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From: barry@pico.math.ucla.edu (Barry Merriman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Upgrade Policies?
Message-ID: <298@kaos.MATH.UCLA.EDU>
Date: 29 Aug 90 23:20:19 GMT
Sender: news@MATH.UCLA.EDU
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Organization: UCLA Department of Math
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Any word on the upgrade policies associated with NeXT's new
product line?

Maybe we still have time to influence them before the
Gala Unveiling Event, Sept. 18. Good ugrade policies
_could_ be used as an effective PR tool.

What _could_ it be like...lets imagine...hmmmm...
(nods off at the monitor...)

(fade in to Gala Event, at the concert hall, black tie...Steve
on stage in his tuxedo, having just whipped the covering tarp
off the three new NeXT's---which, as a surprise added 2.0 feature,
have the ability to levitate and read your mind. Flashbulbs
popping...

Steve: "And, I'd like to announce that, for all those users
who've had the vision to come on board with NeXT over these
past two years...Free Upgrades on all features!"

(A roar comes up from the crowd, then a rising 
chant "NeXT!...NeXT!...NeXT!...)

(...wakes up to repeated beeping caused by laying head on
the keyboard)

Well, free upgrades are probably too much to ask for.

As I see it, though, there are 3 upgrade issues: The color monitor,
the 68040, and the 2.88 Mb floppy drive.

The 68040 and Color monitor---being the type of upgrades
we all foresaw---should be offered  at a low-profit price, as
a favor to loyal NeXT users. These are simple amenities that
add to the system capabilities. (I've heard talk of a $1000
figure---does that cover just the 68040, or does it
also turn the 2 bit greyscale into 24 bit greyscale? I doubt
it covers the Color Monitor, but we can alway dream...)

However, I think the floppy drive should be offered as a _free_
upgrade, or at worst, at cost---because its likely to make our
optical disks useless for software distribution, and we'll all
be _forced_ to fork over ~$500 for a floppy drive if we plan on buying
any software. Since NeXT is essentially changing their
mode of software distribution under us, I think they
should give us a freebie so we can all join in.

On a related point: what is a 2.88 Mb floppy? I've never 
heard of that size. I hope it also reads the standard
sizes (and formats---I've heard IBM, but not Mac?)---otherwise,
whats the point of having it if it doesn't broaden
the file transfer options.

Barry Merriman