dubman@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jonathan Dubman) (10/25/89)
I think NeXT is the best-run computer manufacturer in the U.S., but the method of getting machines to students appears slow and chaotic. Over a year past the introduction of a machine targeted at academia, I can't buy one at one of the largest academic institutions in the world. However, I am allowed to drive to UC Davis, where delivery supposedly takes 30 days and there is, I believe, a 15% fee, which exceeds the price of a Mac Plus at our local academic outlet. With tax, this brings the price of the entry-level machine to over eight thousand dollars. Reportedly UC Davis has sold but ten machines over the past year. With those terms, I'm not surprised. Unfortunately, with these exclusive distribution agreements we don't have the advantages of competition. It is a struggle for most students to come up with $6500, so a 15% fee cuts into sales and yet generates no extra revenue for NeXT. And thirty days is a long time. If I were running sales, I wouldn't be pleased with anything but immediate pickup in the usual case, and a week in the extreme. If the normal distribution channels can't live up to that standard, they need to be replaced or supplemented with direct sales. Q: If I walk into a Businessland with a Cashier's check for the amount of the machine, how long does it take before I have it on my desk? I'll bet it's less than thirty days. And what do they pay for it themselves? PROPOSAL: Maybe an agreement could be reached with Businessland whereby students offer proof of school registration and Businessland gets a $3500 or so rebate. Maybe Businessland needs to charge a $500 fee for support, but at least students will know what to expect and we won't have these large price discrepancies between schools. If a school is capable of offering the machine at a reduced fee or more quickly or with better support, so be it, but the student - especially those at smaller schools - should have the option of going to a retail outlet. This means that Businessland might have a bunch of poorly-dressed knapsack-bearing long-haired students coming into their respectable establishment, but I'd be willing to dress for the occasion if I could get my hands on a machine. :-) What do you think? As I and many other students are future developers, it would be prudent for NeXT to reevaluate its academic distribution policy without delay. On a positive note, I think the decision to include a 40Mb SCSI drive with all OD-only machines is highly commendable, as it reduces the entry cost of a usable system by $2000. For college students, entry cost is the key. If I had my machine right now, I'd be able to write about more substantive issues. I'm a big proponent of the machine; my complaints with NeXT are confined to this issue. Jonathan Dubman UC Berkeley
space@ncc1701.UUCP (Lars Soltau) (10/28/89)
In article <1989Oct25.042130.13037@agate.berkeley.edu> dubman@ocf.berkeley.edu (Jonathan Dubman) writes: > >I think NeXT is the best-run computer manufacturer in the U.S., but the >method of getting machines to students appears slow and chaotic. If you in the U.S. are complaining, what should we poor outsiders in Europe say? >Over a year past the introduction of a machine targeted at academia, I can't >buy one at one of the largest academic institutions in the world. However, I >am allowed to drive to UC Davis, where delivery supposedly takes 30 days and >there is, I believe, a 15% fee, which exceeds the price of a Mac Plus at our >local academic outlet. With tax, this brings the price of the entry-level >machine to over eight thousand dollars. Reportedly UC Davis has sold but ten >machines over the past year. With those terms, I'm not surprised. If I'd had the opportunity to get a NeXT at those conditions, I'd have bought one long ago. At least you CAN buy one! >PROPOSAL: >Maybe an agreement could be reached with Businessland whereby students offer >proof of school registration and Businessland gets a $3500 or so rebate. Hear, hear! Extend this offer to students all over the world, I say! >As I and many other students are future developers, it would be prudent for >NeXT to reevaluate its academic distribution policy without delay. Oh boy, how true this sounds! >If I had my machine right now, I'd be able to write about more substantive >issues. I'm a big proponent of the machine; my complaints with NeXT are >confined to this issue. I very much wonder whether it is arrogance or only negligence which has kept NeXT from extending its academic program to universities outside the US. All I keep hearing when I ask about a NeXT in Germany is "maybe next year, around June!". Hey, next year around June a NeXT isn't that hot technology any more. If NeXT wants to make sales on foreign markets, it has to provide foreign developers with machines. Since I now have decided to get a UNIX workstation, I could get all of this off my chest. I've wanted to yell this out for quite some time, but I still kept hoping "maybe I will get in touch with NeXT". Fat chance. My mail didn't even get a reply. -- Lars Soltau bang: ...uunet!unido!nadia!ncc1701!space BIX: --no bucks-- smart: ncc1701!space@nadia.UUCP
jfreem@uncecs.edu (Joe Freeman) (10/29/89)
>I very much wonder whether it is arrogance or only negligence which has >kept NeXT from extending its academic program to universities outside the >US. All I keep hearing when I ask about a NeXT in Germany is "maybe next >year, around June!". Hey, next year around June a NeXT isn't that hot >technology any more. If NeXT wants to make sales on foreign markets, it has >to provide foreign developers with machines. Actually there are probably some real buisness/financial/legal reasons. Some issues that come to mind immediatly: 1) It takes time to set up a quality organization for sales and service. How is the average customer in europe going to react when the find out that their machine has to go to the US for service? Some people wont mind but others will want NeXT to build a QUALITY organization so that their dealings with the company will be with the same high standards that the machine was built. 2) Is the current level of non-english language support acceptable to europe or parts of europe. Does the box have to pass extra rfi and safety tests. I know germany has some stiff standards. I am sure there are other issues that have to be dealt with. There are machines in europe (probably UK since BuisnessLand is there) but the question is: Do you throw the machines out there or do you do distribution right. <joe> This reply was generated by myself with no consultation of anyone that works for my employer. It represents no one's opinion but my own.
epsilon@wet.UUCP (Eric P. Scott) (10/30/89)
In article <1989Oct29.151723.22981@uncecs.edu> jfreem@ecsvax.uncecs.edu.UUCP (Joe Freeman) writes: > Does the box have to pass extra rfi and safety tests. >I know germany has some stiff standards. Hey, I'd like to be able to have one at home in the USA. No way with the current RF emissions. Not even close. How about a TEMPEST cube? :-) -=EPS=-
dorner@pequod.cso.uiuc.edu (Steve Dorner) (10/30/89)
In article <722@wet.UUCP> epsilon@wet.UUCP (Eric P. Scott) writes: >Hey, I'd like to be able to have one at home in the USA. >No way with the current RF emissions. Not even close. Really? My NeXT is a heck of a lot easier on my radios than my Macintosh, and the Mac is official blessed for home use. -- Steve Dorner, U of Illinois Computing Services Office Internet: s-dorner@uiuc.edu UUCP: {convex,uunet}!uiucuxc!dorner IfUMust: (217) 244-1765