Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!batcomputer!rogerj
From: rogerj@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Roger Jagoda)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: rumors! A friend with unofficial ties at NeXT claims that in September
Keywords: NeXT rumors
Message-ID: <10103@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Date: 12 Apr 90 23:42:34 GMT
References: <83smithw@physc1.byu.edu>
Reply-To: rogerj@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Roger Jagoda)
Followup-To: comp.sys.next
Organization: Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University, Ithaca NY
Lines: 49

In article <83smithw@physc1.byu.edu> smithw@physc1.byu.edu writes:
>a number of things will be happening with the cube.  2.0 software
 
Gee, do you think they'll get the NON-preliminary (i.e. final printing)
1.0 manuals out before the 2.0 "preliminary manuals" ship?

>will be released, cpu upgrade to 040 board, video will be off loaded
>to another slot-supposed to speed things up considerable like!  Video
 
Great! A frame-buffer/accelerator is just what this little baby needed!
Now, tis means they have to have finished the NBIC chip. But, uh, if this
board is just going in another nu-bus slot, wouldn't THAT then become 
a bottleneck as signals would have to be passsed from processor board
to Montior imaging circuitry (DPS on a board?). Are we just trading
one battle-neck for another...or do they REALLY want to fiddle with the
bus too?

>slot board will support 32 bit color, color monitor will be offered
>at some discount to b&w people, but you don't need to buy color to take
>advantage of video board.  cpu upgrade plus video cost is under 1K maybe
>under .5K(not color).  A multiprocessor board is in the works.  Motorola is
 
Uhm, I confused again. A "multi-processor board" means that the current
board can't do that. But I thought the MACH et al were just waiting for
that NBIC chip to be finished. The software's already there...what else
is missing? I REALLY thought the reason for the Cube to have those other
slots is so my machine could be some sort of awesome 4-cpu screamer.
Am I going to have to replace the current hardware (i.e. total cpu
board swap-out?)...I don't think I like that!
 
>shipping 040s this month with real volume by mid May-June. Some of this
>stuff may be announced in the fall, for possible Dec. delievery.  Apparently
>some kind of lower cost version of the present cube may be announced.
>Some kind of hierarchy will develop, low cost cube (whatever that is),
>standard version with 512MB optical (hard drive optional still) color optional,
>and multiprocessor cube to be hyped as a server for NeXT networks. (But
>could be purchased as standalone for the greedy). Anyway,
>that's the very unofficial story. So much for the rumors.
 
Yes, but it WAS fun!!!

--Roger Jagoda
--Cornell University
--FQOJ@CORNELLA.CIT.CORNELL.EDU
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Jagoda                          -- My employers don't even like paying
Cornell University                         me, let alone accept responsibility
fqoj@cornella.cit.cornell.edu              for anything I say or do! --