From: dillon@overload.Berkeley.CA.US (Matthew Dillon)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.advocacy
Subject: Re:	100 Mips Intel NeXT (moved from comp.sys.next.misc)
Distribution: world
Date: 19 Dec 92 11:15:39 PST
Organization: Not an Organization

In article <1992Dec18.145251.1241@yvax.byu.edu> feijai@endor.byu.edu (Sean Luke) writes:
>In article <dillon.0t0c@overload.Berkeley.CA.US>  writes:
>
>>    The only thing that's happenning on the bus, in fact, is I/O, and
>>    considering the fact that the NeXT is generally memory-bound I/O is
>not
>>    really a problem.
>
>
>This is not true.  NeXT's system is *extremely* I/O-intensive.  This is
>exactly why the PC's old I/O subsystem (namely, graphics) is proving such
>a problem for NS/486, and why NeXT demands Localbus for color.

    It's video-intensive, but not non-video I/O intensive.  The only thing
    on the I/O bus, essentially, is the ethernet and the SCSI.	That's
    it... serial is almost nothing, sound is almost nothing, floppy is
    almost nothing, DSP depends but since the DSP is not necessary for
    normal operation of the machine I don't count it.  keyboard is nothing,
    mouse is nothing.  Hell, my Amiga uses more bandwidth!

    NeXT likes to boast about it's DMA channels and all but in simple fact
    it's quite a meaningless figure.

>>    I am not debating how slow the display is, that isn't the point...
>the
>>    point is, it is "fast enough" for most consumers and most business.
>
>This reminds me of the PC users who said a text screen was "enough" for
>most consumers and businesses, when the Mac first came out.

    That's a different point alltogether.  If you had $10K and had the
    choice of buying a decked out $30K machine (with a loan) or buying
    a somewhat less capable $10K machine what would you choose?

    It is exactly that choice that NeXT is trying to make for the consumer,
    rather then give the consumer the choice, and it's a humungo mistake.

>>    Most consumers will not care about networking, therefore ethernet is
>>    optional.  Besides, ethernet cards are about $100 for the PC
>(presuming
>>    NeXT had drivers for them)
>
>Believe me, NeXT does.  My prediction:  people who do not need networking
>will not buy NS/486.  NeXTSTEP and UNIX really shines on the network.
>Standalone NeXT machines are less...glamorous.

    My prediction:  Of the many, many networking cards out there the NeXT
    is going to support one or two of them and that's it... probably the
    more expensive cards at that. They will then do a marketting blitz
    that fails to mention that one little fact.  They *might* support
    additional cards in the future (read, 1 year + after release).  I base
    this prediction on the fact that the most important compatibility
    aspect -- windows compatibility, is not slated until Q3 next year and
    rarely mentioned by NeXT at that.  Unless they are insane, NeXT isn't
    going to throw resources at the relatively small-minded problem of
    essoteric device drivers until that is well on the way.

    Now, I'm not blaming NeXT for that... I don't care a whit about the
    number of different ethernet cards they support.  I do care quite a bit
    about the number of different display options they support... and the
    fact that NeXT seems to be restricting it's efforts in that field does
    not bode well.

>[concerning the PC]
>
>>    That system is plenty usable as is... perhaps you or I would expand
>the
>>    system, but it's fine for joe average consumer and joe average
>business
>
>But that's the whole point.  Joe average consumer/business will not buy
>NS/486.  Why should they need it?  They can run WP just fine.
>
>NeXTSTEP is very nice, but it's only useful to people who need it (just
>like everything).  You seem to have this idea that NS/486 is aimed at the
>SoundBlaster crowd, and your arguments, examples, and suggestions show
>this.

    If joe average consumer is buying a 486 then he is as likely to
    purchase NS/486 as is to use Windows (which probably comes installed on
    the machine).

    If NeXTStep is only useful to 'special' people then NeXT has already
    lost.  I don't know where you got the idea that I might think NS/486 is
    aimed at one particular crowd, my whole point is that NS486 must be
    aimed at EVERYONE.	If anything, the restrictions on NS486 make that
    impossible.

					    -Matt

>--
>
>Sean Luke
>Brigham Young University		    MILK:  It Comes From Cows
>sean@digaudio.byu.edu
>NeXTmail and nifty Mac stuff welcome

--

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