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NeXT-FAQ.general: General FAQ


*** Subject: G0. Where can I find additional questions and answers regarding  
the NeXT computer?

Every NeXT machine owner has access to manuals to a degree.  Network and System
Administration (NSA), for example contains answers to many of the questions
asked to comp.sys.next.  Some of the important man pages are reproduced in the
NSA as appendices. 

User manuals are shipped with every NeXT.  Additional copies available from
NeXT (N6002/N6003/N6014/N6026) $25.

NeXT Technical documentation.  (How to program in the NextStep environment) 
Order from Addison-Wesley (1-800-447-2226)  

0-201-63248-9   NeXTSTEP General Reference CANCELED (split into 2)
0-201-62220     NeXTSTEP General Reference Vol I (date not known)
0-201-62221     NeXTSTEP General Reference Vol II date not known)
0-201-63249-7   NeXTSTEP Development Tools (1 NOV)
0-201-63250-0   NeXTSTEP User Interface Guidelines (1 NOV)
0-201-63251-9   NeXTSTEP OOP and the Objective-C Lng  (1 NOV)
0-201-63252-7   NeXTSTEP Operating System Software (3 OCT)
0-201-63253-5   NeXTSTEP Programming Interface Summary  (1 NOV)
0-201-63254-3   NeXTSTEP Network and System Admin 3 (OCT)

These are packaged ten volumes in two slipcases; the whole stack is 8-1/2
inches high.  They look just like the other documents that come with the
machine, 8.5x11", perfect-bound paperbacks.  

	Operating System Software
	NeXTstep Concepts
	NeXTstep Reference, v. 1
	NeXTstep Reference, v. 2
	Development Tools
	Sound, Music, and Signal Processing: Concepts
	Sound, Music, and Signal Processing: Reference
	Writing Loadable Kernel Servers
	Technical Summaries
	Supplemental Documentation

The "Extended" OS release contains online versions of the "Reference" (but
not "Concepts") chapters.

Get NeXT's Concepts and Tutorial sections electronically from the ftp
archives.  These were not included in the 2.0 distribution but are included in
hardcopy form with the NeXT Technical Documentation.  This is perhaps the
single most important reference for people wishing to develop software for
the NeXT. 

man pages, included with "Extended" release.

BSD unix documentation (MISC, PS1, PS2, SMM, USD). Available from to USENIX
site members.  A lot of this has been  integrated into the NeXT documentation. 
Some of this is sorely missing.  The SMM Unix System Manager's Manual is really
useful!  

	USENIX Association                          
	2560 Ninth Street, Suite 215               
	Berkeley, CA  94710
	USA
	    +1 510 528 8649
	fax +1 510 548 5738
	office@usenix.org

	PS1 = Programmer's Supplementary Documents, Volume 1
	PS2 = Programmer's Supplementary Documents, Volume 2
	SMM = System Manager's Manual
	USD = User's Supplementary Documents

Adobe documentation.  Available machine-readable by e-mail from
ps-file-server@adobe.com.  Hardcopy available from Adobe Developer
Support Line +1 415 961-4111 for a nominal charge.  NeXT last shipped these as
part of the 1.0a release; hardcopies appeared in 0.9 Technical
Documentation, were omitted in 1.0, and have returned in updated form in
_Supplemental Documentation_ of the 2.0 Tech Docs (which is not available
on-line).

Get NextAnswers for Digital Librarian from one of the many ftp sites (see
below) that have NeXT software.  NextAnswers is a series of questions and
answers that the NeXT technical support staff has compiled.  They tend to
clarify issues not covered or poorly covered in the on-line documentation. 
Anyone can send bugs  or suggestions to bug_next@next.com

Get NeXT _Support Bulletin_ from the archives.  It is meant for support
centers. 

Another good source of information is the archives of previously posted notes
from the comp.sys.next.*  newsgroups.  Note that since the split of
comp.sys.next, it is unclear if anyone is maintaining an archive of all the
groups. 

