[Bush2000]

Will the last Mac owner please turn out the lights?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[EVO X]

Will the last Mac owner please turn out the lights?

My Power computing clone running 8.5 still works. I just bought an I bond online.

Windows IT guy..

[Salo]

This is a bad move by Apple. MS's licensing has gotten to be a burdensome PIA. If they were smart in Appleland, they'd seize this opportunity to make inroads in MS’s base. That being said, I got my upgrade to Jaguar for $90 – I wasn’t happy about having to buy it, but I am pleased with the product. I noticed Novell did the same thing: they let MS take the lead in onerous licensing and undercut them by the slightest degree – not in price or quality of service, but in obnoxiousness. MS handed these companies a gift and they aren’t smart enough to see it. ID-Ten-Tees.

[rface]

Rush Limbaugh has more than hinted that he'd like to be their pitch-man.

Limbaugh is the only person in America who can save the Mac from extinction

[Billy_bob_bob]

This approach to licencing fees will not go over well with their customer base. They would be better served by tying major product upgrades together into annual releases, and getting their revenue that way. As a customer I don't mind shelling out $120 a year for a new version of the OS that is actually better and has more features both in the OS and in the major apps. Nickle and diming us all to death is another thing alltogether.

BTW, I think Apple is going to be around for a little while yet. Do you really want to see them go away?

[cmsgop]

It's worth it! I saved all of my Old VHS's in 2 days time to DVD.

and it was simple,I mean really simple....

[HAL9000]

Apple has used this product strategy for a long time. They introduce new software and distribute it to everyone for no charge. Later, Apple includes it free with the purchase of a new computer, but existing owners pay an upgrade fee to get the newest version.

When the Macintosh was first introduced, MacWrite and MacPaint were free. Now those programs are integrated into AppleWorks, and upgrades cost about $60.

Years ago, all Mac OS updates were free. Now, users pay about $100 for major OS updates and incremental updates are free.

QuickTime was free when it was first introduced. Now everyone gets the playback software free, but can pay $30 to upgrade to the optional Pro version for authoring features.

As the profit margins on hardware continue to decline, Apple will continue to develop software as a revenue source.