bswift@calstate.bitnet (Brian Swift) (11/27/90)
If the following has already been discussed to death please ignore it.
Does anyone have any information/speculation on why the price for the
standard configuration NeXTcube (MSRP $7,995) is three thousand dollars
more than a NeXTstation (MSRP $4,995). The only difference between the
two is that the cube is expandable. Three thousand seems like an awful
lot for three empty slots, a larger case, and heftier power supply. I
would love to get my own NeXT, and with the educational price of the
NeXTstation I can even afford one. But I just can't justify it when there
is no possibility of adding NeXTdimension at some future date when my
wallet is thicker.
Also, does anyone have an explanation for the existence of the slab. Is
the smaller size really worth the lack of expandability?
Now I'll take my shot at second guessing Mr. Jobs and his marketing
department. I would have introduced the new systems as follows:
1. '030 cube no OD, 105MB HD, 2.88MB Floppy @ $3695 ('040 NeXTcube price
less $1300 upgrade)
2. No NeXTstation (NeXT saves NeXTstation development cost)
3. '040 NeXTcube @ $4995 (Same as current price for NeXTstation)
4. No NeXTstation Color (NeXT saves NeXTstation Color development cost)
5. NeXTdimension system @ $11,115 (Current cost less $3000 reduction in
NeXTcube)
This would make a bottom of the line color NeXT cost $3120 more than it
currently does. And that bottom of the line would now be NeXTdimension
rather than NeXTstation color. Well worth the $3120 cost increase, I
think.
The bottom of the line buy-in cost would be great (really great with
educational discount), plus there would be a penalty free upgrade path to
the top of the line. NeXT saves a fair amount of development cost, has
something useful to do with '030 boards, and could be shipping '030
systems, at the reduced price, while waiting for Moto to get '040
production up to full speed.
Comments and criticisms welcome. But please send any flames via E-mail.
I just don't understand why Mr. Jobs doesn't consult me before introducing
a new line of computers. :-)
Brian Swift
bswift@calstate.bitnetmdixon@parc.xerox.com (Mike Dixon) (11/27/90)
Does anyone have any information/speculation on why the price for the
standard configuration NeXTcube (MSRP $7,995) is three thousand
dollars more than a NeXTstation (MSRP $4,995). The only difference
between the two is that the cube is expandable. Three thousand seems
like an awful lot for three empty slots, a larger case, and heftier
power supply.
there's also the control circuitry for the OD (which was left out of
the nextstation). (well, and twice as many SIMM slots, but they only
cost board space.) this still doesn't explain the price difference,
but computer prices always have more to do with marketing than material
costs.
i suspect the big reason for developing the nextstation is that many
customers *want* a physically small machine -- the nextstation takes
up much less space (and is quieter: smaller power supply =>
smaller fan).
paying $3k extra now because you expect that "at some future date"
you'll want to add a nextdimension is pretty questionable budgeting;
at the rate computers depreciate, this only makes sense if you expect
the future date to be pretty soon.
--
.mike.stone@hydra.unm.edu (Andrew Stone) (11/28/90)
In article <MDIXON.90Nov26181850@thelonius.parc.xerox.com> mdixon@parc.xerox.com (Mike Dixon) writes: ... >there's also the control circuitry for the OD (which was left out of >the nextstation). (well, and twice as many SIMM slots, but they only >cost board space.) > Friends don't let friends buy underpowered workstations. IF you buy a slab with 8k, you'll be throwing those simms away when you realize it takes a minimum of 12 to get any kind of performance whatsoever. Meanwhile, that 105 meg drive is not even enough for ye olde common denominator software that we all know and love. I advise newcomers to snatch the upgradeable, durable, optical-drivable 030 cube; but I applaud NeXT for realizing that not all of its customers need the kind of power that your normal nethead cyberjock does. andrew
bennett@mp.cs.niu.edu (Scott Bennett) (11/29/90)
In article <1990Nov28.043420.19772@ariel.unm.edu> stone@hydra.unm.edu (Andrew Stone) writes: >In article <MDIXON.90Nov26181850@thelonius.parc.xerox.com> mdixon@parc.xerox.com (Mike Dixon) writes: >... >>there's also the control circuitry for the OD (which was left out of >>the nextstation). (well, and twice as many SIMM slots, but they only >>cost board space.) >> >Friends don't let friends buy underpowered workstations. IF you buy a slab >with 8k, you'll be throwing those simms away when you realize it takes a >minimum of 12 to get any kind of performance whatsoever. Meanwhile, that 105 Whether they have 8MB, 12MB, or even more, they'll be throwing those SIMMs away and replacing them as soon as they can afford to when they discover NeXT has stuck them with nMBx8 SIMMs rather than nMBx9's. Jeesh. Nonparity memory was obsoleted in the 1950's. >meg drive is not even enough for ye olde common denominator software that we >all know and love. > >I advise newcomers to snatch the upgradeable, durable, optical-drivable 030 >cube; but I applaud NeXT for realizing that not all of its customers need >the kind of power that your normal nethead cyberjock does. > The expandability and upgradability are some of the main reasons I did what you suggest. However, NeXT has taken what would have made a great device for doing hard disk backups and made it into a white dinosaur (was: elephant, but not big enough;-) by changing the price per OD from ~$50 (very reasonable) to $99 (tolerable) to $149 (outrageous ripoff.) > andrew Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG Systems Programming Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois 60115 ********************************************************************** * Internet: bennett@cs.niu.edu * * BITNET: A01SJB1@NIU * *++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++* * Visit the scenic Illinois Craters! Just 10 minutes * * from New Chicago! * **********************************************************************
UH2@psuvm.psu.edu (Lee Sailer) (11/29/90)
In article <1990Nov26.173441.184@nic.csu.net>, bswift@calstate.bitnet (Brian Swift) says: >Does anyone have any information/speculation on why the price for the >standard configuration NeXTcube (MSRP $7,995) is three thousand dollars >more than a NeXTstation (MSRP $4,995). The only difference between the Naturally, NeXT would price its machines as low as possible, in order to try to get some appreciable market share. My guess about the big price difference is that they've decided to *lower* the price of the NeXTStation even further, to try to attract new buyers. lee
lwb@pensoft.UUCP (Lance Bledsoe) (12/08/90)
In article <1990Nov28.043420.19772@ariel.unm.edu> stone@hydra.unm.edu (Andrew Stone) writes: >Friends don't let friends buy underpowered workstations. IF you buy a slab >with 8k, you'll be throwing those simms away when you realize it takes a >minimum of 12 to get any kind of performance whatsoever. Meanwhile, that 105 8k! Wow, that is a lot of power! What is that 8 1k simms? Do I have to have 1024 simms to get 1m? I couldn't resist. :-) ;-) -- Lance Bledsoe Off: (512) 343-1111 Pencom Software, Inc. Fax (512) 343-9650 8716 North MoPac #200 UUCP: cs.utexas.edu!pensoft!lwb Austin, Texas 78759 UUNET: uunet!uudell!pensoft!lwb