Trying to reconcile this post with the ghosts of past Unix workstation vendors, who tried to push the boundaries of what you could do with microprocessor-based computers, where spending tens of thousands of dollars per box was common.
Fast-forward to today, all the knowledge gained in building those high-end workstations have been distilled in the smartphones we have in our pockets now.
So for Apple, R&D for its own sake or for controlling the narrative?
Datapoint as example - a SGI Onyx could run you $250,000: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SGI_Onyx
Fast-forward to today, all the knowledge gained in building those high-end workstations have been distilled in the smartphones we have in our pockets now.
So for Apple, R&D for its own sake or for controlling the narrative?