From: andrew@cubetech.com
Subject: Re: specifically comparing NeXT with Mac...
Organization: Cube Technologies, Inc.
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 20:21:14 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.025701.12333@pellns.alleg.edu> smytonj@pell4l24 (James Smyton) writes:
>I use the NeXT here at Allegheny College and have a Macintosh IIcx in my  
>room.  First, I have not seen a word processor as good as MS Word 5.1 for  
>the Mac on any of the NeXT machines.  The best I have seen for the NeXT is  
>Word Perfect 1.0.1.  This program does not give the user the versatility  
>of Word 5.

Gosh, you've got Edit (much better than you think), WriteNow (3.0 is
almost out and it's going to be pretty good, FrameMaker, WordPerfect
of course, and PasteUp.  Pages will be out in the near future too.
What exactly is it with Word 5 that you want to do that you absolutely
cannot do on the NeXT?

>It does not have a draw program, for simple illustrations,

Create
Appsoft Draw
Illustrator
Virtuoso

>the number of text editing tools does not compare.

Edit, emacs, and vi.  Those all come for free.  What is it that you
want to do as far as text editing that you cannot do with Edit or
emacs (there isn't anything you can't do with emacs...).

>My previous point was  
>that I am not looking for more than one word processor, but I am looking  
>for a selection.

If there was only one word-processor on the Mac, and it was Word 5
(which apparently you are fond of), would it make a difference that
there is no selection.  The point is that for quite a few people
(including myself and the people I work with), NeXTSTEP is perfect,
even if it doesn't have the same wide selection of crap as Macintosh
has along with the good software.

>Another shortcoming regarding the NeXT is the lack of manufacturers that  
>make any perhiperals.  Laser printers, scanners, modems, _monitors_, and  
>alternitave hardware in general.  Again I am not looking to have three  
>modems. I am looking for a choice.

Gee, NeXT computers work with any PostScript laser printer, any modem,
 and any monitor that can handle the resolution and scan rate (almost
all of the larger monitors that you get on Macintosh like RasterOps,
SuperMac, Radius, Ikegami, Sony, Hitachi, etc...).  The only problem
with scanners is that people haven't written the software.  You got me
there.  There are some pretty good cheap scanners that will work on a
NeXT, and some of the better scanners will work as well.

>With regard to the posts regarding prices, how many people need a Quadra  
>950?!?  Why not a IIvx?  NeXT has a very limited hardware line, where  
>Apple's overlaps its own products.  A good Macintosh for the average user  
>should only be around $3000.  Don't flame me saying that everyone needs a  
>040 machine.  Besides on the NeXT Station Turbos over in Quigley Hall(The  
>Econ. department on our campus) the info panel shows that the machine runs  
>at 30mhz.  Apple has 030s that run faster than that! Convincing me to buy  
>a NeXT would be very hard work! 

NeXTSTEP just won't run on an 030 with acceptable performance.
NeXTSTEP is a real operating system and requires a lot more system
resources to do the things that it does.  That's why NeXT only makes
33 mhz 040 machines now.

A NeXT is definitely not the computer for you.

andrew