Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!zephyr.ens.tek.com!uw-beaver!mit-eddie!bu.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!atncpc!bruce
From: bruce@atncpc.UUCP (Bruce Henderson)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: SOME ADVICE FOR NEXT
Summary: Don't look for it...
Message-ID: <340@atncpc.UUCP>
Date: 27 Sep 90 16:29:31 GMT
References: <F_-0h+b2@cs.psu.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Ashton Tate NCPC, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 41

In article <F_-0h+b2@cs.psu.edu>, melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger) writes:
> 
> Forgive me if I seem to be jumping the gun, but now is the time for
> NeXT to consider this.  I believe that NeXT's biggest advantage over
> Apple is that its OS isn't written in 68000 assembler.  This means
> that they can develop a new machine around a new high performance RISC
> chip.  The new generation of RISC's are going to be in the 40 mip
> range.  I doubt if the 68050 will be ready before 1992.  The new
> generation RISC's should appear by early next year.  By next September
> NeXT could have a 40 mip machine on the market.  Apple will surely
> have an 040 Mac by January, but they have to stop there until they
> rewrite their OS.  I hope NeXT is hard at work building a RISC based
> machine, so that they can maintain the performance edge they now have
> over Apple.
> 
> -Mike


you can pretty much rest assured that this isn't going to happen.
I don't think that MIPS or raw CPU horsepower is going to be a concern 
for a while. Reasons:

1)	the 040 at 25MHz is a pretty fast chip.  Any guesses how the
	33MHz (or 50MHz) version will be?

2)	Re-working EVERYTHING for a binary incompatible CPU would 
	be a multi-year nightmare.  Not only that but you effectively
	upset all of your customers who have invested big $$$ in 
	software, peripherals, etc, when you inform them that none
	of it works with the new hardware (binary incompatibility)

3)	NeXT doesn't need to be the fastest machine in the world.
	If speed is what you crave, buy a Cray... 8-)

4)	NeXT has the capability to sell a 100 MIPS binary compatible
	machine within the next 12 months.  Stay tuned for details.


Bruce Henderson
Ashton Potato
Goon Squad