_iie...

Why the Apple IIe is the Best PC Ever Made

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