Xref: utzoo comp.sys.mac:44282 comp.sys.next:4353 Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!think!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!ziploc!eps From: eps@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.next Subject: Re: What do I want to see in the Apple of the 90's? Message-ID: <191@toaster.SFSU.EDU> Date: 15 Dec 89 06:17:59 GMT References: <9986@zodiac.ADS.COM> <192@atncpc.UUCP> <1630@intercon.com> <7614@sdcsvax.UCSD.Edu> Reply-To: cs@toaster.SFSU.EDU (Eric P. Scott) Followup-To: comp.sys.next Organization: San Francisco State University Lines: 43 C'mon, Mac IIs are great... AS TERMINALS. I'm using one right now to access a NeXT using NCSA Telnet. I can throw up lots of windows, display graphics, loads o' fun. All it took was an added-price Ethernet card (since that's not standard equipment as it is on the NeXT). It even runs under MultiFinder, but I can't run TN3270 at the same time because I don't have MacTCP--decent TCP/IP isn't included with the Mac like it is on the NeXT. Ok, I could use A/UX, but that's even more expensive, and for the most part doesn't have software that makes use of the graphics (or the mouse!). Of course, this Mac II, and all its siblings are already paid for. Why are they here? Well, someone decided that they would be good for document processing. The LaserWriters come with 35 built-in fonts. Even the "clone" PostScript printers come with 35 built-in fonts. The NeXT even has the width tables for these already supplied. The NeXT has this great marketing philosophy-- all the things people NEED are in EVERY cube--Ethernet, TCP/IP, real multitasking, 35 fonts... WAIT--the fonts are MISSING!!! There are only FIVE usable fonts--the four "Blue Book" fonts and Ohlfs. The nifty Display PostScript and NeXT 400 dpi Laser Printer are USELESS for what I need, because all the other places that produce documents ASSUME that those 35 fonts are universally available. An amazing lapse on NeXT's part not to include all the outline fonts. Are we supposed to buy those from Adobe? They can't be that penny-pinching, there are hundreds of fonts in the Adobe catalog, and they'll make big bucks off all the serious publishing users. I'm just looking for MINIMAL DTP capability. Suppose the basic NeXT offering improves to cover the current deficiences that are forcing us to use Macintoshes. What should we do with the Macs then? How about a NextStep windowserver for the Mac II??? (We already have X-Windows!) The M0115 keyboard is almost identical, there's a mouse, a color display that can be put in 4-level gray mode. This would make the NeXTs we have that much more accessible--and acceptable--and convince the powers- that-be to loosen up on their pursestrings to allow us to buy lots more. They don't question Macintosh purchases, but we have to "justify" NeXTs. If cost alone were the criterion, the NeXT would have no trouble... -=EPS=-