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From: usenet@lectroid.sw.stratus.com (Mr. Usenet News Manager)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Desktop publishing
Message-ID: <4753@lectroid.sw.stratus.com>
Date: 1 Apr 91 15:34:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: lectroid.4753
References: <14483@life.ai.mit.edu>
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc., Marlboro, MA (Software Eng.)
Lines: 36

In article <14483@life.ai.mit.edu> petrilli@geech.gnu.ai.mit.edu (Chris  
Petrilli) writes:
> It seems to me that you sound like a MacEvangelist... I have used the
> NeXT extensively, and most of the basic software is already there,
> much of it better than that available on other platforms (Improv for
> exaple, Touch-Type as another).  I think betting on NeXT is actually
> safer than betting on Apple (simply because of back-lash that is
> slowly coming about from their "look and feel" attitude, and the fact
> that they are not even close to reasonably comptetitive in price).  I
> have used a Mac IIfx (w/ 8.24 card) and a NeXTstation, and you can
> have the Mac, I won't touch it.  (See the Org line if you wondering
> why).
> 
What backlash?  The new, lower priced Macs are selling at twice the rate
that Apple anticipated. They're having trouble keeping up with demand. Yes, 
I dislike they're attitude on look-and-feel, but they make a very good machine.

Yes, NeXT has the Mac beat for now at the high Mac high end. A NeXT station
is a better buy than the high-end Mac, provided you know at least a bit of  
Unix, since it isn't quite as easy as Apple's "take it out of the box, plug it
in, and go."  And, of course, provided that the NeXT can do what you want.
(Do your taxes? Not yet?  Games? Well, a few. Databases? Well, a Sybase
engine, but beyond that...) Yep, for much of the basic software, the NeXT has
some good choices, and in a few cases it is better than what is available
elsewhere. Lotus Improv seems wonderful (but then, the folks who don't like
Apple's stand on look-and-feel will probably refuse to use it), the Librarian
and Dictionary are very good, etc.  For a basic wordprocessor, though,
Mac WriteNow is still much better than NeXT WriteNow.

However, for a home computer or low-end business computer, the
Mac can't be beat. $1100 gets you a Mac classic with 40M hard disk, which is  
plenty for most people at home or for someone doing word processing at work. If  
you need more speed, the SE30 is available for about $2400. 

Jim Mann                                      jmann@vineland.pubs.stratus.com 
Stratus Computer