From: mrothste@keiko.acs.calpoly.edu (Rothstein)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: Re: Business Week article (NeXT to dump hardware)
Date: 28 Jan 93 19:29:19 GMT
Reply-To: mrothste@data.acs.calpoly.edu
Organization: Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo

In article <C1I5xq.BGB@utstat.toronto.edu> philip@utstat.toronto.edu (Rob  
Tibshirani) writes:
> In article <1k4udc$1cb@agate.berkeley.edu> izumi@pinoko.berkeley.edu  
writes:
> 
> [ ]
> >
> >But then, at least in the NS486 market, it should be pretty easy for
> >a small clone maker to preload NS486 to their clone with tested
> >video cards, ethernet cards and hard disks.  And guarantee that things
> >work.  Loading NS486 to existing clones would be problematic, but
> >no one on the selling side is interested in that -- loads of troubles
> >and little money to be made.
> 
> Why on earth will users flock to NS486 when they have yet to leave DOS?  
There
> are so many OS's on the PC that it's getting confusing at this point. In  
any
> case, NS486 is hardly going to make a dent in sales and users of DOS,  
Windows,
> OS/2.
> >
> >I would bet that NS486 would definitely eat into NeXT's hardware sales
> >because there are enough dealers that bend over backword to  
differentiate
> >themselves from the rest.  Even with $600 price the dealers might
> >pay for NS486, they can slap together a 66MHz 486 machine that is
> >competitive with NeXT hardware, and preload NS486, with satisfaction
> >guaranteed or money back.
> >Recent prices of local bus 486 machines are amazing.
> >And NS486 will sell the top of the line machines for them.
> 
> Why would NS486 sell the top of the line machines? There are already  
OS's out
> there for these machines that have a whole lot of applications now.
>  
> I'm not saying that NS486 will fail. It will sell as a niche product.  
However,
> it would be foolish for NeXT to give up making hardware and to become a
> software vendor. That would really be the final straw.
>  
> There's no reason to stop making NeXT hardware. 
>  
> Incidentally, which local bus are you referring to? I was under the  
impression
> that there was no standard set. 
>  
> Philip McDunnough
> philip@utstat.toronto.edu

My thoughts weren't so much on inital compatibility as most companies that  
use NS 486 will buy from someone who preloads it.  My thoughts were more  
toward the inevitable problems that occur in a companies computer systems.   
E.x. They start seeing wierd image son the screen.  They then have to  
determine if the videocard, monitor, motherboard, software or os are at  
fault.  That is alot of people to call about one problem.

As far as their being several OS's on PCs, yes there are.  Many (most?) of  
them are still using DOS, but the recent trend is for companies to finally  
move to Windows.  Instead they could go to NS 486 and get more ease of use  
and power all in one move.  Also some companies will be comming down.   
Either they will be down sizing fomr mainframes or replacing old  
workstations with new NeXTstations.

No NeXT shouldn't get out of the hardware business but they shouldn't hold  
back on writing as many ports of NS as possible.

--
-Mont

   NeXTmail OK :-)
   President CP-NUG (Cal Poly NeXT User Group, SLO)
   mrothste@data.acs.calpoly.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc