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From: cyliao@hardy.u.washington.edu (Chun-Yao Liao)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: The Late Great Apple //
Message-ID: <8391@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 1 Oct 90 05:33:31 GMT
References: <waz4PZ600awLNAxqcV@andrew.cmu.edu> <1990Sep26.060442.2277@utstat.uucp>
Sender: news@milton.u.washington.edu
Reply-To: cyliao@hardy.acs.washington.edu (Chun-Yao Liao)
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 60

In article <1990Sep26.060442.2277@utstat.uucp> philip@utstat.uucp (Philip McDunnough) writes:
>>where Apple neglected, NeXT pushed. Check out the new NeXTstations.
>>Bundled software, ready to use from the box, complete with monitor and
>>hard-drive storage, 8 megs, 25 MHz 68040, Ethernet, Mach-UNIX, price $3995 w/o
>>edutcational discount. 
>
>A Unix workstation( there is an unbelievable price war going on in that
>market) is something quite different from a personal computer. The initial
>cost may very well be appealing. I would suggest that you check out
>Unix software prices, prices of service contracts, etc...It is one thing
>to be on a network of Unix workstations and quite another to have a
>personal computer that you configure to your liking with $40 software,
>as opposed to $1000 software.

	Don't mix a Unix workstation with a NeXT. Yes, NeXT uses Mach, 
	a BSD 4.3 compatible while superior OS. But that's not the point.
	The NeXt was designed and intended to be used as the personal 
	computer of the 90s.  If you get one and use it, you'll not realize
	that it is a workstation, but a "powerful personal computer"
	The NeXT also comes with boundle softwares that has commercial
	value of over $2000. Some good examples are Mathmatica, Webster's
	ninth collegiate dictionary with illustrations, Oxford quotation,
	complete works of shakespeare, a demo version of FramMaker that
	really works(but do not save after oct 89)  Most oter third
	party software companies offers student discount or site lincensing
	to individual users at price of $100 for a software package of
	$500-$2500.  Of couse, there are sharewares too. ftp sites for
	hundred "quality" PD, sharewares are available.  

	BTW, several useful "X" applications are FREEWARE (same with
	lots software for UNIX), and can be run under Xwindow system for
	NeXT.  I havent bought a single software yet sinc'e almost all
	i need are boundled with NeXT
>
>Many years ago, I purchased a wonderful transporatble Unix computer 
>called the Integral, from HP. It had Unix in ROM( it was SVID), a printer,
>3.5megs of RAM, an electrolumenescent screen,etc...It made Byte. It was
>HOT...for 6 months. It never sold much. Why? Software. The cost of Unix
>software was just too much. This was a very easy point/click Unix
>workstation. It may have been ahead of its time, but it made me think
>that Unix would never be the OS for the masses, micros,etc...I would
>think carefully about your NeXT interest. A happy GS/Mac user is rarely
>a happy UNIX user, although the reverse is certainly the case for me.

	I am extremely happy with my NeXT, it's SO easy to use and it comes
	with everything I need and everything I don't need. Believe or not
	you don't need any knoledge about Unix to use a NeXT.

	I was holding all my $$ for the ROM04, but since Apple is not
	doing a s*t to the // line, I moved up to something that is
	somewhat "like" my old pal, Apple //c.  Really, Apple // and 
	NeXT are the only computer I feel very comfortable with.
	
	mail me if you want to flame, mail me if you wanna know more about
	NeXT, mail me if you like to say Hi, or just drop an empty mail if
	you like (but not recommended).
cyliao@wam.umd.edu     		o NeXT :  I put main frame power on two chips.
      @epsl.umd.edu		o people: We put main flame power on two guys.
      @bagend.eng.umd.edu       o ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 xxxxx@xxxxx.xxx.xxx (reserved)	o RC + Apple // + Classic Music + NeXT = cyliao