Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usenet
From: gad@eclipse.its.rpi.edu (Garance A. Drosehn)
Subject: Re: CD-ROM Drives
Message-ID: <7=al3ha@rpi.edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: eclipse.its.rpi.edu
References: <1779@toaster.SFSU.EDU>
Date: 22 Jun 91 11:41:19 GMT
Lines: 43

  [whoops, forgot a few things I meant to comment on]

eps@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) writes:
> (Garance A. Drosehn) writes:
>
> >  eps@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) writes:
> >> + most "interesting" CD-ROMs "out there" are tied to software
> >>   that only runs on MSDOS or Mac OS
> >
> >Gee, I wonder if that just *might* be because MSDOS and Macs *use* CD-ROM's,
> 
> No, it's because the publishers thumb their noses at standards.
> They could just as easily use "pure" High Sierra/ISO 9660.
> Instead, they CHOOSE to encode in proprietary formats.
> 
> >while NeXT doesn't officially recognize that the medium exists.
> 
> Oh, come on.  It's product #N3007.  My point is that even having
> a CD-ROM drive, I still can't take advantage of most of the
> existing catalog of CD-ROM releases.

What's product #N3007?  Is it a CD-ROM disc of something extremely nice to have  
on CD-ROM disc?  Or even something that's merely extremely nice to have on any  
medium?  (don't look at me, I don't have a catalog here, what *is* #N3007?)

My comment is not that NeXT doesn't admit that CD-ROM drives exist, it's that  
they don't give you any reason at all to buy one.  If someone gave me a CD-ROM  
for my NeXT, I'd be quite happy to take it (I want to make that clear in case  
anyone was thinking of mailing me one...), but I really don't have a single  
disc I could put into it from NeXT, Inc.

When I said Macs *use* CD-ROMs, I meant Apple uses it for things they  
distribute, such as ETO, A/UX, and develop.  I'm happy enough with ETO that I  
figure that disc, by itself, pretty much justifies the cost of me personally  
buying a CD-ROM drive.  If third party suppliers produce Mac-ish CD-ROM  
releases all the better, but the CD's I get from Apple are worthwhile enough  
for me to spend the (rather hefty) $$$ for the CD-ROM drive and the ETO  
subscription.

 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
Garance Alistair Drosehn     =     gad@eclipse.its.rpi.edu
ITS Systems Programmer            (handles NeXT-type mail)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute;           Troy NY    USA