🚀 go-pugleaf

	Why do people make the assumption that NeXT will actually put out a
box based on the Intel chip?  I doubt NeXT would make hardware that is in
direct competition with the cut-rate clones.  NeXT will always have it's
flagship computers, and will probably keep churning out Moto 680x0 based
machines in Freemont.  The NeXTstep 486 will most likely be sold to those
who bought the wrong computer in the first place, or to clone-makers who
will package it preinstalled or something like that.  There is NO reason for
NeXT to produce 80x86 based machines!  Sell the OS on them, yes, but build
them?  Yes, the moto CPUs are more expensive, and yes, they are generally
better, but that cost difference is about $100/machine.  It does get
signifcant with large numbers, but then NeXT hasn't been involved in major
price wars.  If it was an Intel based computer, it might be a different
story.  It's hard to get away with niceties like DSP's, super
power-supplies, CPU to printer connection etc... on an architecture where
price is just about the ONLY thing that the buyer really looks at.  A //
machine would be a different story.  (I could deal with a nice 3+ 486
machine from NeXT), because there isn't the real cuthroatness among the //
machines, and they can be really nice.  (I'm logging in through Soda, a 20
processor Sequent on the Berkeley Campus.  20 386's make for a really nice
multi-user multi-purpose machine).

	Also, the r4000 is a nice chip, (64 bit processor and everthing,
although it's pinouts make it look like a real porcupine), but is SGI
letting it out?  SGI owns Mips now, and so they effectively controll the
supply of the r4000.  Is there currently ANY non-sgi machine that uses the
r4000?

	Furthermore, is the Alpha available to other vendors?  The same goes
for the POWER chip.  And, as for SPARC, NeXT would do better with the same
tactic as the Intel chips, an OS for those who bought the wrong machine.

	-Nick.

p.s.  When I say "wrong machine", I mean that the OS/Architecture
combination doesn't really work for the job that they want it to do, but
NeXTstep corrects that problem.
-- 
Nicholas C. Weaver                                nweaver@soda.berkeley.edu
It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, .signifying nothing.