cy@attctc.Dallas.TX.US (Cyrus Foughty) (08/22/89)
August 22, 1989
NeXT, Inc.
An open letter to NeXT:
I regard the NeXT computer as one of the greatest advances in
computing since the Apple ][. Having spent just a few short hours
exploring the NeXT, I see brilliance! Only one aspect needs to be
changed, include a Maxtor 140 Meg. winchester.
I am scared for the success of NeXT though, having made inquiries
with local sales and support, and also with Palo Alto, I percieve
that many large mistakes are being made. Let me list them from my
encounters with NeXT employees:
1. Everything is too secretive. Very little information is revealed
concerning sales and technical aspects. The attitude I received
when talking to Palo Alto, was that of "we will decide what is
best for you, so don't ask". I want to use the NeXT, but I can't
if I don't get the help I need.
2. Regardless of what you think Mr. Jobs, the NeXT should be sold
primarily to businesses. NeXT is a Unix workstation with bundled
software that beats the competition. I am a software engineer for
a major telecom company, we are right in the middle of purchasing
over 400 workstations within a one year period. We have installed
100 already. The major problem we have is that most engineers do
not know unix and do not wish to learn it. NeXT solves this problem
and at THE BEST PRICE! The software that comes with the NeXT saves
on average around $2500 per user. The NeXT comes in at relatively
half the price of a comparably equipped workstation. We simply can't
use it because NONE of the tools vendors we use have even considered
porting their applications to the NeXT. Why? The vendors have said
they thought the NeXT was an incomplete machine and you must add
a lot more EXPENSIVE hardware. This is not true! It seems that NeXT
still has this pipe dream that they will sell to "higher education"
first. I WANT TO HAVE A NeXT ON MY DESK; GET THE MICROTEC CROSS
COMPILER AND TOOLS RUNNING ON THE NeXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talk to the major vendors and help them port their products to the
NeXT platform. It seems nobody from NeXT is talking to these people.
3. Business Land needs to know what they are doing and realize
that the NeXT is not a PC!
I am not blasting NeXT, I merely want one! I can't buy my own, but
I could have one if my company would buy it, but the CASE tools and
cross-compilers must operate on the NeXT. Please move in this direction
Mr. Jobs.
Cy Foughty
1428 Pioneer Lane
Plano, Tx 75023
Home: (214)578-8837
Work: (214)519-4237
--
cy
{ames,decwrl}!killer!cy
MaBell: 214.578.8837
Don't Panic.