NeXTstep Advantage book is available electronically from the archive
servers:  

	cs.orst.edu:           pub/next/documents/NeXT/
	sonata.cc.purdue.edu:  pub/next/docs/ (still in submissions 
                              directory?)
	etlport.etl.go.jp:     pub/NeXT/documents/NeXTstepAdvantage/

The file name is NeXTstepAdvantage.tar.Z; (its compressed size is 1.3
megabytes; uncompressed, it's 9.5 megabytes).  It is a good introduction to
the NeXT programming environment.

There is a tutorial on how to use IB on the archive servers under the file name
IB_tutorial.ps.Z which is the postscript only file and
IB_tutorial_Source.tar.Z which contains example source code for the
tutorial.  In addition NeXT has released an updated tutorial 

It can not be overly emphasized that getting the on-line documentation from
2.0 extended will help enormously in researching problems with the aid of
digital librarian.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G1. How may I contact NeXT Computer, Inc.?

NeXT Computer, Inc.
900 Chesapeake Drive
Redwood City, CA 94063
Voice: 800-848-NeXT (Redwood City #)
Voice: (415)-366-0900


NeXT marketing div. of Canon - Japan
Phone: 81-44-549-5295
Fax: 81-44-549-5462

NeXT Europe

Stockholm: 46-7-068-8930
Netherlands: 31-20-653-0333
Denmark: 45-45-41-2200
London:  44-81-565-0005
Italy/Milan: 39-2-95302510
Munich: 49-89-996-5310
Paris: (331) 46-45-1414
Japan: 81-44-549-5555

Note: numbers abroad are listed with the country codes first.  You will need to
dial the international access number of your long distance carrier before
proceeding to dialing the country code, area code and phone number. 

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G2. Is there a mail order company that sells NeXT-related  
peripherals? 

	NeXTconnection
	9 Mill Street
	Marlow, NH 03456
	Voice: 1-800-800-NeXT

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G3. Is there a NeXT specific magazine?

Yes.  There are also many NeXT specific newsletters, many of which are
available via ftp from the NeXT specific ftp sites (look in
pub/next/newsletters on cs.orst.edu and pub/next/Newsletters on
sonata.cc.purdue.edu - purdue seems to carry more newsletters on line than
orst.).  Some cost money, others don't. 


Available from purdue:

SCaNeWS - Southern California NeXT Users Group Newsletter, first issue came
out January 1991.  Edited by Mike Mahoney (manhoney@beach.csulb.edu)

BaNG - Bay Area NeXT Users Group, one item on-line on Purdue.  Edited by  Joe
Barello (Joe_Barello@bang.org)

rmNUG NeWS - Rocky Mountain NeXT Users Group Newsletter, latest issue  May 1991
(monthly).  Edited by David Bowdish (73340.2146@compuserve.com).

VNUS Newsletter - Vancouver NeXT Users Group The last issue  was in Nov 91. 
Edited by three people, including the  Chairman of VNUS, Lawrence Clarke
(lclarke@next1.wimsey.bc.ca).

NeXT Users' Journal, latest issue December/January 1990-1.  Edited by Erica
Liebman (erica@kong.gatech.edu).  


Hardcopy:

NeXT on Campus.  NeXT developments in academia.  Call NeXT at 1-800-848-NeXT
for free subscription info.

NeXTworld.  Published quarterly with monthly ad-free newsletters ($23.95).
NeXTWORLD, 501 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 415 978 3182 (phone), 
415 978 3196 (fax) NeXTworld email address: ddinucci@nextworld.com

NeXUS.  Published bi-monthly for $36/year. Contact Alfonso Guerra at
{emory|gatech}!nanovx!nexus. 

What's NeXT?  The Boston Computer Society NeXT User group produces a NeXT
newsletter called "What's NeXT?" edited by Michael Burress 
(pro-angmar!michaelb@alfalfa.com) and Eric Celeste
(efc@athena.mit.edu). The Boston Computer Society,  One Kendall Square,
Cambridge, MA 02139-1562 Phone 617-252-0600, M-F 9:30-5:30  

Nextwatch - published by Skylee Press.  Edited by Arthur Kyle
(ack@skylee.com).  For more information, contact info@skylee.com.

