From: jeffo@uiuc.edu (J.B. Nicholson-Owens)
Subject: Re:  Dropping bundled applications (was: Re: 3.0 and WriteNow) (long)
Reply-To: jeffo@uiuc.edu (J.B. Nicholson-Owens)
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 4 Oct 1992 20:38:53 GMT

felix.lugo writes
> 	In functional terms, 3.0 got bigger due to all of the above
> "features".

I think that it did get bigger if you're into programming, but in terms of  
things that I can use out-of-the-box (e.g., I buy a new NeXT, open it up, hook  
it up, plug it in and turn it on) are definately smaller.  NeXT has incredible  
potential, but potential is nothing unless you are a developer.

Things that contribute to this are:

* Sure there's Renderman and the Rendering stuff, but the only app that I can  
use with this is that crappy Previewer.  I've been able to cause instant logout  
using the Teapot BackSpace view very easily and repeatably.  Simply set the  
teapot to it's highest quality output and set the CPU usage (whatever it's  
called) to 0 (minimum) and background.  Make it so it auto-launches on login  
and then logout and log back in.  When I do this, the machine spins and whirs  
for a while (even drawing the big backgrund teapot image above all other data  
on the screen then jumping to the background) then I get kicked back to the  
NeXT login prompt.  I know of no workaround except to not use the Teapot  
module.  A 3.1 fix would be nice, but not something I'd concentrate efforts on;  
there are much bigger bugs to fix.

* Sure there's AppleTalk, yet from what I'm hearing on the net, it's buggy and  
slow.  People with no technical knowledge are not able to turn it on and watch  
it "just work".  EPS had a very informative post on this issue.  Something  
fixable in 3.1 would be to fix the problems previously addressed.

* Sure there's Pantone colors, but I fail to see how that is worth mentioning  
if you're not given nice paint program to use with them.  IconBuilder is hardly  
the place to build beautiful icons.  I understand that NeXT went for stability  
rather than functionality on this issue, and they got that, however it leaves a  
lot more to be desired (as does this whole idea of NeXT's to not step on  
third-party developers potential apps).  Some snazzy modules for IconBuilder  
would be a good thing for 3.1.  But since that would be adding functionality  
instead of just fixing bugs, I suspect that NeXT is waiting for other  
developers to pick up on this one.

* With no WriteNow!, there's NO word processing that comes with the NeXT out of  
the box.  I don't consider Edit for this purpose, because you can't do things  
that people *must have* like page numbering, and headers and footers.  This is  
a major blow to NeXT because a lot of people might love the NeXTSTEP GUI, and  
all that it offers, but with no immediately useable apps, there's no way to get  
the stuff done that needs to get done; the stuff that formed the reason behind  
getting a computer....any computer.  In fact if I weren't so much a NeXTSTEP  
fan and into heavy use of desktop publishing (which is how I would start  
summarizing most computer consumers), this would be enough to make me buy a Mac  
or an IBM -- something which I can go to a local software store, plunk down  
some cash and get a very nice word processor.  I would never consider buying a  
NeXT just to run a Mac or IBM emulator so I could have access to Microsoft  
Word.

I understand that this situation with WriteNow! has been this way for a long  
time, but that doesn't excuse it's existence.  The Read-Only WN! could be  
bundled with 3.1 just so people could read the NeXT-provided WN! format  
documentation supplied with 3.0.

* The built-in spell checker (a major function of most computers in use today)  
is broken in 3.0.  If you try to save (or "Learn") words, they aren't saved  
anywhere and are, consequently, "Forgotten" next time you log in.  A  
greatly-anticipated 3.1 fix.

* The ads talk about supporting 7 languages. In reality, the languages  
supported are English, English, English, English, English, English, and a  
smattering of 6 other languages in windows and menu buttons.  Certainly not  
enough localization to warrant advertising 7-language localization.  This is  
something that could easily be fixed in 3.1, though.

* NeXT talks heavily about being able to easily share data with co-workers via  
remote objects and all that yet you can only link graphics.  It would be nice  
to be able to link something other than graphics.  For instance, I tried  
opening two windows in Edit and linking data from one to the other via "Paste  
and Link".  The data was text and it put up a panel that said "No linked  
graphics found." and sure enough, the text wasn't linked either.  Even though  
only graphics can be linked, I suppose NeXT is letting the third-party  
devlopers pick up the slack on this one, but since the Link source is  
proprietary, perhaps a 3.1 Link extension is in store?  It would be a real  
shame to let this go.  It's so much easier to understand just from reading the  
literature than the Mac's Publish and Subscribe.

* Some software is priced too high for what it offers.  NeXTConnection wants  
$200 for WriteNow!.  Prices on software is another factor to consider in NeXT's  
long-term future.  If NeXT is to become a machine used by professionals and  
college-level users alike, software prices might scare away potential users.   
3.1 can't fix this entirely (making Edit do page numbers and headers/footers  
would at least give us a survival-level word processor), but increasing the  
number of developers could help.  This gets into the big messy problem of  
economics which I don't want to talk about here, but $200 for WriteNow! from  
NeXTConnection is a little too steep considering what WriteNow! needs.

* Cube and B&W slab owners are out in the cold for color.  NeXTdimension boards  
are an out and out ripoff even at current used prices ($4k? No way. It's worth  
about $1500 tops) and NeXT isn't doing anything to change that.  There's no  
alternative to selling what you have and purchasing something else.  That's no  
upgrade.  Lowering the price on the ND board, creating a fairly-priced (aka,  
under $1,000) board that has just NeXTstation color-quality output would be  
fine.

The long of the short of it is that with the combined forces described above,  
there's no way the NeXT is going to make big sales in general consumer levels  
any time soon.  I also think that at the current cost in getting involved with  
NeXT, increasing numbers of people who bought NeXT computers educationally will  
be dropping out to other platforms unless NeXT does something.  With NeXT's  
tiny user base (and the lack of ability to recoup investments because of it)  
nobody will get rich developing for the NeXT.  Hopefully, someday, this will  
change.

> 	Personally, I'm glad NeXT decided to drop WriteNow and move their
> efforts to providing things like PSII and application links.

I don't think any considerable effort was expended by bundling WN! as a  
read-only application.  However, I too like Postscript Level II and application  
links, but some  apps using the latter would be nice too.  As I hear people on  
the net describe NeXT's advantages, I get the feeling that NeXT machines (like  
UNIX) are developer-only to a great degree.

> Now, if they
> would only push their development staff to FIX all the problems that still
> exist (and have existed for quite some time, like the Librarian)!?

I agree with this.  3.1 perhaps.  I think it would be unfair for NeXT to charge  
anything for 3.1 but the cost of the distribution media and shipping.  After  
all, the bugs are theirs.
-- 
-- Jeff (jeffo@uiuc.edu)
-- NeXTmail ok
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc