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From: pchris@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU (Chris Perleberg)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,alt.next
Subject: The NeXT Problem
Message-ID: <26435@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 14 Oct 88 18:54:56 GMT
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: pchris@ucbarpa.Berkeley.EDU (Chris Perleberg)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 64


It seems that the NeXT machine may have a few problems:

1) Outdated Processor Technology: NeXT just missed the wave of fast RISC 
   processors.  The 5 MIPS 68030 is completely out performed by the currently
   available RISC chips (Motorola, MIPS, Sparc) that run at approximately
   20 VAX (they claim) MIPS.  In a year or two, ECL versions of some of these
   RISC chips will be running at 40 to 50 MIPS.

2) Non-Standard NuBus Implementation: A small company like NeXT can't hope to
   create a competitive 3rd party board market for a non-standard bus.

3) Non-Standard Software: What software company would develop software for
   the special features of just one computer (NeXT Step)?  How many copies of 
   this software can they possibly sell?

4) Slow Optical Drive: In the past, optical drives have been significantly
   slower (seek times) than magnetic drives.  What is the advantage of the
   optical drive?  Cost must be less than that of the larger 330Mbyte $2K
   magnetic drive.  But NeXT will be hurt once benchmarks come out for its
   i/o performance (using the optical drive).

5) Software Not Ready: The 9 month delay (optimistically) until solid software
   exists could kill NeXT, as Sun & Apple prepare competitive systems.  Sun
   will probably keep to open systems and set some new standards, while Apple
   will probably stay proprietary.

6) Sun (I have heard) has sold 15,000 workstations to universitys.  How many
   can NeXT expect to sell with its slow processor, non-standard bus/software, 
   slow drive, and late software?


Solutions to the above problems: What NeXT should do.


1) Develop a RISC based NeXT implementation as soon as possible.  The advantage
   of Unix (Mach) is its idea of source level portability, rather than binary 
   level compatibility.

2) Make "stub" boards that convert standard NuBus boards to the NeXT version of
   NuBus.  These "stubs" would be placed between the NeXT slots and the
   standard NuBus boards.  Longer Term Goal: Make the NeXT NuBus an
   international standard, much as Apple made its version of NuBus a standard.
   Possible Solution: Change the bus NOW to a standard, provide board
   converters for computers with the current bus.

3) Make NeXT proprietary software into standards, and beat Sun at its own game
   before Sun beats NeXT.  This may mean making NeXT Step an overlay on X
   windows.  The important thing is to develop a standard that can be (and is)
   used by all computers.

4) Give users the option of scrapping the optical drive and replacing it with
   the 330 Mbyte winchester.

5) Work like hell.  Adopt standard software where ever possible.  Distribute
   work to 3rd parties.  Standardize where ever possible to beat Sun at its
   own game and to make the users happy.  Allow Apple to be proprietary and
   dig its own grave.

6) Standardize and Speed-Up -> Increase sales.


		Chris  Perleberg
		pchris@ucbarpa.berkeley.edu