Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!convex!ewright
From: ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Re: Not another NeXT defector???!!!
Message-ID: <108409@convex.convex.com>
Date: 8 Nov 90 16:47:40 GMT
References: <1990Nov7.212457.8903@ctr.columbia.edu>
Sender: usenet@convex.com
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation; Richardson, TX
Lines: 40

In article <1990Nov7.212457.8903@ctr.columbia.edu> eboltz@jhuvms.hcf.jhu.edu (Eric S. Boltz) writes:

>One reason the mac's gui is fast is because when you click the mouse 
>EVERYTHING STOPS and the cpu only listens to the mouse. On the NeXT it not
>only continues to run other programs but continually draws the window (not
>just its outline).

This claim would have a lot more credibility if not for the fact
that MacTutor published some code to do the exact same thing on
the Mac over a year ago.


>I had some time to mess with the 040 and gui speed was of major importance
>to me so here's the test I ran the following in different windows :
>
>1. A repeating sound file of the simpsons
>2. An animation of an eagle in flight

Yes. Really nice.  Of course, this is a port of a demo I saw running
on the Commodore Amiga five years ago.  (Except the Commodore demo
had the screech of an eagle, which I think is a bit classier than
Bart Simpson.)  And yes, it could do this while multitasking. 

>3. A mathematica animation
>4. An animation of a spinning aspirin molecule

Question: was the NeXTStation *computing* the molecule in real-time
or was it simply playing back a series of precomputed images (like 
the flying eagle or the famous Amiga bouncing ball)?  


>There was a some slowdown, but it was not like the 030 I tried in august
>1989. (Can a mac do that?) =:)

I don't deny that NeXT has a powerful machine. I do deny that they
have prices that the typical user can afford. If you really want
to make another convert, then swap me one of your '040 Color
NeXTStations for my Mac IIsi, even trade.