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From: 6600pete@hub.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: What do I want to see in the Apple of the 90's?
Message-ID: <3336@hub.UUCP>
Date: 16 Dec 89 10:53:17 GMT
References: <7619@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu>
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From article <7619@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu>, by fellman@celece.ucsd.edu (Ronald Fellman):
> Why should anyones' own machine have to carry around extra baggage
> that they won't use, whatever their origin.

They shouldn't. Do you really think extra routines in ROM is significant
"baggage"? The resource manager doesn't "weigh" anything.

> They will want to have a manual in their own language also I presume,
> thus it is desirable to have seperate versions of a program.

Haven't you heard the rhetoric about Mac users not needing manuals? Most of
it is true. The part you do need a manual for you ask a human being about.
Screw the manual. Word needs a manual; it's not a Mac program.

> I have found that very few applications can really make good enough use
> of color to justify its high cost.

But that's not the point. The point is not that Mac has color and NeXT doesn't,
the point is that NeXT can't point to vaporware and say it's anything but
vaporware. I HATE color. It distracts me, it gets in my way, and by its very
nature takes longer to draw. I always turn it off.

> How many different types of drawing programs or word precessors do you
> need?

As many as it takes to satisfy a diverse marketplace.

> What are some applications areas that you use the Mac for that you
> can't do with the programs that I listed?

Preference always affects efficiency. Once a higher up was smitten by WriteNow
and sent out an edict that everyone learn it immediately. There was widespread
rebellion because WriteNow doesn't do all the things that Word does, and our
department was full of computer geeks who could deal with Word's nonsense
(including me -- I love Word but will always take time to point out that it's
not a Mac application and should probably be taken out and shot.)

> BTY. When I said VERY soon, I meant 2 weeks in most cases to 1 month for
> X-Windows (Jan 15.).

In other words, Real Soon Now. Vaporware is vaporware until it's in the users'
hands.

> Where is a 'hide' button for the finder?

System 7.0.*

> Where is the multitasking...

It's here. It's been here for a while now. Longer than NeXT. Bash the type
of multitasking if you must.

> or the interprocess communication.

System 7.0.*

* OK, this stuff is vaporware. Bash away. But I bet there are more developers
working with advance copies of System 7.0 than there are with release copies
of NeXT/Mach 1.0... :-)

> Also, Interface Builder makes consistancy built-in with predefined print
> menus, edit menus, etc. that already are wired up and work.

As do AppMaker, Prototyper, and hordes of evangelists spouting interface
rhetoric.

> Granted that the [NeXT] feel is a bit slower than a IIci

Ah, but you see, that's all that counts.

> but then it is doing a lot of stuff in the background.

> I generally have five or more applications always running
> (a clock, a performance monitor, mail, nfs, and a calendar program).
> The user feel is still more than acceptable for me.

Run a bunch of apps under MultiFinder and that's basically the effect on the
Mac, too. I sympathize.

> the NeXT, unlike the Mac, can live very comfortably with the DECstation.

I suppose that depends on your idea of comfort.
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