Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mcnc!uvaarpa!murdoch!kesmai!dca
From: dca@kesmai.COM (David C. Albrecht)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Should I get a NeXT?
Keywords: mac, next
Message-ID: <249@kesmai.COM>
Date: 13 Feb 91 23:06:34 GMT
References: <87442@unix.cis.pitt.edu> <15875@milton.u.washington.edu> <10509@cica.cica.indiana.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Kesmai Corporation, Charlottesville, VA
Lines: 62

In article <10509@cica.cica.indiana.edu>, greg@cica.cica.indiana.edu (Gregory TRAVIS) writes:
> In <15875@milton.u.washington.edu> mrc@Tomobiki-Cho.CAC.Washington.EDU (Mark Crispin) writes:
> 
> >It is not likely that there will ever be much of a third-party
> >software market for the NeXT.  It's too much of a fringe market, and
> >likely to remain that way.  The proprietary status of NeXTstep and the
> >limited platforms on which it is available scares many vendors away.
> >We're seeing this now.
> 
> This is true of every new computer produced.  If by "proprietary" you
> mean "Not the world's biggest keenest standard, like UNIX and X.  No one
> will write software unless it's for UNIX and X."  Then try to substitute in:
> 
> 	"The proprietary status of AmigaDOS..."	(2 million sold so far)
> 	"The proprietary status of Macintosh..."(bazillions sold so far)
> 	"The proprietary status of SunTools..."	(which is what my copy of
> 						 Frame runs under.  Lots sold)
> 	"The proprietary status of MS-DOS..."	(Enormous amounts sold)
> 	"The proprietary status of Windows 3..." ('nuff said)
> 	"The proprietary status of MVS..."	(too many sold)
> 	"The proprietary status of VMS..."	(blah, blah)
> 	"The proprietary status of TENEX..."	(Yes, Mark, TENEX)
> 	"The proprietary status of PostScript.."
> 
Certainly it is true of every new computer produced.  However, realise that
the next machine is not comparable to most of these examples.  The Mac and
Amiga marketplaces got where they are not by selling the higher priced
machines but rather low end machines (for the Amiga < 1K) the Mac, (< 2K).
The fancy more powerful machines came later when the user base was there and
wanted more power.  While the Next box is a great
deal at the educational price it is only a great deal because the box is so
capable and the display is so nice.  Certainly, I could get a very nice
MSDOS or Amiga box that is less capable but costs less money especially if
I'm not eligable for the educational discount.  Many of the vendors
listed above were addressing a different market and/or were
innovators that opened markets, some on their own or in the case of
PostScript, riding on Apple's coattails.  As nice as the Next
machine is, it is a pretty much 'me too' machine in the workstation
marketplace, without the volume of a Sun.  Unlike when Sun entered the
market, the low end workstation market is getting to be just as competitive
as PCs.  As nice as the Next machine is, it is also still a pretty pricey
machine and lacking in software to sell to average Joe businessman or Joe
public most of whom wouldn't see any great advantage to a Next over a PC or a
mac and some pretty obvious disadvantages such as price, getting the package
they want at the price they want if at all, and potential stability of the
vendor.  Further while there might be plenty of software available for VMS,
MVS, etc.  much of it is priced for expensive computer volume i.e. getting
your money back from low sales but high prices i.e. $1000 and up.  Expecting
someone who bought a 5K machine to pay 1K for software isn't likely to happen
and therefore it isn't likely to even get written.
I'm considering getting a Next box but I certainly wouldn't even consider it
if the availability of current and future commercial software was an
important issue.  Some software will no doubt get written because
someone who owns a Next or uses one at school codes it up and they will either
get released as PD or maybe they will try to vend it.  Truthfully, I don't
think that the concept of a Unix box on every businessman's desk is any more
a workable concept today than it was when AT&T tried it with the 3b1.  As a
whole businessmen are perfectly happy with their macs and PCs and will be
highly resistant to change.  Unless a miracle occurs I don't see the Next
being more than a niche machine and mostly the educational market niche at that.

David Albrecht