Bulletin - Gotham Users of NeXT, Inc., latest issue May, 1992 (monthly). 
Edited by Robb Allan (Robb_Allan@gun.com)  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G4a. What are the names of some of the ftp sites that have  
NeXT-related files?

There are too many to list them all, so are here are just a few.  

NeXT:

	cs.orst.edu
	nova.cc.purdue.edu
	sonata.cc.purdue.edu
	umd5.umd.edu
	fiasko.rz-berlin.mpg.de / 141.14.140.32
	
MIT GNU:

	aeneas.mit.edu

MIT X:

	export.lcs.mit.edu

music:

	princeton.edu


See NextAnswers for more sitenames.

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G4b. If I am not on the internet, how can I get to the ftp sites  
via email?

cc.purdue.edu is configured as an email archive server.  This means you can
upload and download files via email.  Send mail to:
archive-server@cc.purdue.edu with the subject line help and you will get a
complete description of this service. 

Submissions:

Mail should be sent to archive-server@cc.purdue.edu with the subject of
'submission' (no ticks) if a person is submitting material to the archives. 
They need to include a 1-2 sentence description of the submission, the OS
release the product runs on, and if it is source, binary, newsletter, etc.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G5. What is the claimed performance of the 68040-25 MHz NeXT  
machines?

NeXT advertises the 68040-25MHz machines at 15 MIPS and 2 MFLOPS.
dlakritz@next.com (David Lakritz) posted SPEC results for NeXT on
comp.benchmark  

	Model:  NeXTstation Color
	Hardware: 25 MHz 68040
	4K+4K integrated cache
	16 MB memory
	400 MB internal scsi disk

	Software: NeXTstep 2.1 OS
	default tuning parameters
	multiuser, normal background load
	no source code changes to benchmarks
	compilers: 
		GNU C 1.36
		Absoft FORTRAN 77 3.1
		Greenhills Fortran-68000 1.8.5 (Grh)

Benchmark       Time       SPECratio    Compiler Flags  
 
001.gcc         96.2            15.41   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
008.espresso    214.5           10.56   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
013.spice2g6    2497.7          9.59    Absoft   -f -O
015.doduc       235.9           7.90    Absoft   -f -O -N1 -h4 -H4
020.nasa7       1709.7          11.75   Absoft   -f -O
022.li          408.4           15.20   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
023.eqntott     113.5           9.70    GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
030.matrix300   426.1           10.62   Grh      -f -OLMA   
042.fpppp       274.1           11.08   Absoft   -f -O -Z   
047.tomcatv     281.8           9.40    Grh      -f -OLMA

SPECint 12.45
SPECfp 9.97			
SPECmark 10.90

	Model: NeXTstation
	Hardware: 25 MHz 68040
	4K+4K integrated cache
	16 MB memory
	330 MB internal scsi disk
 
	Software: NeXTstep 2.1 OS
	default tuning parameters
	multiuser, normal background load
	no source code changes to benchmarks
	compilers:
		GNU C 1.36
		Absoft FORTRAN 77 3.1
		Greenhills Fortran-68000 1.8.5 (Grh)

Benchmark       Time       SPECratio    Compiler   Flags  

001.gcc         103.6           14.31   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
008.espresso    222.8           10.17   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
013.spice2g6    2706.6          8.85    Absoft   -f -O
015.doduc       252.2           7.39    Absoft   -f -O -N1 -h4 -H4
020.nasa7       1875.6          10.71   Absoft   -f -O
022.li          425.3           14.59   GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
023.eqntott     116.5           9.45    GNU      -O -fomit-frame-pointer
030.matrix300 464.3             9.75    Grh      -f -OLMA   
042.fpppp       309.9           9.80    Absoft   -f -O -Z   
047.tomcatv     297.4           8.91    Grh      -f -OLMA
 
SPECint 11.90
SPECfp  9.17			
SPECmark 10.18

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G6. What are some good references on Objective C?

