From: rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari)
Subject: Re: NeXT vs Mac, Whats the difference?
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1992 20:44:35 GMT

In article <1hfpdvINN30b@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> isbell@cats.ucsc.edu (Art Isbell) writes:
>
>In article <1992Dec25.143325.3711@wam.umd.edu> rsrodger@wam.umd.edu (Yamanari) writes:
>>
>>	Unixware USER + Development :  $500 + $950.  < NeXtStep )$2200
>
>I don't understand why you continue to present NeXT in the most negative light
>you can.  You know (as we've discussed by email) that Unixware's User version
>doesn't include such nice (and necessary to many) features like TCP/IP support
>(i.e., no ethernet) and a couple of other optional packages that will be
>standard with the user version of NS 486.  For those who need these packages,
>the price for the Unixware user version is essentially identical with NS 486.
>Of course, there are some users who might want the stripped down version of
>Unixware for $500.


	The UnixWare server version (full server capability) and
	the development tools come to the same price as the NeXT developer
	version.  My point was, and has been all along, that you can
	get *user versions* for a reasonable price, and server versions
	for machines that need to be servers.  



>And NS 486's announced (but not confirmed to my knowledge) prices are
>comparable to all Intel Unix packages that I've seen on a feature-by-feature
>basis.  What some of these other packages offer are stripped down versions for
>less money, but when you load them up with Motif development support, your at
>the NS 486 developer version price range.



	NS could be a *user* os, not a develpment OS.  A "development
	OS" wont get NeXT anywhere--a user OS would get them in the door
	of a pretty good number of end-user machines.  Suppose that
	they get a steady 4% of the new 486 market--that's probably
	greater, in the long run, than they'll get (both financially
	and volume wise) by selling NeXTStep at a price that condemns
	it to "only for programmers" status.  Does anyone really believe
	that--at the prices NeXT is asking--software development is
	going to suddenly jump?  Not a chance!  Software development--
	that is, shrinkwrapped programs, not in house specials--is what 
	NeXT most needs (that and better hardware) and they're pricing
	themselves out of the picture.

	As for a developer platform, Lotus thought so too.  At least they
	did.  What's the latest version of Improv, anyway?  

	<sarcasm, there.  The latest version is in beta for Windows>




>Of course, all Intel Unix vendors might need to adjust their prices if the see
>Windows NT as a real competitor.



	Anyone who doesn't see NT as at least a"competitor" already is
	out of their minds.  Even if Nt is a bug ridden piece o' junk
	for the next two years, it will probably sell better than any
	of the Intel unixes.  (probably better than all combined).
	It's only a matter of time (years, if the beta is any real
	means to judge) before NT becomes sturdy and stable--and interface
	alone is not a strong enough factor to justify a product two
	or three times the cost with, perhaps, 1/10th [or less] 
	the amount of native software.


>>	2.  The compatibility also hasn't been determined.  It probably
>>	wont be as good as OS/2, which most people find "sufficient" or
>>	"adequate"
>
>Upon what do you base this?  Sounds like more of your NeXT negativism to me.


	Sounds pretty fair.  "has not yet been determined" is about
	as accurate as you can get, and as to the comparison with
	OS/2--unless NeXT is willing to risk system integrity, they'll
	have to rule out a number of drivers and programs that take
	over the 486.  This is NT's problem as well (OS/2 does a better
	job, but trades stability for it--and I *still* have a number
	of programs that can't run under that, either.)



-- 
       "If you can't eat sand, why the hell are you living in a desert?"

     Equality is a delusion, suffering is a fairy tale and God is a fantasy.
       Blaming society for inequality is like blaming the sky for rain.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.advocacy