From: bgrubb@dante.nmsu.edu (GRUBB)
Subject: Re: NeXTstep for PowerPC --- THE ONLY CHOICE
Organization: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 18:40:01 GMT

rawyatt@phakt.usc.edu (Robert Alexander Wyatt) writes:
>NeXT will have these covered before Taligent ships.  They've already got 
>680x0, and are on the verge of having x86s and Pentium.  RISC (like the 
>DG Aviion) are well under way and expected shortly.  At best, Taligent will
>match NeXTs schedule.
Depends on what info you use.  In my Mac & IBM info posting I pointed out that:
"Mac 7.0:  Apple has System 7.0 running off Intel Chips and is looking at 
 making this version available for IBM (ComputerWorld Nov 2/92). {This is a 
 maybe.  It's more likely that this is a testing of Apple OS code on Intel 
 chips for PowerOpen}  DOS programs would probably require an 
 emulator/interpreter to run, al la SoftPC or OS/2.
PowerOpen(AU/X 4.0): Rumor is that this could be the OS for IBM's PowerPC 601 
 due out in early 1993 [Apple's PowerPC 601 is not due out until Jan 1994.]  
 {Supports the theory of Apple planning to be both a hardware and software 
 company.}"
>Rather interesting...Looks like Taligent has a long way to go to catch up!
It is important to remeber that Tailigent is as much a composit OS as it is
a new OS. Taligent will blend System 7.X, Mac 7.0, PowerOpen (A/UX), and
AIX, and OS/2 into a cohesive whole.  So Taligent OS will NOT have a long
way to go; it just has to fit its component parts together.  Being on the
verge of something and having it out are two VERY different things {System 7.0.0
and Window NT come to mind} Fact: Apple NOW has thier OS on intel chips and
is only looking to market the thing.  Fact: The Taligent OS prototype called
PowerOpen is a year AHEAD of sceduale {and is likely being sent with the
NuBus PowerPC cards to Apple "A-level" developers.} Fact: Apple ran system
7.x on the RS/6000 as a demo of PowerOpen/Taligent.  Fact: the PowerPC is
out and the Pentium is now looking at a March reliece date.  Fact: UNIX apps
are a pain to find and are EXPENDSIVE compaired to their DOS, Windows, and Mac
counterparts. Right NOW BOTH the NeXT and the usefulness of UNIX are very 
limited and are like the Mac was between 1984-1987.  Until UNIX becomes the
OS of most machines, John Q. Public is going to look at the issue "Can I
get software for my machine at the store?"  In order store software avalbilty
follows this pattern: DOS{always}, Amiga{most of the time}, Windows{Maybe},
Mac{somewhat rare if avalable}, UNIX{never}. Sad to say it is not power
that drives the general consumer but how the computer is marketed.
The AppleII was the FIRST mass marketed pc, but IBM captured the market
with larger production, open architecture{everybody could clone the
machine}, and their rep of being THE computer company. The Amiga relized it
could not compete with IBM and so went into a 'nitch' market.  
Apple carved out an expanding nitch with the GUI idea of the Mac which 
resulted in Windoze 1.0 and latter Windows 3.1 for IBMs.
The NeXT may be a better computer then the Mac or IBM BUT the conbination
of the two companies will drive the NeXT, like the Amiga, into a very small
nitch market. {IBM brings the computer rep and the salespeople, Apple 
brings the idea of a controled machine enviromant and OS development
experience.} We have seen the world of computers and ugh! what a mess.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.advocacy