beige rant (was Re: IBM 5150 with red case on ebay)

[Fred Cisin]

>> They weren't even clones, they were the real deal. Apple II Plus
>> computers produced by Apple for B&H for a time.

On Fri, 13 May 2016, Lyndon Nerenberg wrote:
> Apple manufactured an OEM Apple ][+ ?  Really?  I was pretty sure the 
> B&H's were an independent product.

Not independent.

> Apple licensed them to try to step on the clone market.  I can't fathom 
I doubt it.  Apple licensed them as a way to get in the door of school 
systems.

> Apple letting someone else sell their own product (modulo case colour) 
> at a price that undercut the official product.

"undercut"??!?
I seriously doubt that the B&H "Black Apple" was cheaper.  But, it had 
B&H's credibility backing it up for skeptical school boards, who bought 
tons of B&H AV equipment, but didn't know what a "personal computer" was.

> I do recall now the local elementary & jr. high schools gobbled them up. 
> (The B&H variant.)

I knew a few teachers who got B&H Black Apples into the classroom, and 
THEN were able to get the school board to let them buy Apples, because 
they were cheaper, "just as good", and "completely compatible!" with the 
B&H.