Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!uw-june!hood
From: hood@cs.washington.edu (Rick Hood)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: NEXT and the 68040?
Message-ID: <11036@june.cs.washington.edu>
Date: 9 Mar 90 18:19:51 GMT
References: <7910@tank.uchicago.edu> <8255@mentor.cc.purdue.edu>
Distribution: usa
Organization: U of Washington, Computer Science, Seattle
Lines: 44
In-reply-to: gerrit@nova.cc.purdue.edu's message of 9 Mar 90 01:48:06 GMT

>>>>> On 9 Mar 90 01:48:06 GMT, gerrit@nova.cc.purdue.edu (Gerrit) said:

Gerrit> In article <7910@tank.uchicago.edu>
Gerrit> phd_jacquier@gsbacd.uchicago.edu writes:
>
>This does not augur well of the commitment of NEXT to put out a version
>of the Next with the 68040 any time soon. Does anybody know what is
>going on behind the scene?

Gerrit> My sources say that NeXT is definitely working with the 68040.
Gerrit> If you have more specific questions about the directions of
Gerrit> NeXT, talk with your local NeXT rep.  All of the NeXT reps I've
Gerrit> dealt with know what is going on and are willing to discuss
Gerrit> directions and products in at least some detail.

Gerrit> I personally think that they are holding off on announcing
Gerrit> release dates until they are positive that they will be able to
Gerrit> make the new product available on that date.  For those who
Gerrit> haven't talked to your NeXT reps lately, though, go ask them
Gerrit> what NeXT expects to have available in the NeXT nine months or
Gerrit> so, especially if you are worried that they aren't competing
Gerrit> with some of the newly introduced or soon to be introduced
Gerrit> machines.  Then add up the whole picture and see how it relates
Gerrit> to you.

Gerrit> gerrit

Last week I attended a two day workshop on the IB wherein our regional
sales manager responded to a question about an 040 machine.  Basically,
he said that even if NeXT was working on such a machine, one shouldn't
look for it anytime soon.  Those are pretty close to his exact words.

Recent press reports have estimated that NeXT's sales have been less
that spectacular.  I would guess that their dandy factory may have
churned out quite a little inventory by now, and such statements may be
designed to prop up sales (such as they are).  Another comment of
interest was that NeXT intends to build the best box overall, not the
fastest; the best value for the money, not the cheapest.  Still, it's
clear they recognize that price is important.  Given the agressive
pricing of IBM's latest entries I would imagine 030 cubes will come down
in price when 040's are available.  All the more reason to discourage
folks from waiting for the 040's debut.

What are others hearing out there?