Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!osborn
From: osborn@ut-emx.UUCP (John H. Osborn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Some Random NeXT Thoughts
Keywords: NeXT Speculation Cost Future Marketing
Message-ID: <12017@ut-emx.UUCP>
Date: 14 Apr 89 05:52:00 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
Lines: 58

Here are some random, disjointed thoughts that occur to me after spending
several months reading comp.sys.next and assorted magazine and newspaper
articles, plus talking with some people.  I'd like to find out if I'm
totally wrong on them, or if I raise a good point or two.

People keep throwing around the $6000 to $6500 price.  According to the
price list available from my university's computer store, the price is
more like $7500.  $6000+ for the cube plus $1250 for the display.
Is the $6500 price, so often quoted, deliberately misleading, or is
my university (U-Texas at Austin) adding on to the base price for
additional profit?

I read that NeXTStep programs can be run, windows and all, from remote
users.  (This is the -host option we've been kicking around.)
I like the idea of several people in an office using one NeXT via
remote, NeXTStep terminals.  This could certainly be one lower cost
alternative to buying a cube for each user.

Is there a way to share a NeXT printer among several machines on a network?
Obviously, sending the raster image through ethernet would be too slow,
but how about sending the postscript description to the cube driving the
printer and having the raster image be generated there?
(I wouldn't want to be the poor user on this cube, having all this stuff
done in the background.....slowly.)

Speaking of printers, I am seriously considering buying a NeXT, and would
like to have the laser printer, but $2000 is an awfully large amount of
money for a college student such as myself.  I wish there was a cheaper
alternative.  I could see NeXT working with HP to develop a model of the
HP DeskJet to work with the Cube.  As an ink-jet printer, the cost would
be much lower.  (I believe they list from HP for $995.)  And at 300dpi,
the resolution is certainly comparable to the current laser printer.

How nice is the support for other postscript printers?  I've heard the
capability mentioned, but it has rarely been discussed here.

The NeXT is a really nice machine, but the idea of spending $10,000 or so
for a usable system (Cube,Display,330drive,Printer) really scares me.
A former employer has a museum piece:  A $10,000 Apple Lisa.
The simularities are creepy.  I feel like buying a NeXT right now is
betting all that money that the machine is going to catch on.
I might just be crazy enough to do it, but it sure makes me nervous.
What is NeXT doing to calm me, and all the other nervous buyers out
there?

If I may speak for some of the lurking, unposting masses, thanks go
to Ali Ozer and the other NeXT folks who take the time to read,
and answer questions to the net.  I find it amazing that NeXT doesn't
get news feed, but these people are certainly doing their share in
making up for it.

Disclaimer:  The University of Texas at Austin, nor the Computation
Center thereof have not the slightest responsibility for any
creative, witty, intellegent thing I happen to post or mail.
UT doesn't care that I have an opinion, much less share it with me.

-John H. Osborn
(osborn@emx.utexas.edu --- Computation Center for Univ. of Texas at Austin)