Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!pacbell.com!mips!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!clarkson!news
From: anthonjw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Jason W. Anthony)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Not another NeXT defector???!!!
Message-ID: <1990Nov4.185346.7045@news.clarkson.edu>
Date: 4 Nov 90 18:53:46 GMT
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Organization: Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
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Boy, three weeks ago if anyone ever suggested I would buy any machine over
a Mac, I would have thought them crazy.  But this die-hard Mac user
is expecting to receive his new NeXTstation within two to three weeks.

At first I was just curious about the new machines, but the more I found
out about them the more I was led in.  It seemed to just get better and
better!  There are many reasons to buy one, and some not to buy.  But let
me address one of my biggest concerns:
	
Limited software -- this is probably the most frequently pointed
out problem.  However, all machines start out with little software,
and from what I've seen, I think the NeXT has more potential to
grow a large software base then any other machine in history.  Not
only does it provide a user interface as superior as the Macintosh's,
but the software development enviornment is also superb.  I heard
WordPerfect Corp orignally budgeted 12 months (if memory serves)
to create WordPerfect, and ended up using only six.  Lotus wanted to
develop a new spreadsheet, and they chose NeXT to do it because they
said it was the best enviornment to work in.  Lotus has also said,
apparently, that _all new products will be developed on the NeXT_
before any other machine because of this reason.
	
Yes, there is lot's of Mac software out there.  But there was lots
of IBM software out there when Mac started.  And many of us went
with the new machine anyway.  For many of the same reasons, I am
switching to NeXT.
	
I think as one person pointed out, I feel the heart of Apple has gone
with Jobs.  When Apple first started, all the way back to my first Apple ][+,
the company had fresh new ideas and enthusiasm.  I have felt more and more
lately that this is going, and Apple has turned into a big beuacracy.  The
Mac IIfx quickly changed, in my mind, from a symbol of Apple inginuity to
a symbol of Apple's unreasonableness, as I found out more and more.  I see
the innovative ideas comming from Jobs and the people he took with him when
he left Apple.

And one other thing I think should be pointed out: don't be turned off
if you don't like UNIX.  I cringe everytime I have to type "ls -l"
to list my files on this UNIX host, but be aware that the NeXTstep interface
is as intutive and friendly as the Mac interface, allowing you to not
have to learn all the UNIX complexities, while at the same time being able
to take advantage of its power.

To me, I see a machine that's got almost everything, including a great price.

And I do think this is a reasonable discussion for the Mac group, because
I think anyone who likes and can afford a Mac, will like and be able to
afford a NeXT.  As a Mac user, my interest in the NeXT was started by
a NeXT thread in this group.  I think Mac users should get a chance to
see the NeXT.

Well, time to get off my soapbox and into my flame-suit.  :-)

Happy computing!

__________________________________________________________________         
Jason W. Anthony         anthonjw@clutx.clarkson.edu      ////  /|         
Computer Engineering                                       /   / |         
Clarkson University, Potsdam N.Y.                       / /   /--|         
____________________________________________________   ///.  /   |.