[comp.sys.mac] "Sparc"intosh???

markham@rho.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Markham) (03/28/89)

In one of my many computer publications (I think it was Byte), I saw an
article regarding a machine that was to be produced by Sun or HP or someone
that was supposed to blow the doors off any PC for essentially the same
price.  I also heard the name was to be "Sparc"intosh.  Now, I don't know if
it is me or not, but I don't think that Apple will let that name roll off of
the assembly lines.

I also read that the machine was not PC or Mac compatible(as if it could).
If so, how in the hell will it survive?  I know that Amiga's are still alive,
but can anymore like that survive?

If anyone has any info, please post what you know.

Thanx,
Andy Markham 
<markham@sunmail.cs.unc.edu>
Computer Science Department
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

aberg@math.rutgers.edu (Hans Aberg) (03/29/89)

These kind of rumours are generally released in the April issues,
just in case they happen to be wrong.

Hans Aberg, Mathematics
aberg@math.rutgers.edu

schinder@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Paul Schinder) (03/29/89)

In article <7461@thorin.cs.unc.edu> markham@rho.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Markham) writes:
[stuff about "SPARC"intosh deleted]
>
>I also read that the machine was not PC or Mac compatible(as if it could).
>If so, how in the hell will it survive?  I know that Amiga's are still alive,
>but can anymore like that survive?
>
>If anyone has any info, please post what you know.
>
>Thanx,
>Andy Markham 
><markham@sunmail.cs.unc.edu>
>Computer Science Department
>University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

How did Macintosh survive?  It wasn't compatable with anything else
when it arrived.  If you offer a superior machine at resonable prices,
you just might make it.

On a related note, I hope that if Apple builds a line of machines
around the Motorola RISC chip(s), that they *not* be compatable with
Macintosh.  Instead, I'd like to see Apple learn from the problems
they've had with the Mac and produce a much better machine.  IMHO
that's exactly what Steve Jobs did with the NeXT.  (I realize that
NeXT still has many problems, but it also has great potential).

-- 
Paul J. Schinder
Department of Astronomy, Cornell Univ.
schinder@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu

ra_robert@gsbacd.uchicago.edu (03/29/89)

I believe the "Sparcintosh" is just a nickname, referring to Sun's new Unix
computers coming out next month, with a more "user friendly" interface (hence,
the '-intosh').

BTW, they had an article in the New York Times last week about Apple and Sun
going head-to-head.  Basically NYT's assessment (for whatever it's worth) is
that Apple is going for style and speed, while Sun is going for speed.



Robert
------
ra_robert@gsbacd.uchicago.edu
------
generic disclaimer: all my opinions are mine

phssra@mathcs.emory.edu (Scott R. Anderson) (04/02/89)

In article <7461@thorin.cs.unc.edu> markham@rho.cs.unc.edu (Andrew Markham) writes:
>In one of my many computer publications (I think it was Byte), I saw an
>article regarding a machine that was to be produced by Sun or HP or someone
>that was supposed to blow the doors off any PC for essentially the same
>price.  I also heard the name was to be "Sparc"intosh.  Now, I don't know if
>it is me or not, but I don't think that Apple will let that name roll off of
>the assembly lines.

With a name involving "SPARC", you can be pretty sure they are talking about
Sun Microsystems, since that is the name of the RISC chip they use.  According
to an article in the current MacWeek, they are planning to come out with two
new lines of low-price workstations (~$5000) based on the 25 MHz 68030 and
SPARC.  I seriously doubt if they will be using the name "SPARCintosh"; the
article said they will be named the Sun 3/80 and the SPARCstation 1,
respectively.  The former will be about 3 MIPS, the latter 12 MIPS.

>I also read that the machine was not PC or Mac compatible(as if it could).
>If so, how in the hell will it survive?  I know that Amiga's are still alive,
>but can anymore like that survive?

It is a unix-based machine with a window system built on top.  Believe me, it
will have no problem surviving, whatsoever (Sun Microsystems is one of the
fastest-growing computer companies around).

*
  *      **                  Scott Robert Anderson      gatech!emoryu1!phssra
   *   *    *    **          phssra@unix.cc.emory.edu   phssra@emoryu1.bitnet
    * *      * *    * **
     *        *      *  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

fischer@arisia.Xerox.COM (Ronald A. Fischer) (04/04/89)

This won't be a Mac clone, if you don't care about Mac compatibility
it will be much better.  My question is whether Sun will offer
developer's discounts, although with Apple's recent tightening of the
rules to get these it may not matter.

By the way, that was my definition of the moment Apple went stodgy;
when they required developers to submit in triplicate their genetic
code and marketing plans for their software to qualify for the
discount.

(ron)

ech@pegasus.ATT.COM (Edward C Horvath) (04/05/89)

From article <668@arisia.Xerox.COM>, by fischer@arisia.Xerox.COM (Ronald A. Fischer):
> ...my definition of the moment Apple went stodgy;
> when they required developers to submit in triplicate their genetic
> code and marketing plans for their software to qualify for the
> discount.

That date was certainly prior to April, 1984, when I first applied for
CD status (and got it).  Apple have ALWAYS regarded developers as people who
would create a market for Apple hardware rather than as consumers of same.

Stodgy?  Maybe.  Good business?  Well, when did YOUR sales pass 10^9?

=Ned Horvath=