Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!ames!aplvax!ames!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!van-bc!ubc-cs!uw-beaver!rice!news From: TROTH@RICEVM2.RICE.EDU (Rick Troth) Newsgroups: comp.arch Subject: Re: Will NeXT survive? Grow with the times? Message-ID: <91122.161353TROTH@RICEVM2.RICE.EDU> Date: 2 May 91 21:13:53 GMT References: <11399@uwm.edu> Sender: news@rice.edu (News) Organization: Rice University, Houston, TX. Lines: 26 NeXT survive? Do you mean the company or the machine? The company has introduced some slick new products, and they've changed their marketting strategy (picked a broader/better market). But if NeXT, Inc. went under, then the cubes (including the new boxes) would become "surplus", which would make me happy as a dog with a bone. :-I Being a ham/hobbyist, I'm more than willing to put in some time to keep-up what a vendor won't. If NeXT cubes were surplus, then I could afford to buy one for home and not just tell my wife stories about my workstation at the office. I think the cube will survive just fine. NeXTOS 2.0 is actually worth using. I don't even use X much anymore since I got 2.0 with it's new Terminal program (basically Stuart). Read comp.sys.next if you want the names of some real NeXT enthusiasts. THEY're the ones who will determine if the company and/or the machine will survive. THEY're the ones who will be supporting the machine if the company doesn't. Fundamentally, they did the right thing: they built the "pretty, GUI [pronounced 'gooey'?], click-your-rodent" environment on a real O/S base. Mach was an excellent choice. In truth, it's not UNIX, though many folks can't tell, and some folks don't need to know and don't care. You asked for opinions. I hope that helps. -- "The tomb is empty" Rick Troth ------------- Rice ONCS VM Systems Support