Hello,
--- On Thu, 3/12/09, Nate Raymond <[email protected]> wrote: >> It really is too bad that the prototype never made it >> to mass production. One of the attractions of using the IIGS keyboard >> with a vintage machine is its small footprint. And the Cassie would >>have >> made the footprint even smaller. Alas, the consumers of the time >> >>apparently said "no" to a keyboard that was so thin and lightweight. > I'd argue that Apple's latest keyboards draw right > from Cassie: > > http://www.apple.com/keyboard/ > > Same minimalist philosophy, executed even better. I think that all depends on your definition of "better." The keyboards for the first few models of Macintosh were fairly boring, staid-looking peripheral devices. But they were absolutely rock-solid in terms of build quality and reliability. I worked in a computer lab at a school in the 80's and in the two-plus years I was there, we never had an Apple keyboard fail, despite students pounding away on them all day, every day. The Alps keyswitches that were used in the Cassie prototype will likely still work for years to come. Compare 'n Contrast the keyboards of that era with the fashion statements that Apple currently builds. Are they appealing to the eye? Certainly: few companies have design cosmetics down the way that Apple does. But the build quality? That I'm not so sure about. Granted, there's little point in overengineering a keyboard that's likely to get tossed when the system it's attached to is deemed destined for the dumpster. But which do you prefer: reliable devices that look boring, or cool-looking ones that are disposable, and built like it, too? There's no right or wrong answer to that one: it's all a matter of which philosophy you adhere to. But I bring this up because, to the best of my knowledge, those cool-looking aluminum keyboards aren't screwed together, they're glued together: http://preview.tinyurl.com/brj2h6 http://preview.tinyurl.com/crov2z There's a Grand Canyon of difference in terms of quality between what Apple built two decades ago and what they're building now. Admittedly, for some people, their purchasing decisions are based largely on looks and styling. For others, it's all about reliability and long service life. And I don't think it's risking anything to say that Apple is banking on consumers falling into the former camp rather than the latter. Fair enough, but those of us who imprinted on vintage Macs and the bomb-proof keyboards that came with them might have a hard time feeling anything but disappointment when it comes to Apple's latest offerings. Promoting aesthetics at the expense of durability and reliability isn't necessarily a winning formula for everyone. Best, James Fraser --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Vintage Macs group. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/vintagemacs.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vintage-macs?hl=en Low End Mac RSS feed at feed://lowendmac.com/feed.xml -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
