Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!brunix!doorknob!twl From: twl@cs.brown.edu (Ted "Theodore" W. Leung) Newsgroups: comp.sys.m88k Subject: Re: 88k Macintoshes? / New 88k family member Message-ID: Date: 2 Nov 90 23:11:00 GMT References: <13028@encore.Encore.COM> <1088@dg.dg.com> <127@raysnec.UUCP> Sender: news@brunix.UUCP Organization: Department of Computer Science, Brown University Lines: 38 In-reply-to: shwake@raysnec.UUCP's message of 31 Oct 90 16:37:50 GMT >>>>> On 31 Oct 90 16:37:50 GMT, shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake) said: > Like what, pray tell? Apple's only major innovation in operating > systems in recent years is A/UX. How else can one run one's favorite Mac > applications while still benefitting from UNIX' functionality? Assuming > you're not suggesting running [Multi]Finder (an 88k-based system for such For one thing, as far as unsophisticated users are concerned, Multifinder was an innovation in operating systems design, even though it's particular type of multitasking is old hat to computer scientists. By the same note, much of what is appearing in UNIX today is old hat to Multics people. UNIX isn't real functional to college freshman, or administrative assistants, for example. The market is to the every day person, not the power starved computer scientist. As far as Apple is concerned, IF they are going to go to the engineering effort of designing a box around the 88k, I don't really think that UNIX is a good choice, unless they want to become just another workstation manufacturer. Apple now has 6 years of experience with all the horrors inside the MacOS (and there are many), as well as some glimpses into the directions that personal computing may go. I would hope that when they cut to a new CPU, that additional innovation would occur, not just more of the same (and in my opinion A/UX, NeXTStep, OpenLook, etc are just more of the same). If Apple wants higher powered versions of the MacOS or A/UX, they'd be much better off sticking with 68k based stuff. If they go to the 88k, they'd better give people a really good reason to junk their old applications. If you want specifics, go look at some of the things that Xerox did 15 years ago (the stuff that doesn't appear in the Mac). Its disappointing to believe that the only thing we can do with unbelievably fast processors is make poor knockoffs of things that were done 15 years ago, with a quarter of the present day resources. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet/CSnet: twl@cs.brown.edu | Ted "Theodore" Leung BITNET: twl@BROWNCS.BITNET | Box 1910, Brown University UUCP: uunet!brunix!twl | Providence, RI 02912