Objective-C and other useful Object-oriented programming references:

Budd, Timothy, _An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming_
(Addison-Wesley) [It discusses Smalltalk, Object Pascal, C++ _and_
Objective-C]

Cox, Brad J., _Object Oriented Programming: An Evolutionary Approach_ ISBN
0-201-10393-1. (Addison-Wesley) [Note: 2nd edition - ISBN# is
0-201-54834-8 and has coauthor A.J. Novobilski]

Huizenga, Gerrit, "Slides from a short course on Objective-C" available via
anonymous ftp from sonata.cc.purdue.edu in pub/next/docs/ObjC.frame.Z,
ObjC.ps.Z, or OldObjC.wn.tar.Z   

Meyer, Bertrand, _Object-Oriented Software Construction_
(Prentice-Hall).  

NeXT Technical Documentation

Pinson and Weiner, _Objective-C:  Object-Oriented Programming Techniques_
(Addison-Wesley).  350 pages, ISBN 0 201 50828 1, paperback.

User Reference Manual for Objective-C which is available from Stepstone
Corporation. (203)426-1875.  Note: There are some differences between
Stepstone's Objective-C and NeXT's.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G7. How much does the NeXT cost?

A retail price list may be obtained by contacting NeXT at the number or address
mentioned in a previous question.  Educational prices vary depending upon the
university.  The typical educational discount is between twenty and thirty
percent; NeXT offers registered developers about the same discount.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G8. Where can I buy a NeXT?

From NeXT, Computer Attic (three locations in southern San Francisco Bay
Area), Abacus Inc (San Francisco), Random Access (Denver), Essex Computers
(N.J.), Farnsworth Computer Centers (Chicago Suburbs), and Advantage
Computers has three locations in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Victoria (British
Columbia). Also possibly from your university if you are a student, faculty or
staff.  if your university does not offer the NeXT, you may be able to buy from  
a
"hub" university if the hub program is available in your state (contact NeXT
for more info). Cambridge Electronics is now selling NeXT systems.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G9. How do i become a NeRD?  What does it cost?  What is involved?   
Who do i contact if i am interested? 

NeRD - NeXT Registered Developer

Call the 800 number to get a registration form, fill it out and send it back to
NeXT.

You may register to go to a 5 day developer's camp either in Redwood City, CA,
Chicago, IL, Westport, CT, and Toronto, Canada.  Cost is $1,500  They will  
teach
you the essential information needed for developing applications on the
NeXT.  Often reported as an informative and enjoyable experience. 

Attendance at Developer Camp is no longer a prerequisite for receiving
technical support.

On the other hand, technical support for developers is no longer free. 

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G10. How do I start an official NeXT User Group?

To start a NeXT group, just send email to "user_groups@next.com".  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G11. How do I file a complaint with NeXT?

A number of postings to comp.sys.next indicates that NeXT really should have a
formal channel for complaints.  Complaints are about machines not arriving,
and about the company.  The current mechanism for doing this is to call the 800
number and be directed to the correct support center.

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G12. Where can I communicate to others interested in doing music  
on the NeXT?

Since NeXT has become for now the platform of choice for much of the computer
music composition and research community, the newsgroup comp.music is one
good place to find people with information and interest in music on the NeXT. 

There is also a mailing list specifically for NeXT music:

	NeXT Music SIG (nextmusic@wri.com)

To subscribe, send email to:

	nextmusic-request@wri.com   

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G13. Where can I get NeXTAnswers?

See the answer to G0.

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G14. What special interest groups exist?

