Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!usc!apple!agate!garnet.berkeley.edu!knrgroup From: knrgroup@garnet.berkeley.edu (Raymond group) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc Subject: Re: Not another NeXT defector???!!! Message-ID: <1990Nov8.204324.2063@agate.berkeley.edu> Date: 8 Nov 90 20:43:24 GMT References: <1990Nov8.175911.16932@agate.berkeley.edu> Sender: usenet@agate.berkeley.edu (USENET Administrator) Organization: University of California, Berkeley Lines: 29 twl@cs.brown.edu (Ted "Theodore" W. Leung) writes: >...[the Mac] runs just as nicely under thin net or twisted pair ethernet. >You can plug in a card and it just works. So how much does this card cost for the Mac? On the NeXT, all the connectors, processors, and software to run Ethernet are there for free. Also, how functional is a network of Macs? Can you have a decent Mac file server? Can you login to another Mac on the network or run a program off another Mac (i.e., run it on the processor on the other Mac)? I'm not familiar with Mac networks, so I'll let Mac network experts answer these questions. >I'm still waiting for you to give an example of one peripheral that you >can hook up to your NeXT today that can't also be hooked up to a Mac... >If you can't name one, then your claim doesn't hold much weight, because >it doesn't provide the user any additional functionality. Actually, if I can't name one it's because I have all the peripherals I need on the NeXT at work, and much of it came bundled with the machine: 660 MB hard disk, 330 MB hard disk, and floptical drive. My boss also bought a floppy and a scanner. So, I've never gone shopping for peripherals. The experts have said, however, that you can attach more SCSI devices to a NeXT because there are more device drivers available for 4.3BSD Unix. I'll throw the question out to Mac users: what SCSI devices haven't you been able to attach to a Mac? I'll try to find out if those devices can be attached to a NeXT. I want to add that I am in no way, shape or form a Unix expert. However, I still get great benefits out of a NeXT and can program on it to boot. So Unix novices take heart, the NeXT is a machine for you too!