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From: gourdol@imag.imag.fr (Gourdol Arnaud)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc
Subject: Oh no ! Yet Another Thread on Mac/NeXT war.
Message-ID: <15506@imag.imag.fr>
Date: 15 Nov 90 13:01:07 GMT
Reply-To: gourdol@imag.fr (Gourdol Arnaud)
Distribution: comp.sys.mac.misc
Organization: IMAG Institute, University of Grenoble, France
Lines: 110

Hi there,
Peace to all,

First, let me introduce myself :
I am a Mac owner since the beginning (and besides, developper).

Second, I am looking at NeXT because it's a not too bad
computer, with a not too bad user interface and with
some not too bad tools.
(Ok, don't flame on me telling that this computer, user 
interface and tools are not "not too bad" but incredibly
*GREAT*, that there are the best thing man ever did since
then invention of fire, that it brings us some totally new
horizon, that you can't sleep anymore just because of it,
etc, etc, etc.... I know you all really, frankly
think so, so spare your time and net bandwidth).

The next computer I will buy and make software for will
probably be a NeXT (punn intended).
The reason is : there is a market and it's not too bad.

OK.

But ! But, I will continue to make Mac software, because it's
a not too bad computer, with a not too bad interface (being
improved, because it has too to be on the NeXT level), and
not too bad tools (not because of Apple, but, anyway...).

OK.

Now, what I would like too know is :

                 WHAT IS THIS WAR FOR ?
 
It strongly reminds me of the time when the Mac was introduced
and PC people were saying :
"The Mac is just a toy"
"Who needs graphics ?"
"A mouse is only for dumb user or young children"
"User interface, user interface, what do you mean user interface ?"
and other arguments such as :
"There are not many Mac sold"
"There are nearly no applications for the Mac"
etc, etc, etc...

But I see a big difference (or I think I see it, nowadays I
tend to be sure of nothing, as someone will probably point
I am wrong at seeing things which do not exist) :

The big difference is that when the Mac was introduced it was new.

The mouse was new, the graphics were new, the Toolbox was new,
the hardware was new, all was new.
I don't think NeXT is bringing such new things (ok, there is 
a floptical drive (or there was?), NeXTStep, Interface Builder,
etc, etc...) But I'd rather say that all those things are
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS over existing concepts (most of them brought 
by the Mac and Unix (best of both worlds)) (okay, okay a few things
are probably new, and that's okay).

More important (for me).
When Apple introduced Macintosh, they had what I call a vision.
They wanted to do "the computer for the rest of us".
Now, they have some visions of what they want in 2010. (Altough
Knowledge Navigator is probably not their best vision at it).

I probably missed it, and if it is the case, please correct me,
but NeXT has no vision (or I didn't understood it).
I'm sad of it. I like visions. It stimulates me.


So, back is my question : Why this war between Mac and NeXT ?
Those computers are not THAT much different. Why not
to compare NeXT and Windows or Mac and Windows ?
Or better, why not compare NeXT and low-cost SUN Sparc stations, 
or Sony stations. It seems it would be more fair to compare
Unix stations with Unix stations rather than Unix stations
and Personal Computer (er, Steve, is NeXT a personnal computer
or a workstation ?).


I will not enter this war.
I will continue to fight for peace.
What *I* want, and I think what *WE* need is :
       - a new computer platform (I mean *REALLY* new)
       - a new vision.
   
Think about the future. Imagine what you want to have in
ten or twenty years. Be wild and crazy. Imagine cyberdecks,
palmtop computers with color holo screens and neural link
connections, anything you can *THINK* of.
And everyday, each time you use your computer (be it a Mac,
a NeXT or an IBM 360), think of the distance between your
dream and what you have today. Each time a new machine
is announced (be it at Apple, NeXT, IBM (seriously), Wang,
Sony, or whatever), look a that machine and see if it brings
you closer to your dream or not.
And if it does not, be angry, shout, protest, *MAKE THEM MOVE*.
NeXT introduction was great, because it made Apple move.
Who will make NeXT move and provide a yet *BETTER* computer ?
And think about it, why this war ?

Arnaud
 -- Odyssey.
 
 
-- 
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 / Arnaud Gourdol.      //         On the netland : gourdol@imag.fr /
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