🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4OCT199216512572@vax.sonoma.edu> poff@vax.sonoma.edu (Thomas Poff) writes:
>Yep, I'm a developer and I still hear what you are saying.  I'm interested
>in the NeXT as a development paradigm, but I'd still like to see my 
>applications used someday... so I'm concerned, nay MORTIFIED that so many
>people feel this way about NeXT.  C'mon guys, you've just GOT to support
>the old hardware or you'll never move forward into the markets you really
>have been striving for.

Hah...the newer users of NeXT's couldn't, for the most part, give a damn of
the fate of some of the users of "older" (i.e. 1.5 years or more) users.

When NeXT dropped the OD in the fashion they did, there was cheering coming
from most of the .com people here. When the ND didn't turn out right and the
fate of the Cube was in question, you could hear the sigh of relief.
 
Some people may feel that users simply move on to new technology every 18
months, when the Cube was marketed as an upgradeable item. The OD was
unique. Perhaps the implementation wasn't perfect, but NeXT could have
provided a migration path for people who had just spent a lot of money on
equipment (I know of many Cube users that will never buy NeXT again because
of the way the MO and ND fiascos were handled).
 
I must say that Appsoft and some of the smaller developers have been a joy to
deal with. Some users, especially Dr. Tom M., who has provided us with
an incredible amount of help with NeXT TeX issues( and others), have been great.sadly though, many are in this for a fast buck. They aren't going to get it
from the likes of myself. You have some very real concerns to deal with. There
is a BMW attitude here and at NeXT. People scoff at the 486 and the Mac, but
at least one can get decent word processors and music notation and etc...
there.
 
I have suggested NeXT's to many colleagues who have bought them. I believe
they will benifit from them a lot. However, I doubt that they will develop
a loyalty to the platform and buy software being produced by you guys. When
the next better Unix box comes around they simply get it.
 
In any case, I would not count on a large market for your software. But, heh,
it's quality not quantity that counts (so I've been told here a zillion times).
Well get  used to one steak per month.
 
Nathan J. has been waiting for certain events to occur. The day is approaching.
>
>The reason why they haven't been worried about it is because not enough
>people haven't been vocalizing their opinions.  If you show them what you
>want, they will react.  For those of you who don't know... the number is 
>(800)848-NeXT!  A letter would probably be even better.

Hah...neither would help. NeXT is about to lose another customer from higher
education. I doubt they could care less. A very short sighted bunch in my
humble opinion.
 
[ ]

Philip McDunnough
University of Toronto
philip@utstat.toronto.edu