Path: utzoo!hoptoad!amdcad!apple!bloom-beacon!husc6!m2c!ulowell!hawk!rsilvers From: rsilvers@hawk.ulowell.edu (Robert Silvers) Newsgroups: alt.next Subject: Re: software distribution medium, font display Message-ID: <9643@swan.ulowell.edu> Date: 14 Oct 88 15:36:24 GMT References: <12790@oberon.USC.EDU> <3019@haven.umd.edu> Sender: news@swan.ulowell.edu Reply-To: rsilvers@hawk.ulowell.edu (Robert Silvers) Organization: University of Lowell, CS Dept. Lines: 30 In article <3019@haven.umd.edu> louie@trantor.umd.edu (Louis A. Mamakos) writes: >I'm really surprised at all of the concern over not having a floppy disk or >something to load software from. Have you all forgotten the ethernet >interface? Remember the environment that this thing is targeted for. Why >would you want to load software off of a floppy disk when you could do it >over the ethernet. > >The DEC VaxStations 2000 that I have on my desk has a 70MB disk on it, and >no load media other than the ethernet. I don't miss having a floppy drive >because I do all of the software installation over the ethernet from a >server with large, friendly disks and tape drives. > You are assuming that everyone has a setup like you. The Vaxstation 2000 I am writing this on also is NFSed to a dozen other computers. What happens if I send away to the mail order place for SubLogic Jet for the NeXT. Are they going to mail me a $50.00 optical plater? I would like either a tape cartridge or a 1.44 Meg. 3.5" floppy. It is aimed at the educational market, but that does not mean I dont want one in my home. No other computers in my home are going to have NFS and ethernet. What it I want to take a file from my NeXT at home and put it on the NeXT at school. I live in a dorm room without phone lines. I would find a floppy drive very useful. He could have put one in for 1 or $200.00 dollars. --Rob. Robert Silvers. Box #1003 University of Lowell. Lowell Ma, 01854 (617) 452-8823 Rm. 322 "Live free or live in Massachusetts."