From: flynn@gecko.eecs.wsu.edu (Patrick J. Flynn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: Re: More on ND compression (followup survey)
Date: 12 Apr 92 17:46:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: serval.1992Apr12.174601.6900
Reply-To: flynn@eecs.wsu.edu (Patrick J. Flynn)
Organization: Washington State University

In article <1992Apr11.220231.10261@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>  
smb3u@kiptron.psyc.virginia.edu (Steven M. Boker) writes:
> In article <1992Apr11.170249.9411@cs.mcgill.ca> samurai@uriel.cs.mcgill.ca  
(Darcy Brockbank) writes:
> >
> >
> >"It would be very useful to know why people need compression in terms of
> >application. It would also be useful to know what kind of resolutions and  
what 
> >kind of compression ratios are desired again related to the application."
> >
> 
> [ Steve sez 120/1 compression would be nice. 60/1 would barely work. ]
> 
> People have worked these numbers out many times before.  In fact I've
> heard them from NeXT people when the dimension was first announced.
> I thought that this was what we were promised when we placed our order
> for the Dimension card in the first place.  Is there some sort of
> collective amnesia happening here?

\begin{concurring-flame}
Hear, hear! I bought an ND with the understanding that the C-cube disaster
was merely a temporary setback, and that NeXT would eventually deliver what
the original literature specified.  I was also given to believe that the
eventual `compression daughterboard' would be FREE (yes, FREE) to ALL ND  
buyers.

Here are a few of the rumors I've heard regarding the future of the ND:
1. Daughterboard is ready, but NeXT doesn't think it would be profitable,
   so they won't make any.
2. Daughterboard doesn't exist, and NeXT has no plans to make one.  They
   are pinning all their hopes on compression boards for a '486 platform.
3. Daughterboard exists and is ready to ship, but software isn't ready for
   it.

To add a little more gasoline to the fire, I'll toss out some potential
actions and my potential reactions:

1. NeXT delivers more than the original marketing literature specified.
   I am a very happy camper.  I buy a bunch o' NDs and stick 'em in my
   computer vision/image processing research laboratory.

2. NeXT delivers exactly what they promised at the ND roll-out.  I am a
   contented soul.

3. NeXT delivers SOME kinda hardware compression, but with numbers not as
   good as the marketing numbers said.  I grumble a little.

4. NeXT decides the ND is an albatross and rolls its functionality into the
   hyperNeXT RISC machine, or into a '486 platform.  There are 2 subcases:
   a. NeXT offers favorable upgrades to the hNeXT or 486 platform, (i.e.,
      Cube + ND is worth more towards an upgrade than Cube alone.)
      I grumble a little (volume and duration proportional to the
      upgrade price).

   b. ND is orphaned, and worth nothing towards an upgrade.  I am very, very
      unhappy.  Does anyone remember the GXP option for the Sun 4/330?  I
      certainly do.

IMHO, I would be happier if NeXT either shipped some kind of hardware  
compression, or announced that the ND was dead, than I am at present with this  
corporate dancing-around that seems to be happening.  I told this to my new  
regional sales manager when he visited two weeks ago.  How many times does it  
have to be said?

SHIP WHAT YOU PROMISED, OR TELL US WHY YOU WON'T!   EITHER ONE OF THESE
WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO CONTINUED INDECISION.

\end{concurring-flame}

--
Simple Simon met a pieman, selling poisoned pies.                  | flynn@
Said the pieman, `Why not try one?' as he brushed off the flies.   | eecs.wsu.
`Thank you, pieman!' said Simple Simon, and died, to his surprise. | edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc