June 1998: Late Night TV
(or How I Learned That The Mac is Back!)

by Scott Rose, President of ScottWorld
(Note: Much of this editorial is outdated, but due to popular demand, we have left it here for entertainment purposes.)

As my schedule continues to get busier, my mindless television viewing schedule keeps getting pushed later and later into the night. At first, it was Dharma and Greg at 8:30pm. Then it was Ally McBeal at 9:00pm. But now that I often don't get to relax until 10:30pm these days, I must admit that I have fallen prey to the 11:00pm Jerry Springer Show.

For the life of me, I can't figure out what is more appealing about Jerry Springer: the fact that you can watch a poor, innocent guy get dumped on national television by his girlfriend of 5 years, or the fact that 2 seconds after the realization settles in, this same guy jumps up and hurls a chair at the son-of-a-bitch who's now sleeping with his woman. It's truly must-see TV.

Besides demonstrating that we're a completely sick society, The Jerry Springer Show really illustrates 2 things extremely well. Number one, the public loves to eagerly watch the painful demise of other people before their very eyes. And number two, the public loves it even more when the victim suddenly springs to his feet and starts fighting back for everything he's worth.

For years now, Apple Computer has been the victim, painfully withering away in front of the press, its shareholders, and especially the public. Critics of Apple have been watching from the sidelines, declaring with glee at every turn that "Apple is Dead," as if they would win some multi-million dollar bet the day that Apple declared bankruptcy. And for many of us Apple supporters, it may have felt like the company was history at times.

But how could this great American icon, the creator of the personal computer, possibly die? Apple represents everything innovative that has ever happened to computers in the last 20 years. If you can find anything positive about Microsoft Windows (and believe me, there's not much), I guarantee you that it was first created at Apple. Yet Apple amazingly continued to deteriorate in front of our unbelieving eyes, because for every innovative "10-cent" idea that Apple gave birth to, it lacked 10 dollars in business sense.

The Mac is Back!

But then suddenly, over the last 6 months, Apple started fighting back for itself. Steve Jobs rejoined Apple Computer, Apple started advertising again, Apple started releasing amazing products once again... and the public watched in awe as Apple became the #1 best performing technology stock on Wall Street in 1998 (Apple's stock has risen over 130% so far this year).

The very same people who laughed and ridiculed Apple when it was down quickly became the people who now can't stop talking about "Apple's Amazing Comeback!" The press, who previously wouldn't give Apple a break if they had paid for one, now can't stop writing story after story about the "Incredible Turnaround At Apple!" Steve Jobs and Apple's new Board of Directors have completely turned around Apple Computer by simplifying the company's sales channels, streamlining its product line, and reinvigorating its marketing division. For the first time in years, Apple has begun innovating at a frenzied pace, and the excitement surrounding Apple Computer is contagious!

Yet this time around, Apple has gained some business sense. And it is now ready to battle the 21st century with its own fresh spin on computing... light years ahead of the competition.

As Fast as 1, 2, G3

All of Apple's new computers feature the speedy new G3 processor. If you've had the good fortune to use one of Apple's new G3 computers, I'm sure you were absolutely stunned at the screaming speed these machines offer. The Power Macintosh G3 computers are not only the most successfully-selling computers that Apple has sold in 20 years, but the G3 computers are just about the speediest personal computers on the entire planet. The new desktop G3's are twice as fast as the fastest Pentium II machines, and the new PowerBook G3's are three times as fast as the fastest Pentium notebooks! In fact, Macs will keep getting faster and faster over the next several years, while Pentiums have basically reached their speed limit. This speed difference between Macs and PCs will only continue to widen because of an ingenious decision Apple made back in 1994 to switch all their computers to the speedy PowerPC chip. Windows users are still using the same old, bloated processor architecture that they've been using for years. With the introduction of the G3 computers, we are now seeing the thrilling fruits of Apple's labor!

Growing Numbers and Increasing Profits

One of the most refreshing results of Apple Computer's comeback is that the number of Mac users has risen 15% in the last 6 months. Even more exhilarating is that CompUSA, the Official Store for Apple Computer, has seen its Mac sales rise from 3% to 14% of total computer sales in the last 6 months as well! This radical transformation occurred once CompUSA opened up its Apple Store-Within-A-Store in every single CompUSA across the nation. Every CompUSA now has a special Apple section with specially-trained Apple staff, plenty of Macs on display, and tons of Mac software to choose from. Apple keenly pulled the plug on all other retailers who weren't committed to the Mac -- you probably remember stores like that, where Macs were shoved into the corner like lepers with blinking question marks on their screens. The tremendous (and rising!) success of Macs at CompUSA just goes to show that when Macs are rightfully put into the limelight, consumers will naturally make the right decision and purchase a Mac.

Also in the last 6 months, Apple introduced its wildly successful online Apple Store (open 24-hours-a-day), where you can custom-build your own Macs and PowerBooks from scratch! Adding to its already long list of design excellence awards, the Apple Store has been awarded two of advertising's most coveted honors: the Gold Clio for the Best World Wide Web Site and the Gold Pencil for the Best Direct Marketing/Internet Commerce Site.

At the Apple Store, you can pick and choose the features you want in your new Mac, and the Apple Store will recalculate exactly how much your machine will cost. Leave out the extra features you don't need, load up on the essentials you do need, and eventually you'll come up with your dream Mac. I just purchased my new G3 through the Apple Store, and it was a thrill to mix-and-match all the variables of my new system. The Apple Store is now bringing in a record 10 million visitors per day to Apple's Web Site, and the Apple Store just broke another sales record in May by selling $2.8 million dollars worth of new Macs in just one day! All of this has helped Apple earn two back-to-back profitable quarters for the first time in 2 years, with no signs of slowing down!

Software Rising From The Dead

Developers who had previously abandoned the Mac platform, such as the makers of Quicken, are now coming back and developing outstanding programs for the Mac once again. Quicken Deluxe, for example, will now continue well into 1999 and beyond. Even programs thought to be long dead, such as Claris Organizer and QuickBooks, are all getting jump-started again! As you read in the last newsletter, even our former arch-rival Microsoft has created a special Mac division to create outstanding Mac programs again (such as Word 98 and Internet Explorer 4.0), something they haven't done since the early 90's. Developers are finally realizing that developing for the Mac is a smart business decision.

iMac, you Mac, we all scream for iMac

This August, Apple Computer is revolutionizing the home computer market and shattering all price barriers by introducing the iMac, an all-in-one Internet-ready G3 computer for only $1,299. (Editor's Note: As of October 2000, iMacs cost $799, are much faster, and have many more features!) The super-fast iMac comes with a monitor, modem, CD-ROM drive, 4 GB hard drive, 32 MB of memory, Ethernet, stereo speakers, FileMaker Pro, Quicken Deluxe 98, AppleWorks, System 8.1, and one-click Internet access for, you heard it right, only $1,299!

The iMac glows bright blue and looks like something from another planet. "A good planet," says Steve Jobs. "One with better designers." The iMac harks back to the introduction of the original Mac in 1984, which was touted as the "computer for the rest of us." The iMac is now the "computer for the rest of us... in the 90's." But unlike the original Mac which was expensive, had little software and had limited expandability, the iMac is ultra-affordable, has tons of software available for it, and is designed with enough expansion to take it well into the next century.

The iMac is specifically designed with first-time computer users in mind. It's hard to believe, but over 50% of the country still does not own a computer. The iMac is the first computer to make computing affordable and easy for everybody. First-time users, finally realizing that all those little www's everywhere are here for good, will now be able to get on the Internet with the Mac's legendary ease-of-use -- for an exceptional price. Expect the iMac to become Apple's best-selling consumer product ever, and expect Apple's market share and profits to rise even higher!

Forward Migration: Businesses Upgrading To Macs

There's even an incredible phenomenon happening across the country called Forward Migration, where Windows-based businesses are finally waking up and upgrading from PCs to Macs. This is because Mac users are 25% more productive than their Windows counterparts, Mac hardware lasts several years longer than PC hardware, and an office of 40 Macs costs $100,000 less per year in technical support costs than an office of 40 Windows machines! Stop and think about it: Much of the reason that computer technicians try to kick Macs out of companies is so they can retain their own jobs -- fixing PC problems on a daily basis! And Windows users pay these technical support costs because they are so accustomed to computer headaches and computer restrictions that they have gone into a state of "learned helplessness" -- that is, they have given up and now accept their computer predicaments as normal daily occurrences, as if that's the way computing should be! On the other hand, businesses switching to Macs are finally implementing real strategic planning, which is completely opposite from the "let's buy the cheapest computers we can get our hands on and deal with the consequences later!" mentality that made Windows the standard in this country.

For the rare piece of PC software that's not available on the Mac, these newly-awakened companies simply use the program Virtual PC on their Macs. Virtual PC lets you run all Windows 95, Windows 3.1, and DOS software right on your Power Mac! There is no Pentium II computer in the world that can even come close to running Mac software. Right now, I'm running both Windows 95 and the Mac side-by-side on my computer screen. But don't worry -- Windows 95 is just there because I needed a good laugh this morning.
1998, 1999, and Beyond

There's even more to look forward to at Apple. By the fall of this year, Apple is introducing system 8.5, a sparkling update to system 8 that adds more speed, more stability, and more features to your Mac, as well as integrating the Internet even more seamlessly into your desktop environment.

And in the fall of 1999, Apple is releasing Mac OS X (ten), a new advanced version of the Mac operating system that will make the Mac OS the speediest and most advanced operating system in the entire world. Believe me on this one, Mac OS X is the most revolutionary piece of software to ever come out of Apple since 1984, and it will forever change your productivity level on your Mac. You definitely won't want to miss this operating system upgrade! Mac OS X is specially optimized for the new G3 processor, so get your G3's now and you can be the first on your block to use OS X!

In case you're wondering, all of your Macs are completely 2000-year compliant, and they have been since their genesis in 1984. Interestingly enough, however, current Macs will have trouble in the year 29,940 -- keep this in mind if your business plans extend 28,000 years or so.

Thanks To You, Faithful Mac User

Wow! Needless to say, Apple Computer and the Mac are healthier than ever! And much of this remarkable comeback is thanks to all of you Mac users, who have dared to Think Different while the rest of the world laughed at you for choosing the Mac. You stuck with the Mac in the face of adversity, enjoying its renowned ease of use and how it empowers you on a daily basis. And now, suddenly, the rest of the world isn't laughing anymore. They're all switching to Macs as well! Congratulations to all of you for bringing about this rebirth of Macintosh computers across the country.

And if you happen to know anyone still using a Windows machine, let them know that the Mac is back!

After all, Jerry Springer would be proud.

Sincerely,
Scott