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From: barry@pico.math.ucla.edu (Barry Merriman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: BusinessLand (reasonable)
Keywords: buying, NeXT
Message-ID: <129@kaos.MATH.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 14 Jul 90 02:45:20 GMT
References: <2463@unccvax.uncc.edu> <5945@hub.ucsb.edu>
Sender: news@MATH.UCLA.EDU
Organization: UCLA Department of Math
Lines: 33

In article <5945@hub.ucsb.edu> aks@somewhere.ucsb.edu (Alan Stebbens) writes:

>University pricing for the "base cube" is $4995.  The 330 meg
>version is $6995.

This must be due to a recent price drop, since mine was bought direct from NeXT
1 year ago for $8500 (including 330 MB HD).

So, it appears the price is falling at a rate of $1500/yr---not bad.

Especially compared to the latest Mac prices, which have dropped drastically
lately.

The only thing coming close to the NeXT in functionality is the
the MacIIfx, which, with 4MB Ram and 160MB HD costs $7250 at maximum
academic discount---and that DOESN'T INCLUDE THE KEYBOARD, MONITOR
OR VIDEO CARD. Add on at least another $1500 for something
of comparable quality. (Not to mention you got no software with that,
except Hypercard.)

So, a Mac of ``similar'' (_half_ the RAM, _half_ the Hard Drive, no optical drive,
no real software included) abilities costs at least $1800 more than a Cube!!!

It seems people are paying quit a bit for that Mac software base. In fact,
it'd pretty nearly be cost effective to get the $7000 Cube + a Mac SE/30
as a ``Mac software co-processor'' (basic Mac SE/30 is $1850 now).


(Sorry to go on, but I've been pricing/evaluating Mac's for my little sister
lately. Problem is, Apple has a lock on the Junior High and High Schools,
which pressures kids to get some sort of Apple product for home.)

Barry Merriman