crum@alicudi.usc.edu (Gary L. Crum) (05/03/91)
Hi. Does anyone think the price of the NeXTbus Development Kit and the price of the NeXTbus Interface Chip (NBIC) will change soon (like, next week)? Those are two of the few items that have "peculiar" prices, i.e. for each of those items, the list and developer/educational prices are the same -- $350 for a NeXTbus Interface Chip and $35 for an NBIC. I think NeXT's incredible good will and perfectionist style might have been the reason for those prices, but with growth comes involvement with people who don't share that long-term and luxurious outlook. For example, I ordered a NeXTbus Development Kit from one of NeXT's "select" new dealers. For some reason, this salesman told me it was only $299 instead of the list $350. I don't know how he came up with that price, because all other NeXT products seemed to be priced at list there (at MacUniverse in Tarzana (southern) California). Anyway, a month later the salesman called to make sure that I knew what the NeXTbus Development Kit was for (hardware development and not just software development), even though I was very explicit at the time of the original order including even the model number (N7002). Then, two weeks after that, he told me that there was a bug in the kit and that it would be delayed until mid-summer. I told him that that was fine and to keep the order. Then I visited the store in person for the first time, at which time the salesman casually told me that the kit would cost $450 and not $299. I canceled my order, considering that my test (well, sort of a test) of MacUniverse had failed. I admit that my test was sort of rigged because of the pricing anomaly, but I was hoping that the dealer would realize NeXT's philosophy and go along with the long-term realization that people working with NeXTbus Development Kits adds value to NeXT. Well, before I started writing this article I didn't intent to describe that experience, but oh well. It goes well with my recent suggestion that selling NeXT computers through NeXTConnection would be a good idea. It seems that retail stores with list prices and lots of salesman (like Businessland and MacUniverse) are the way of the past, not the future (in part because of increasingly accessible wide-area communication and transportation). I was hoping that NeXT's select new retailers would be very competent. By the way, besides NeXTConnection there are other good, efficient outlets with telephone order departments. Creative Computers in southern California (by the Galleria in either Redondo Beach or Lawndale, phone (213)542-2292, contact Kelly Keith) is another good one. They have been in contact with the southern California NeXT office and they have a small but up-to-date and stocked showroom, currently containing Amiga-related items only. Please let them known if you think they should sell NeXTs. They apparently sell Amiga hardware at good prices both in their store and by accepting telephone orders, with advertising in AmigaWorld (as NeXTConnection does in NeXTworld). By the way, if anyone would sell me an '030 board for $250, please let me know. I want to experiment with Mach multiprocessor capabilities, when I get the chance (e.g. by working with Mach source code -- not just the power supply and ethernet connection hack that was recently posted.) Thanks, I hope so. Gary