Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!udel!rochester!cornell!vax5.cit.cornell.edu!q4kx From: q4kx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu (Joel Sumner) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: RE: Interesting comparison Message-ID: <1990Oct3.215139.274@vax5.cit.cornell.edu> Date: 4 Oct 90 01:51:39 GMT References: <9010031225.AA19854@masig2.ocean.fsu.edu> Distribution: comp Lines: 94 In article <9010031225.AA19854@masig2.ocean.fsu.edu>, legler@MASIG2.OCEAN.FSU.EDU (David M. Legler) writes: > Joel Sumner writes: > >> Somone mentioned that the new NeXTStation is not really a home computer. >> While that may be true, let's look at something... > >> My Apple IIgs... [my system] >> GRAND TOTAL ---------> $2,750 >> >> A New NeXT Station.... (from my available literature) >> (description of this deleted) >> >> Grand Total ----------------------> $4,995 >> Educational Discount -------------> $3,250 (depending on university) > > > If you are comparing prices, be sure to compare apples to oranges. The > GS prices above seem to be close to retail at least for the computer > (not add-on enhancements). So comparing retail $2750 to retail $4995 > the GS isn't so bad. (and the NeXT DOES NOT have color!) > I would be happy to put the educational discount for the IIgs in perspective. THERE IS NONE! At least, I haven't seen any discounts in 4 years. I did get my IIgs on a small educational discount (about the same amount that the IIgs sells for now) when I got it 4 years ago. This was from a University. And that was 'covert' because I never saw much literature on it. I haven't seen any educational discount since. By the law of relativity, any reference frame is equally good for observing an event. In my reference frame, a NeXT costs $3300 (at Cornell) and an Apple IIgs costs $2750 or so. Yes, the NeXT does not have color, but it does have a 3x larger hard drive, 4x more memory, a two page monitor, and a processing speed that is [probably] 20 times faster. I think the NeXT still comes out on top even if you do use the retail price of $4995. > While it is true that the NeXT seems a better deal, remember that not > everyone needs all the power of a NeXT. And I suspect that prices for NeXT > software will far exceed anything in the Apple II world (markets will dictate > prices across different platforms). No, not everyone needs the power of a NeXT. I really don't need that much power right now either. My IIgs suits me fine. But Apple Computer Corp has seen fit to decide that no one really needs the 'paltry' power of an Apple IIgs. Therefore, I am getting something else that will be supported by its manufacturer. It would be stupid for me to but a Mac. It doesn't have the powerful line-interface that I like in my IIgs (I only use the FINDER for file copying. I use ECP-16 and Davex for everything else. I can't stand Icons. It does make programs easier to use but just try to do 'quick and dirty' stuff. It is a nightmare...) Thought the SHR environment has its merits. Don't get me wrong. Not to mention the fact that the Mac is made by Apple. As I said, I will no longer give them any of my money. The next choice is IBM Clones. You can forget them too. I have worked with MS-DOS long enough to know that I don't like them either. So what does that leave me? Amiga? I dunno. I personally like the NeXT machine because it is SO MUCH LIKE MY IIGS! It is easy to program (through a toolbox of sorts), it has a command line interface if you want to use it ['uncompress *.Z' now wasn't that hard? Imagine what you would have to do on a Mac to accomplish the same feat?] , and it is [relatively] cheap. > > If the NeXT satisfies your needs and you can get it at a decent price, then > by all means buy it. (If you get it be sure to get the laserprinter too, at > a price of about $1500, it is far away a great add-on deal). (I think the educational price for a NeXT laser printer is $1295) > > BTW I use a IIe, Mac, NeXT, and Silicon Graphics - all are perfectly suited > for their various purposes which is why I use them. I have no complaints > about any of them. Absolutely. (I just wish I could afford to keep my IIgs and still get a NeXT. College students don't get that benfit.) > > Mr. David M. Legler ||(904)644-1159 or 644-4581 > Mesoscale Air-Sea Interaction ||Bitnet legler%masig1.ocean.fsu.edu@cunyvm > Group ||SPAN 7480::"legler@masig1.ocean.fsu.edu" > MS B-174 Love-012 ||Arpa legler@masig1.ocean.fsu.edu(128.186.3.1) > Florida State University || > Tallahassee, FL 32306-3041 || "An Apple II a day, keeps the PC blues away" > -- Joel Sumner GENIE:JOEL.SUMNER These opinions are q4kx@cornella.ccs.cornell.edu q4kx@cornella warranted for 90 days or q4kx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu q4kx@crnlvax5 60,000 miles. Whichever .................................................... comes first. Never test for an error condition that you can't handle.