Top Ten Mac Losers and Winners

Yes, the Newton should NOT be in the loser list. Not only for the above reasons, but also because it's a product that is continuing to INCREASE in popularity even 7 years after it's supposed "death." Also, you have to give major respect to a device that, try as he might, Steve just can't erase from history. Couple those things togeather with all the publicity and name recognition Apple got from Newton and you have something that could be considered to be one of Apple's biggest successes (behind Mac OS X, the iPod/iTunes, and the iMac. I would probably add the Powerbook 2400 to the list of winners, as well as the Mac mini.

I am the author of the article. I decided not to include the Newton, it survived for 6 years, and turned into the biggest PDA seller until Palm. I don't think iTunes has changed the evolution of Mac software, just gotten Apple money.

well, given that the Lisa was not a Mac, and the Pippin was only sort of a Mac, I'll expand this to non-Mac Apple stuff. Apple II and Apple IIe go in the winners column. Apple III goes in the losers column, for sure. The ImageWriter II definitely goes in the winner column (they sold how many? For how many years?) and the LaserWriter probably ought to as well. I wouldn't call the Newton a winner, but I really wouldn't say it was a loser either.

Powerbook G4 should be on the winners list. The TiBook helped start a laptop style revolution.

I wouldn't call the Lisa a loser. It was a victim of poor corporate strategy -- it was priced ridiculously high for what it did (funny, Apple never learns; same thing happened with the Cube years later). But as a computer, it was superior to the original Mac: bigger screen, greater expandability, more RAM. I bought one years later (for $500) and was totally impressed with it.

Put eMac in the losers list? Why? No good or poor sales ? (I'm not trying to sound narky, I'd genuinely like to know - I love my eMacs !)

I would take MS Word out of the list since it's not an Apple product. I would also take out the dalmation and flower power iMacs, it was just a marketing thing. The Macintosh Portable wasn't so much a loser as much maligned by bad press. (one could argue that for the Newton as well) Put Newton in the loser list and add Macintosh IIsi, eMac. The winner's circle should also have the G3 Blue and White (Yosemite). That model spurred development of the G4 and G5. Other winners: Apple Store, iPod/iTunes, Mac mini

I invoke it very carefully, Laurie. :)

What's that? Did I hear someone say Cube? ;)

I am dang proud of pwn PowerBook G3 Pismo. Nothing can stop me! Bwhahaha