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From: bob@allosaur.cis.ohio-state.edu (Bob Sutterfield)
Newsgroups: alt.next,comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: Questions on NeXT machine
Keywords: NeXT
Message-ID: <25146@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 19 Oct 88 22:27:17 GMT
References: <17780@glacier.STANFORD.EDU> <[9.5]karl@ddsw1.alt.next>
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In article <[9.5]karl@ddsw1.alt.next> karl@ddsw1.MCS.COM ([Karl Denninger]) writes:
>With regards to Next machines only being available to colleges:
>
>I hope Jobs comes around to reality soon...

I'm not an eastern mystic, but there seem to be several realities
involved here.

>Failing to serve a major market segment that wants to purchase his
>machine (ie: you and I, folks) is a big, big mistake.  Being arrogant
>and saying "you want one, go to college!" is not the answer.

Failure to narrow one's focus in order to accomplish a goal is a big,
big mistake.  Many companies, larger ones that NeXT (160!) have gone
under while trying to be everything to everyone.  Kudos to one who
will recognize the limitations of size and time during a start-up
phase.  His statement, if flip, was at least realistic.

>If Next really expects we, the developers and software publishers, to
>come out with software for this beast, they had BETTER give us more
>of a market than the University crowd!

Many Universities are happy using free software, and some may be happy
not to use your software.  A lot of interesting work is done at
Universities and shared freely with the rest of the community.  That's
the nature of academia.

>The university market represents too little money to gain our full
>support.

You make your market target decisions, and let others make theirs.
The collection of bundled (and unbundled) software that's available
for the NeXT cube is truly impressive, but wouldn't really interest a
real estate developer.  It's targeted at the academic market.

>Also -- how about GNU?  Since GNU C is part of the package, can I
>sell my product that I compile using this compiler?

Of course.  Read the GNU General Public License if you have questions.

>Or must I follow the GNU General license with regards to my product
>if compiled using that compiler, essentially reducing the value of
>the product to zero?  If the second case holds true (ie: you can't
>really resell compiled binaries)

This issue gets rehashed frequently on the GNU newsgroups.  If you
read the License, you'll note that FSF only copyrights its work, and
it certainly couldn't copyright yours.

>If Jobs wants this machine to succeed, he _must_ market to the
>general consumer.

We'll all watch and see, won't we?

>You can bet that Sun and DEC are working on something to compete with
>the NEXT box -- and that you and I will be able to buy that product.

You'll be able to buy a NeXT box sometime, when they have production
capacity left over from serving their primary focus design market.
I'm looking forward to Sun's and DEC's (and HP's and IBM's and ...)
reply to this box.  The competition will be fun!
-=-
Zippy sez,								--Bob
Now, I think it would be GOOD to buy FIVE or SIX STUDEBAKERS
 and CRUISE for ARTIFICIAL FLAVORING!!