Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!news.cs.indiana.edu!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!gacvx2.gac.edu!gacvx2.gac.edu!scott Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Low End NeXTs (was Re: Desktop publishing) Message-ID: From: scott@texnext.gac.edu (Scott Hess) Date: 4 Apr 91 13:44:03 References: <4753@lectroid.sw.stratus.com><1991Apr1.200929.17719@noose.ecn.purdue.edu><1991Apr3.192844.27708@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College Nntp-Posting-Host: texnext.gac.edu In-reply-to: songer@orchestra.ecn.purdue.edu's message of 3 Apr 91 19:28:44 GMTLines: 47 In article <1991Apr3.192844.27708@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> songer@orchestra.ecn.purdue.edu (Christopher M Songer) writes: scott@texnext.gac.edu (Scott Hess) writes: >I don't think it's worthwhile to strip the network stuff. In software, >the network stuff is free - it will barely even slow the machine down, >as most stuff doesn't talk with it. In hardware, maybe - but since >they've already done all the work for it, it's probably not going to >save much. Maybe $100 or $200 for the whole bag. I suppose the reason I'd suggest stripping off the network stuff is that for those who put their machine at home it is almost completely useless. I know several people who have seen our Next and said, "Wow, I wish I could get one for home -- but I can't justify the cost." Absence of network hardware would lower production costs and the absence of the software would lower required harddrive space -- raising usability. Sure, if NeXT could sell an 030 Station w/all the networking stuff at $3000 list or so and still make enough money, that would be super, but if anything had to go, I'd like to see the networking stuff go first. After all, for a home machine slip or UUCP is about the height of connectivity. slip requires the network stuff (else it's hardly useful!). UUCP will require a large subset of it (all the sendmail stuff, for certain). The problem with removing the network stuff is that it has been part of BSD Unix for so long now that it's hard to find where Unix leaves off and the TCP/IP starts up. A large portion of the code will have to stay so that other, apparently unconnected, programs can continue running. Also, removing the networking programs and files would save very little disk space. Most of the network utilities which could be removed are 16k or 32k in size (with few exceptions). It takes alot of those to equal even one Mathematica, much less a Webster's. I hold to my point - removing the networking stuff would not reduce the price more than $100 or $200. Not so much as removing, say, the DSP. Personally, I think the slabs are quite close to the minimal system. NeXT will have some room to drop by next XMas, I think . . . or Q1 '92 at the latest. Later, -- scott hess scott@gac.edu Independent NeXT Developer GAC Undergrad "Simply press Control-right-Shift while click-dragging the mouse . . ." "I smoke the nose Lucifer . . . Banana, banana."