Bill,
The problem is not that Apple "updated" its "Knowledge Base", the problem
is that TIL is retired altogether. The nice thing about TIL was that you
had STATIC URLs fo specific articles which you could just include on your
website (just like the FAQs do). Now with Knowledge Base and the Knowledge
Archive you can only search and NOT BROWSE, retrieving only a fraction of
the articles that were available on TIL. And: the whole thing (Knowledge
Base) returns dynamic URLs.
I've been thinking about this "retiring" of TIL and I honestly believe that
that was an extremely unreflected and hasty move. You know, there are tons
of independent websites and mailinglists, dealing with and supporting Apple
soft- and hardware, who make frequent reference to articles that used to be
accessible on TIL via static URL. Now all these helpful sites and people
can say is:
"Go ahead and poke around on Apple's Knowledge Base and try to find that
information you're looking for yourself. I know it should be there
somewhere but I can't give you the direct link."
Honestly, with the static URL based TIL you'd just make a link on your
website that points EXACTLY at the "nxxxxx" article that answers that
specific question.
Well, this is all gone now. Knowledge Base is CUMBERSOME, it is AWKWARD, it
is UNINTUITIVE, and it does Apple a long-term disservice to force customers
to use this "new" and "improved" interface.
I do not think that it would have been too difficult to keep TIL up while
users of G3 and newer machines also have the benefit of using the Knowledge
Base on top of the already established TIL (if they so desire).
If this Knowledge Base is what I have to expect as support from Apple I
will think hard if it is worth it. Apple used to be known for
customer-friendliness, but Knowledge Base is NOT the answer.
>Date: Tue, 07 Aug 2001 10:05:00 -0500
>From: "Bill davis newton" <newton_at_mail.ecity.net>
>Subject: Re: [NTLK] Apple's TIL retired
>
>(...)
>
>No, it's NOT shortsighted. It's the right move. If you don't have a
>G3 by now, then it's time to upgrade. Most people seem to keep their
>Macs longer than they keep their cars. A lot longer.
>
>The long useful life of Macs (and Newtons) is a "plus" to us as
>customers....but I think a detriment to Apple and even it's
>developers.
>
>Think how many times Windoze users typically upgraded their PC's in the
>time period between your Plus and your PPC. Think of all the money the
>PC companies made.
>
>Now think of all the money Apple DIDN'T make because you didn't switch
>from a Plus to something newer until the PPC's came out (7-10 years).
>
>And this happens a LOT with Macs. My mother is still using a Mac IIci
>made in the late 1980's. (I just got her a G3 laptop)
>
>But this long life sure doesn't happen much with PC's (except maybe
>small-time server machines). It's called planned obsolesence, coupled
>with technology advancement. And it's what drives the PC market.
>Apple didn't participate in the planned obsolesence part....and thus is
>penalized in market share, sales, etc. Sure, they made some stupid
>decisions here and there too (such as not licensing the OS for years)
>but I think people using their Macs for a lot longer than a typical PC
>gets used has something to do with Apple not being #1. That and the
>fact that most people won't pay for quality. Then wonder why they have
>to keep paying and paying and paying....
>
>Apple didright by it's customers, but screwed itself out of a lot of
>sales it's competitors were getting in a similar time period.
>
>Therefore, I do not blame them a bit for saying "if you haven't
>upgraded since the G3's came out.....why should we support you any
>more?".
>
>My G3 laptop was purchased in 1998, and there was a G3 laptop before
>that. I don't recall when the G3 chip was first released, but I'd say
>it's at least 1997 and perhaps earlier. So, if you haven't purchased a
>new Mac in 4 or 5 years or more, perhaps it's time to get something
>more up to date. Support Apple, or they'll go away. (Actually, that's
>probably not totally true. Everybody's been predicting the demise of
>Apple since the Mac came out 17 or so years ago, and guess
>what....THEY'RE STILL HERE and doing well, selling millions of Macs
>every year. But more sales can't hurt!) After all, the G4 chip has
>been out for sometime, and the G5 is due next year.
>
>Also...the response from Apple said that they are working on adding
>back the feature that was wanted to the new Knowledgebase.
>
> - Bill
>
Hey, one more thing: Most of the people buying new G3/4's can only afford
to shell out $ 3K because they know that their older machines will sell for
a decent price. I'm one of those people who "salvage" these perfectly
usable machines that people sell after a few years. Come on, without a
decent secondary market price most people would stick with their 3 or 4
year old Macs for another couple of years.
Or is there anybody on the list who'd like to DONATE me their G3 because
they're getting a new G4????
Otto
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