radel@chopin.udel.edu (Todd Radel) (03/24/91)
I realize this has probably been convered before, and I'm very sorry.
But I'm thinking of buying a NeXTstation and I've got a couple of
questions for current users out there...
(1) I see by everyone's .sig files that most people with NeXTs are
Comp.Sci. majors, engineers, etc. I've heard that it's a great
machine for desktop publishing/writing (with PostScript, FrameMaker,
etc.). Has anyone used a NeXT for this purpose? What are your
experiences with DTP?
(2) How easy is it to share files with IBM's? With Macs?
(3) How good is the WriteNow/FrameMaker combination? Should I buy
WordPerfect to go with FrameMaker?
(4) Is it worth using the NeXT as a standalone workstation, or should
it be tied in to a Unix network? (We've got plenty of 'em, so
this wouldn't be too difficult! ;-)
(5) Is 8Mb of RAM and a 105Mb hard disk big enough? Some of the threads
lately have made it sound like 8Mb isn't enough. (It's eight times
the amount I've got now, so... :-)
(6) How easy is it to get shareware/add-ons?
(7) What about using a NeXT with a modem?
I guess that's enough questions for now.
Please e-mail replies to radel@chopin.udel.edu. Thanks for your help!
-- Todd Radel
(probably the only English major to consider a NeXT!!)
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------matthews@lewhoosh.umd.edu (Mike Matthews) (03/24/91)
[btw, this: Newsgroups: radel@chopin.udel.edu doesn't exist.. wonder if it's a problem on your end or mine ..] In article <16755@chopin.udel.edu> radel@chopin.udel.edu (Todd Radel) writes: >I realize this has probably been convered before, and I'm very sorry. >But I'm thinking of buying a NeXTstation and I've got a couple of >questions for current users out there... That's what this group is for, actually. Well, one of its purposes. >(1) I see by everyone's .sig files that most people with NeXTs are > Comp.Sci. majors, engineers, etc. I've heard that it's a great > machine for desktop publishing/writing (with PostScript, FrameMaker, > etc.). Has anyone used a NeXT for this purpose? What are your > experiences with DTP? The NeXT was made for DTP. That is why it uses Display PostScript. I wish I had FrameMaker, or *something* but I don't so that is all I can comment on. >(2) How easy is it to share files with IBM's? With Macs? With IBMs, just stick the 3.5" MS DOS floppy in. Lotus Improv reads 123 files like a charm, NeXT WP handles IBM WP 5.{0,1} files nicely as well. Not sure of any other specific apps. Macs, on the other hand, require some sort of net link, either serial or TCP/IP. >(3) How good is the WriteNow/FrameMaker combination? Should I buy > WordPerfect to go with FrameMaker? WP needs some improvement. I would hazard a guess that WriteNow would be good enough in conjunction with FrameMaker. >(4) Is it worth using the NeXT as a standalone workstation, or should > it be tied in to a Unix network? (We've got plenty of 'em, so > this wouldn't be too difficult! ;-) Nets are always more fun. >(5) Is 8Mb of RAM and a 105Mb hard disk big enough? Some of the threads > lately have made it sound like 8Mb isn't enough. (It's eight times > the amount I've got now, so... :-) Hell no. I would add in another ~ $800 for a 20M RAM upgrade, and would seriously consider getting at least another 200M of HD. Since you can get 660's for a little over $1400, I'd add that in too. >(6) How easy is it to get shareware/add-ons? Shareware is a simple ftp session. Not sure what you mean about add-ons. >(7) What about using a NeXT with a modem? What about it? It's doable. Might take some Unix magic if you want dial-in as well as dial-out. >I guess that's enough questions for now. >Please e-mail replies to radel@chopin.udel.edu. Thanks for your help! I posted 'cause other people might want to know too. >-- Todd Radel > (probably the only English major to consider a NeXT!!) With Shakespeare and Webster and Oxford Quotations online, I doubt it. ------ Mike Matthews, matthews@lewhoosh.umd.edu (NeXT)/matthews@umdd (bitnet) ------ "Honest Officer, had I known my health stood in jeprody I would never had lit one." - Maxim of the Hells Angels