Adobe Illustrator NeXT SIG
	To join, email: jchin@wcraft.wimsey.bc.ca
AFS NeXT SIG
	To join, email: info-afs-next-request@transarc.com
Berkeley Mathematics Software Group
	Email: nb@cs.stanford.edu
Classroom: NeXT Courseware SIG (next-classroom@gac.edu)
	To subscribe: send the following text message to
	MAILSERV@gac.edu --"Subscribe next-classroom <your name>"
Communications/TeleCommunications SIG (nextcomm@marble.com)
	To subscribe: send email to nextcomm-request@marble.com
	Data GROUP NeXT SIG
	To join, email: data_group@dazzl.com
Create Users
	To join email: Create-request@mcs.anl.gov
DataPhile Users
	To join email: DataPhile-request@mcs.anl.gov
Executor SIG
	To join, email: executor-request@ictv.com
Finnish: FUNeXT (Finnish Users of NeXT)
	To join, send email to: mailserver@lists.funet.fi
 	and write in body text:
		HELP
		LIST
		SUB FUNeXT
Frame: FUN (Frame Users Network)
	To join, email: framers-request@drd.com
Frame User Network - New England (FUNNE)
	To join, email:  funne@srbci.mv.com
GIS(Geographical Information Services)SIG (next-gis@deltos.com)
	To subscribe: send email to next-gis-request@deltos.com
Lotus Improv Email User Group
	To join, email: improv-request@bmt.gun.com
Mathematica:Special Interest Group
	To join. email: mathgroup-request@yoda.physics.unc.edu
Medical: NeXTMed SIG (NeXTMed@ulnar.biostr.washington.edu)
	To subscribe: send email to NeXTMed-request@ulnar.biostr.washington.edu 
	
Music: NeXT Music SIG (nextmusic@silvertone.Princeton.edu)
	To subscribe: send email to nextmusic-request@silvertone.Princeton.edu  
	
NeXT Icon Enthusiasts: next-icon@bmt.gun.com
	To subscribe: send e-mail to next-icon-request@bmt.gun.com
NexLAW: Legal NeXT User Group
	To join, email: NexLAW-request@techlaw.com
NeXTManagers (quick & technical answers) (next-managers@stolaf.edu)
	To subscribe: send email to next-managers-request@stolaf.edu
NeXT Q&A's
	To join, email the text:	
	 "SUBSCRIBE NEXT-L <your> <name>"
	to LISTSERV@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU
Network & Security Management for Labs & Large Installations  
(next-lab@cs.ubc.ca)
	To subscribe: send email to next-lab-request@cs.ubc.ca
Programmers:  NeXT Programmers SIG (next-prog@cpac.washington.edu)
	To subscribe: send email to next-prog-request@cpac.washington.edu
Publishing Interest Group
	To join, email: publish-request@chron.com
Japanese: Kanji and Japanese on the NeXT
	To join - Email: next-nihongo-request@pinoko.berkeley.edu
SCIENCE NeXT User Group (SNUG)
	To join, email: snug-requests@whitewater.chem.wisc.edu
United Kingdom SIG
	To join, email: uk-next-users-request@ohm.york.ac.uk
	and next-uk-usergroups-request@asmec.co.uk

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G15. Is it true I can get inexpensive 030 cubes from Businessland?

Businessland is no longer in business.  

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G16. How may I let the NeXT user community know of an upcoming  
NeXT-related event?

Please send any announcements of upcoming NeXT-related events to

	announce@cubetech.com
	
These events will be posted to comp.sys.next.announce.  Be sure to send your
announcement in plenty of time to have it posted prior to the event.  One to  
two
weeks in advance would be a good idea.   

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G17. What are the guidelines for posting to  
comp.sys.next.announce?

Submissions can be sent to announce@cubetech.com.

Since postings will be carried across many networks, commercial
announcements may be edited down to reflect network usage policies.  Program
announcements should contain as much information as possible (which ftp
sites, are sources included, is it shareware/freeware/commercial...) 
Programs made available via anonymous ftp should not be in submissions
directory.   

____________________________________________________________________________

*** Subject: G18. Where can I get NeXT paraphernalia?

The Company Store carries NeXT pencils, pens, decals, t-shirts, mugs,
sweatshirts, tote-bags, turtlenecks and mouse pads.    

	The Company Store
	3073 Corvin Dr.
	Santa Clara, CA 95051
	Voice: 800-288-0443
	Voice: (408) 739-9655
	FAX: (408) 746-2399


____________________________________________________________________________

NeXT-FAQ Editor:
Nathan Janette nathan@laplace.csb.yale.edu


--
Nathan Janette		"I'm a NeXTstep man,
Dept MB&B, Yale Univ	 I'm a NeXTcube guy"
New Haven, CT
nathan@laplace.biology.yale.edu (NeXT)