Give Apple Its Due

Every other year, the vultures appear on the doorstep of Apple Computer. You gave them plenty of coverage.

First of all, if you think the Macintosh isn’t innovative, then what is? Presentation Manager and Windows software for IBM-compatible computers are Macintosh knock-offs. The Next computer is gorgeous, but come on, it looks like a high-resolution Macintosh.

The truth is, Macintosh is a great, great product. Every major criticism of the Macintosh in its first two years has been addressed over the last three, and now Apple offers the simplicity and consistency of Macintosh in just about any form you like. People like to use it, and customer loyalty is phenomenal--a rare quality among American products today.

And if the hardware has reached a stage of mere evolutionary development, the software hasn’t. A revolutionary product such as HyperCard software, introduced just a year ago, is so distinctive that your article failed dismally to explain what it is (it’s a lot sexier than just an “information indexing system”). And Macintosh remains the platform on which “insanely great” software is showcased.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is probably a genius, a man who not only understands the potential of the relationship between people and technology, but cares more about doing what’s right than doing what’s profitable, and Apple probably misses his relentless pursuit of great ideas. But, let’s not forget, Jobs’ Apple Computer also gave the world the Apple III and Lisa debacles.

CHRIS WALL

Los Angeles