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From: melling@cs.psu.edu (Michael D Mellinger)
Subject: Re: An interesting idea...
In-Reply-To: peter@sugar.hackercorp.com's message of 6 May 91 11:05:30 GMT
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References: <rbaGn&?=1@cs.psu.edu> <1991May5.115329.24187@sugar.hackercorp.com>
	<_g5Gy0x*1@cs.psu.edu> <1991May6.110530.7978@sugar.hackercorp.com>
Date: Mon, 6 May 91 15:51:20 GMT
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In article <1991May6.110530.7978@sugar.hackercorp.com> peter@sugar.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) writes:

   > The prices did seem a bit high, but they looked like standard business
   > prices.  $995 for FrameMaker(it's the same on the Mac, Sun and NeXT?).
   > Packages like WP, Illustrator, Wingz, Improv,etc go from $395 to $695.

   Yes, but that's *all* that's offered. Where are the $20-$50 programs?

Ok, Peter.  What were you doing 6 years ago when I was telling people
to buy the Amiga, it was the hottest thing since sliced bread(probably
a DOS weenie).  There weren't any $50 programs available then, just
the EA stuff that used to GURU meditate, and the Bouncing Ball demo.
When a new computer is released it has to start somewhere.

   Yes, and most of the stuff I use comes free with the Amiga or is available
   on BBSes and for anonymous UUCP. But you or I are not the marketplace that
   make a machine a success. You have to get it to end-users, and they need
   software. Why should they pay $5000 for the NeXT and $400-$700 a pop for
   packages when they can get a PC with Windows or a Mac for $2000 and pay $200
   to $400 a pop for software?

Which Macs or PCs are you going to get for $2000?  The people who are
interested in the more expensive Macs and PC's will love the NeXT.
It's also great if you are a student who can get one for cheap.  You
are right, the NeXT does have a limited market for now.  They are
targeting businesses and college students.  Hopefully, that will
change in two years, but they are only capable of producing 100,000
machines a year at the moment, and establishing themselves with big
business first will help entice software developers.

   The Amiga has a lot of end-user markets that don't compete with the two big
   boys. What does the NeXT have?

They compete with the big boys.

-Mike