Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!wuarchive!decwrl!ogicse!unicorn!milton!bishop
From: bishop@milton.u.washington.edu (John Bishop)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: NeXT sales
Message-ID: <1991Apr5.192345.22647@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 5 Apr 91 19:23:45 GMT
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 32

In the business section of today's (4/5) New York Times (comments
enclosed in [] are mine):

Next Posts Gains in Computer Sales

...Steve Jobs...said today that it [Next] had sold 8,000 computers in
the first quarter of 1991, greatly exceeding previous sales levels.

	The shipment of 8000 computers in three monthes is not
surprising.  When Next introduced a new line of machines last fall,
Mr. Jobs said that the company had 15,000 orders . But in an interview,
... Mr. Jobs said that orders appeared to be accelerating and that he
thought Next could sell 50,000 machines this year.
  	"If we could sell $200 million to $250 million of computers
this year, which is quite possible, it will put us on the map as a
viable player," he said.  Mr. Jobs would not say whether the company
is profitable, only that "we're in good shape in that regard." ....
 [I've deleted A couple of short paragraphs on the history of Next.]
	Mr. Jobs said that 60 percent of Next's sales were now to
businesses and 40 percent to colleges, the company's original target
market.  About 30 percent of the company's sales are in Europe and
Japan, he said.  [End of article]

Sorry if this becomes a duplicate post. I was surprised not to see a
mention of it on the net, since many of you see the times some 6 hours
before now.  Analysis?  How do you know if a private company really
has done what it says it has?  Is Jobs just trying to reassure would
be buyers who are worried about the future of Next?  Actually, I find
it easy to believe the figure given how LONG it takes to get your
machine once you order it (I've been waiting six weeks now for my
slab).  From the wording of the article, it wasn't clear if Next had
sold or shipped 8,000 machines this quarter.